Consecrated Virgin In The World - 50 Words Or Less

[God's Beloved]

According to tradition , the Rite itself is designed to be so beautiful that the virgin becomes a sign taking the community 'beyond space and time' into the hope of the life after death , the union of the church with Christ.

 

That's why it helps if a virgin dresses beautifully as a bride for her consecration.

 

Once this image is affixed in the hearts and minds of the community that witnesses the consecration,  they will tend to always look at her as an eschatological image of the life to come.

[God's Beloved]

I have just heard this beautiful testimony and song by Audrey Assad.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eT5_05oxDhw

 

She is not a CV , but I do feel a CV in the world is called to live like that.

One does not need to borrow the features of religious life to live fully as a CV.

[oremus1]

According to tradition , the Rite itself is designed to be so beautiful that the virgin becomes a sign taking the community 'beyond space and time' into the hope of the life after death , the union of the church with Christ.

 

That's why it helps if a virgin dresses beautifully as a bride for her consecration.

 

Once this image is affixed in the hearts and minds of the community that witnesses the consecration,  they will tend to always look at her as an eschatological image of the life to come.

 

do you have any reference for that?

 

is there a similar idea applying to the rite of ordination?

[God's Beloved]

Please read the Praenotanda of the Rite , or any good commentary on liturgy.

 

Besides one needs an aesthetic sense to grasp this. No university can teach this.

 

We are not discussing anything about the rite of ordination here.

[oremus1]

Please read the Praenotanda of the Rite , or any good commentary on liturgy.

 

Besides one needs an aesthetic sense to grasp this. No university can teach this.

 

We are not discussing anything about the rite of ordination here.

 

surely one could say that about the Mass , it is not specific to the cosnecration. there are many such comments about in particular the traditional latin mass.

 

and you do know that the rite of consecration of virgins did not just evolve from matrimorial rites, but also the rite of ordination? earlier in the thread i did ask if anyone could comment on the parallels to explain why this is, but no-one answered.

 

also, an intersting point about the cincture being worn on the inside. i wonder why cahtolic religious did not do that?

Edited February 13, 2014 by oremus1

[God's Beloved]

The reference to the white shirt and rope tied around the waist by Parsis is related to an Initiation ceremony which for them is a re-birth. What touched me when I heard a talk by a Parsi sharing this , is 'another' way of having an identity.

 

Religious men and women usually dress in a habit which is a very important aspect of their personal and institutional identity as religious. For many of them, the very act of receiving a habit gives them a religious identity.

 

However a CV need not have her identity as a CV by wearing a habit. If she does so due to pastoral sensitivity , the People around her will identify her as a consecrated person but 'her own' identity is not tied to external clothing.

 

For some CV who receive a veil during the ceremony of consecration, it does feel like receiving the identity of a spouse of Christ dedicated to serve the Church as a mother. But once this identity is received by receiving the veil, it remains forever. By not wearing a veil in daily life,she does not lose her identity as bride and mother.

 

What I mentioned about the Rite of consecration of virgins being one of the most beautiful rites in the tradition of the church ,is mentioned in several historical  documents on the  liturgy as well as Post Vat II commentaries.

 

Regarding your question about the parallel in the structure of the rite with the rite of ordination, I think it applies even to the rite of religious profession. I have not done much reading on this aspect. Maybe someone else will answer. With regard to CV 'receiving ' the consecration thru the special Prayer by the bishop ,I think it is due to the theology of grace in early church history. [ different from Thomistic / Scholastic theology ].

 

 

 

 

[oremus1]

The reference to the white shirt and rope tied around the waist by Parsis is related to an Initiation ceremony which for them is a re-birth. What touched me when I heard a talk by a Parsi sharing this , is 'another' way of having an identity.

 

Religious men and women usually dress in a habit which is a very important aspect of their personal and institutional identity as religious. For many of them, the very act of receiving a habit gives them a religious identity.

 

However a CV need not have her identity as a CV by wearing a habit. If she does so due to pastoral sensitivity , the People around her will identify her as a consecrated person but 'her own' identity is not tied to external clothing.

 

For some CV who receive a veil during the ceremony of consecration, it does feel like receiving the identity of a spouse of Christ dedicated to serve the Church as a mother. But once this identity is received by receiving the veil, it remains forever. By not wearing a veil in daily life,she does not lose her identity as bride and mother.

 

What I mentioned about the Rite of consecration of virgins being one of the most beautiful rites in the tradition of the church ,is mentioned in several historical  documents on the  liturgy as well as Post Vat II commentaries.

 

Regarding your question about the parallel in the structure of the rite with the rite of ordination, I think it applies even to the rite of religious profession. I have not done much reading on this aspect. Maybe someone else will answer. With regard to CV 'receiving ' the consecration thru the special Prayer by the bishop ,I think it is due to the theology of grace in early church history. [ different from Thomistic / Scholastic theology ].

 

It was in the Pontifical of guillame durand, he revised the rite and added a lot of aspects from the rite of ordination. he explains the reasons in the rationale divinum officium but i have no copy of this to refer to . alot of those aspects have since been removed through.

 

a different question: Therese Ivers in her famous book says that CVs sholud be called 'Reverend Miss' or 'Rev.' the usacv says the CV should not call herself 'Sr' as she is in the world and not set apart from the world. so at first i thought therese suggestion was kind of weird. but then i thought, men are always called 'Mr' if they are single, or married. whereas women are required to disclose their marital status as 'miss' or 'mrs'. so actually therese makes a good point. how does a CV identify herself as in a nuptial committed relationship as a married woman rather than a single woman? ideally she should be 'Mrs', but legally i am sure this will cause problems. so it is either 'ms' or 'miss' which shows her to be single and unmarried, or 'rev/sr' to show she is a sacred person.

[brandelynmarie]

Ladies, I have an open question which is out of curiosity...What do you think of the Mystical Espousal in the lives of certain saints, say, St. Catherine of Siena, for example...She was a virgin who experienced a high degree of mystical prayer...Would she & others be considered essentially CV's? Or is it because they are not consecrated by a bishop that they are in a different state entirely?

[God's Beloved]

Ladies, I have an open question which is out of curiosity...What do you think of the Mystical Espousal in the lives of certain saints, say, St. Catherine of Siena, for example...She was a virgin who experienced a high degree of mystical prayer...Would she & others be considered essentially CV's? Or is it because they are not consecrated by a bishop that they are in a different state entirely?

 

Brandelynmarie,

 

There are three aspects to the vocation of CV who has received the consecration according to the ancient liturgical rite / prayer by the bishop of a local church.

 

She is 'given' the Identity of the 'Church' as virgin, bride , mother. Hence she is :

consecrated to God,

mystically espoused to Jesus Christ,

dedicated to the service of the church.

 

This identity is public.

 

However in the lives of virgin saints in the history of the church, their experiences of a high degree of mystical prayer are a private and personal gift. No one else may know about it. They may be truly holy in the eyes of God , compared to a CV who becomes complacent in her vocation.

 

Due to the public status, the church has the right to have expectations from the CV , but not with someone who had a private experience of mystical union.

 

I hope this explains the distinction in understanding.

[brandelynmarie]

Thank you so much for your kind & gentle explaination :) I am following this conversation in order to get a better understanding of the CV vocation...& it is bringing about many different ideas within me... again, thank you...

[oremus1]

What about my questions?

 

- use of Mrs for CVs

- parallels with ordination

- obedience for CVs (some say it is encompassed by hre consecrated identity, others say it is not relevent)

Edited February 14, 2014 by oremus1

[God's Beloved]

What about my questions?

 

- use of Mrs for CVs

- parallels with ordination

- obedience for CVs (some say it is encompassed by hre consecrated identity, others say it is not relevent)

 

Sorry dear !

 

Life is not a question to be solved by a Mystery to be lived. In CV you will find many many questions unanswered , varied opinions. Maybe you'll have to learn to live with them  as part of your formation.

 

My personal thoughts : wouldn't it be most appropriate to call a CV 'mother' ? Afterall  that is her identity as CV like our Virgin- Mother Mary.

 

Theology of CV often sees it as the Marian principle in the Church , somewhat parallel to the ordained ministry in the Church.

 

Obedience is to God , to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in daily life , speaking to our Spouse in prayer and discerning His will , using God-given reason in our interactions with the world. Finally obedience is the imitation of Jesus who willingly died on the cross and like Mary who willingly collaborated in God's plan of salvation for humanity. All this is a possible spirituality.

 

As far as the bishop is concerned, a CV owes the same obedience that a lay person or married couple owes to the spiritual father in the church. Some scholars [post Vat II ] have seen the possibility of an agreement between the bishop and the CV, before the consecration , allowing the possibility of some kind of dependence on the diocese for her survival needs and social security, provided she will work for the diocese wherever the bishop sees the need. This is rare.

Edited February 14, 2014 by God's Beloved

[oremus1]

Sorry dear !

 

Life is not a question to be solved by a Mystery to be lived. In CV you will find many many questions unanswered , varied opinions. Maybe you'll have to learn to live with them  as part of your formation.

 

My personal thoughts : wouldn't it be most appropriate to call a CV 'mother' ? Afterall  that is her identity as CV like our Virgin- Mother Mary.

 

Theology of CV often sees it as the Marian principle in the Church , somewhat parallel to the ordained ministry in the Church.

 

Obedience is to God , to the promptings of the Holy Spirit in daily life , speaking to our Spouse in prayer and discerning His will , using God-given reason in our interactions with the world. Finally obedience is the imitation of Jesus who willingly died on the cross and like Mary who willingly collaborated in God's plan of salvation for humanity. All this is a possible spirituality.

 

As far as the bishop is concerned, a CV owes the same obedience that a lay person or married couple owes to the spiritual father in the church. Some scholars [post Vat II ] have seen the possibility of an agreement between the bishop and the CV, before the consecration , allowing the possibility of some kind of dependence on the diocese for her survival needs and social security, provided she will work for the diocese wherever the bishop sees the need. This is rare.

  
Thanks  dear! :)

I suppose the title of the CV  is for her individual choice and would depend on each one and their circumstance, and what they wish to be called, many like to be 'sister'. you may like 'mother'. another may like 'reverend '  perhaps none are wonrg as such? I would quite like to take on a name, like one does in some countries at confirmation, and in some older convents, or like muslims do when they convert

 

I am sure the USACV wrote a long item about the parallels with priests but I cannot find it??

Many CVs say obedience is as you describe. but a few in a vocal minority think the relationship between the CV and the bishop should emulate religious obedience and she should be directed by him , which is why I was wondering. also some priests say the obedience to God is not properly obedience since you have no tangible accountability or physical superior.

 

 

[oremus1]

i just found out in my country, women who have had their marriage annulled are not excluded from consecration. because chastity =/= celibacy, and one can observe marital chastity , therefore a married couple living together are not in public violation of chastity. when i mentioned the CDW respose to Cardinal Burke, I was told "that is just an opinion, thats not what we do here. the emphasis is on being an autonomous celibate vowed woman". are CDW responses binding in any way? must they be followed?

[oremus1]

i just found out in my country, women who have had their marriage annulled are not excluded from consecration. because chastity =/= celibacy, and one can observe marital chastity , therefore a married couple living together are not in public violation of chastity. when i mentioned the CDW respose to Cardinal Burke, I was told "that is just an opinion, thats not what we do here. the emphasis is on being an autonomous celibate vowed woman". are CDW responses binding in any way? must they be followed?

 

 

Sorry another question!

 

Our national co-ordinator says that the Rite of consecration did not evolve from matrimony or ordinartion, it was just written for that purpose. she also says there was no giving of a red veil in ancient times ('flammeum') - red veil was only given to penitents. 

 

by implication, i would assume it would have been given to CVs as a sign of their sinfulness or something hence why in our country the veil is not given.

 

has anyone heard of this before?