Rather than go nun-less, the Church has developed a two-prong strategy for snagging more Holy women: Get them young when boys are still "icky," and advertise via comic books:
"When I went to 7th grade, we moved to a new school, and kids were more 'mature' there: boys always flirting with the girls, girls always crying their hearts out, and I thought that was very foolish," Liz told us. "So, one day the nun handed out comic books -- really, comic books -- about being a 'Bride Of Christ.' It was like, 'Gosh, I don't have to worry about flirting!' I thought about it, talked about it with the Sisters, and decided that was right for me."
Liz was recruited via comic back in the '50s, but the Catholic Church still dusts off this strategy from time to time, most recently in manga-fied form, circa 2007:
National Office for Vocation
"Gotta convert 'em all!"
The phrase "Bride Of Christ" is taken a lot more literally than you might think. Jesus is treated as basically the perfect boyfriend, and nunhood was a sure-fire path of snagging that saintly hunk and a dream wedding. All without having to talk to icky boys with their existing physical bodies.
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