Similarities and differences in elements determining the religious character of 104 four-year Catholic colleges sponsored by women religious are examined. Literature on Catholic higher education, an analysis of college catalogs, and interviews with college presidents and the executive director of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities were used to identify elements contributing to college religious character: composition of the Board of Control, faculty, administration, the student body; theology and philosophy requirements; type of religious services; degree of accountability to the sponsoring religious congregation/diocese; environmental/discipline considerations; and use of various descriptors to express the religious character of the colleges. Changes in these elements between 1965 and 1986 were examined and findings from aid recipient colleges were compared with those of non-recipients. The study indicates profound changes occurred in the selected elements between 1965 and 1986, with no different patterns between the aid recipient and non-recipient colleges. Other findings include: (1) presidents were unequivocal in rating the importance of the elements contributing to religious character and the reasons for change in any of the elements; (2) only a very small percentage of aid recipient presidents expressed belief that the changes in some selected elements were the result of the need or desire to quality for aid; and (3) all the presidents point to several issues to explain the changes (e.g. growing emphasis on freedom, the ecumenical movement, and general permissiveness in society). Tables are included. Contains 16 references. (SM)