other traditions, as well. >> what did vatican ii mean to the mairinol sisters? >> oh, it was fantastic. >> what did it do for you? >> we gradually got out of some of the more traditional works that we were in. such as schools and hospitals and went to other places. went more on the margins of society where people hadn't been before. i don't mean to be grandiose about it. but gave us a sense that our founders wanted us to go out and be a reflection of god's love. and to go where the poor are in order to show that love. >> whatever else it was, the era of vatican ii was a turning point. the numd beryl ber of nuns in a hits peak in 1965 and it's been falling ever since. there were 150,000 nuns 50 years ago and only 48,000 today. others claim it was changes within the church that helped