Virginia Eye Institute: Two sisters of the cloth at the Eye Institute of Virginia in February. One carried a purple, potted mum. (submitted by jessica simon)
Masterpiece Theatre: Of course, Masterpiece Theatre’s four-part tales of a nun torn between her marriage to Christ and her desire for a quiet machinist. “Body and Soul” ran on PBS in February and contrary to the Times-Dispatch’s sour assessment, it was excellent viewing.
Virginia Commonwealth University: Everywhere on the campus of VCU. It seems that there is a group of foreign students who are nuns. They are dark complected with dark hair and dressed in simple, short, brown dresses with matching waist belts. They wear white habits. They usually have a crucifix around the neck. Interestingly, their feet are adorned with black tennis shoes. They travel together most of the time, however they can be seen alone once in a while. All in all, there are probably five or six nuns running around campus. Best place to find one: Cabell Library, especially the computer room in the basement of the library. As a matter of fact, one of the nuns is sitting near me as I write this. (submitted by john r. donnelly)
Nun Watch Special Report: A new nationwide survey should strike terror into regular readers of Caffeine’s Nun Watch section. The Los Angeles Times has reported that the median age for nuns in the United States and its colonized island surrogate, Puerto Rico, is 65. Fewer than three percent are younger than 40 years old.
In 1993 there were 94,022 nuns in the United States, reported the Washington Post. That’s just one nun for every 2,700 sinners in America. That figure is almost half of the 1966 figure—the Post reported that there were 181,421 nuns in the United States during the reign of Lyndon B. Johnson.
Surprisingly, the Times reported that most nuns are satisfied with their lives; in fact, 88 percent of the nuns surveyed said they would definitely or probably sign up to be a Bride of Christ again if they had to make a choice. The Times’ survey involved 1,049 sisters in the United States and Puerto Rico.
