Aging, contraction, and cohesion in a religious order: A policy analysis

This article is a study of problems of contraction and cohesion in the Order of the Servants of Mary. Focusing on the history of the Order since the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), it seeks to uncover the dynamics that underlie these problems and to recommend broad directions for future policy. The logical level of the policy recommendations conforms with that of the analysis, which concentrates on a few highly aggregated driving forces.