Depending on how one regards longitudinal data, the state of religious life in Catholic congregations in many Western countries could be described as being in transition or in crisis!  There is no question that the numbers of people in religious congregations have been in step decline for decades albeit from historically atypical numbers in the post war period. An examination of those currently in Catholic religious congregation is a good means of framing the discussion around the state of these communities and whether we are observing a genuine transformation.  This book is a series of detailed vignettes from North American women of, initially, their experiences of religious life and then moves on to amore  theological and social reflections.  The rationale behind the book is that these stories come from younger women, so it directly addresses the current state and future of many religious communities.  The great strength of the volume is the breadth of experiences that are recounted and the astuteness and critical reflections of the contributing authors.  A strong impression after reading all of the chapters is that this book has made an important contribution to the wider discussion of religious life in contemporary Western cultures. 

The editors have not chosen to impose too strict a structure on the various accounts and allowed each author, “their own voice” (as the title suggests) and this adds to the depth of the discussion that emerges.  There is considerable variation in the accounts that are given but this does justice to the complexities of contemporary culture, especially in relation to those who strive for religious virtuosity.  Indeed, one common theme that does emerge are the comments of many of the contributors that they are acutely aware that they are, if not unconventional, then outliers. At the same time though, they articulate that this is something that they have reflected on and embraced. Recognizing the incongruity between their own lives and so many of their peers allows the contributors a vantage point to seriously engage with wider cultural and social factors and this is one reason why their insights are so incisive.

Along with a general introduction and a concluding chapter that looks to the future, there are thirteen chapters each one giving the perspective of the author on religious life. There is a diversity in the chapters so only a few observations will be made here to give some account of the focus and tone of the volume. Findlay gives an account of growing up in New Mexico where she first encountered her religious community. For her, as with most of the other contributors, postulancy meant moving to another area.  A feature of religious life today is the low number of aspirants so communities must bring those interested in joining the congregation together from across the country. This is an enriching experience as personal differences are taken into account and the communal life of the community is seen in new ways.  For Findaly this meant learning more about the Polish roots of her community.  Maya gives an interesting account of the tension evident in many communities between a storied past where in her community, “when we had brave sisters going to live among the poor and when we were pioneers in nursing and education. “[169] and an uncertain future. This is seen, however, not as a futile quest to recapture past glories but a recognition that a new reality has emerged and that younger members of religious communities have chosen to be part of this different future.
Dealing with the uncertainty of religious life is something that is addressed throughout the book.  Francois puts this well when she writes, “We live our religious life in an ever changing context which is clouded in fog.” [p. 182]. But recognition of this state of transition is only part of the story.  There is also an acknowledgment that the perennial aspects of religious life are still in evidence even if their structural expression is changing. Again, Francois puts this well when she notes, “The call of the Gospel looms large in this time of fog, even as religious life itself shifts from being lived on a grand institutional scale to a smaller more intimate one.” [182].

I would heartily commend this book to those interested in religious life in contemporary culture.