GirlHacker's Random Log

almost daily since 1999

 

Faced with dwindling numbers, the Sisters of Carmel of the Resurrection in Indianapolis have hired a development director to do a little publicity to attract new members. It has been twelve years since someone joined their community. Despite the nuns’ modest plans for a simple brochure, the development director brought in a set of advisors to propose new-fangled publicity such as a website. Now you can find out what books the sisters are reading, read their perspectives on current events, and apply to visit and learn more about life as a Carmelite nun (“If you are a single woman between 20-45”). Breaking a tradition of seclusion was not easy, but these women love their way of life so sincerely that they wish for it to continue. An ad agency took on the challenging job for free and found the sisters to be witty and even irrevent at times. Their interest in current events gave them the hook for an intriguing website and now some of them have a weekly deadline to write essays on current events. No sisters seem to regret their new exposure to the outside world. Whether or not their goals of recruitment will be achieved remains to be seen.