The dissertation of Kelley, IHM, MS_________________ entitled ...

CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Grief in Women Religious 1
Research suggests that grief is a normal response to loss. Grief scholars have
examined numerous populations; however, the present author has found no studies that
concentrate on the loss experienced by Catholic women religious, individuals who
profess the vows of chastity, obedience and poverty. In the Roman Catholic Church there
are two forms of religious life for women: contemplative and active. Contemplative
women religious choose to live these vows in solitude and prayer within the confines of
their monasteries. In contrast, active women religious choose a lifestyle that is
committed to an apostolic work within the church. It is important for psychologists to
understand this particular vocation because religious life may result in distinct treatment
needs. Little is known, however, of how the death of a loved one affects women living
these exceptional lifestyles. Therefore, research in this area is needed in order to identify
variables that impact the grief process in this population.
The literature indicates that a variety of intrapersonal and interpersonal factors are
related to grief. Two intrapersonal areas of special concern for this study were
spirituality and the personality factor of extraversion. An interpersonal factor that this
study examined was social support. These issues were additionally addressed
longitudinally in the context of Catholic women living the active and contemplative
religious lifestyles.