Consecrated Virgin In The World - 50 Words Or Less

[abrideofChrist]

So men can not be consecrated virgins? So what about the married couple i was talking about? And it is a whole different board game between this and women being priests. And someone said there is CV and CVR (consecrated virgin religious,) i read that as CV being lay and CVR as nun or missionary. Why can't men me consecrated virgins if you know the whole deal, i assumed if lay women could than surely lay men could also. And also some people think out loud trying to understand, there not trying to deceive there just saying as much of the truth as they know according to there understanding. Of course they should say as far as i understand, i assume, possibly and you probably should check what the church says also, or words to this effect. But we don't always say these things for whatever reason, we can not judge them as deliberately deceiving, i assume there is a difference between a lost sheep and a wolf in sheeps clothing and a lost sheep, and perhaps a difference between a lost sheep and someone just having a go at being the best christian they can be, black, white or grey sheep, knowing a lot or a little. :) No pun intended, just my thoughts and feelings.

 

God is Good.

 

Women are CVs because they represent the Church as Virgin, Bride, Mother. The praenotandae of the Rite specifies more particular requirements for the women's eligibility but I don't know where you can find that online.  Meanwhile, if you care to read the rest of the Rite, a lot of your questions might be answered.  Try this link starting at page 77:  http://consecratedvirgins.org/usacv/sites/default/files/documents/VocRes1-1InfoPkt_new.pdf
 

Edited January 31, 2014 by abrideofChrist

[oremus1]

Are there links to the various Liturgical Rites for the various vocations ?  Please don't get cross, I am just an ordinary day to day type Catholic who can't make scones without providing an axe to cut them! :)

 

 

haha this is the type of thing i was talking about! normal catholis without access to theological libraries or the theological education to read and cross reference many complex documents! i personally had to buy the Rite of Religious profession as i could not find it online. if anyone finds a link to the rite of consecration of virgins (1970) in original Latin, please do post! the 1962 pontifical is online, but i could not find the current one.if you want the praenotunda for the rite of consecration of virigns it is online, i think using the link from the USACV website. a google search wll bring up a few links to it online.

 

sorry this exceeds 50 words but i had a few questions and would be grateful for some help

 

1) Apostolorum Successores at n.104 talks about the care of the bishop to the CV

 

 

 

An inestimable service is given to the Church in countless ways by consecrated women in religious institutes (295), in societies of apostolic life, in secular institutes (296) and in the order of virgins, (297) and it is hoped that in the future this service will expand even further. For this reason, the Bishop takes special care to provide suitable and, if possible, abundant resources for their spiritual growth, their Christian instruction, and their cultural enrichment.

The Bishop should show particular concern for the order of virgins, who are dedicated to the service of the Church, entrusted to the Bishop’s pastoral care and consecrated to God at his hands. Bearing in mind the formation needs of consecrated women today, not dissimilar to those of consecrated men, the Bishop should assign chaplains and confessors to them from among the best at his disposal, distinguished by a good understanding of consecrated life and by their piety, sound doctrine, ecumenical and missionary spirit (298).

The Bishop should also be vigilant that consecrated women are given sufficient opportunities for participation in different diocesan structures, such as diocesan and parish pastoral councils, where these exist, in the various diocesan commissions and delegations, and in the direction of apostolic and educational initiatives in the diocese. They should also be involved in decisionmaking processes, especially in matters directly affecting them. In this way they can bring to the service of God’s people their particular sensitivities and their missionary fervour, their unique gifts and the fruits of their experience (299).

 

 

1) Can the bishop just say that they adhere to this by having a national CV liason bishop who spends a day at the national gathering? I know some CVs consecrated for about 10 years+ who have never met the bishop (their cosnecration was delegated to a priest). I also know some who have asked to see the vicar for religious but this has been declined. and in some countries there are no confessors and SDs who are familiar with the CV vocation? or can they choose not to apply this docuemt?

 

2) can a CV's consecration be delegated out of her country of residence for exceptional reasons?

 

3) what should a CV's relationship be with her diocese? some (like Sponsa) say she should ideally stay there until she dies and her service is mainly to her diocese, she must not work outside the diocese without serious reason etc. but in other countries this interpreted more as a vocation serving the wider church, and she can move out of the diocese, work outside of the deiocese etc?

[Cecilia]

Oremus1, Call the library at the nearest seminary. Ask if they have the Rite in Latin – possibly they could photocopy it and mail it to you. Doesn’t the other topic in vocation station have Raymond Cardinal Burke’s response – on bishop versus priest doing the consecration? The consecrated virgin living in the world belongs to the Church through her diocese. She is permitted to change her residence and her diocese. When a nun receives the consecration of a virgin, the consecration is done by the diocesan bishop. Even monastic life -- which has formal stability – unlike the consecrated virgins who live in the world – does not restrict a nun’s relocation. A religious superior may decide a nun who has received the consecration should go to a different convent. The religious superior decides this – not the diocesan bishop who did the consecrating.

 

Edited January 31, 2014 by Cecilia

[Cecilia]

Another discussion on Phatmass address one question – Cardinal Burke responded that consecrated virgins in the world are free to move. I accept this. The Phatmass topic in the past has comments on this. I cannot find it. I remember commenting about respecting the Cardinal’s authority – his opinion should be respected. There are different kinds of authority – his opinion signifies even if he is not speaking formally on behalf of the Church. An individual may disagree with his opinion – this is a personal choice – however an individual consecrated virgin’s private opinion does not signify like Cardinal Burke’s opinion does. By his office the Church has signalled her trust in him – in his education, pastoral worth, judgment, character, prudence… An individual’s private opinion does not carry this same worth. A scholar may elaborate an opinion contrary to his – this differs from a private opinion. A scholar’s opinion would provide the faithful with a step-by-step guide for how the opinion was reached.

[Cecilia]

Barbara Therese and aBrideofChrist, My spiritual advisor is a Dominican priest and theology lecturer. In the past he wanted a programme – of my lived poverty, clothing decisions, horarium… My cv mentor at the time told me to give him the Rite. He read it – he then found the Latin himself and read it. He advised me to live the cv vocation in the world more like a religious sister at first – but when he read the versions of the Rite he understood my cv mentor’s guidance. He changed his advisement to me.   

 

The link – again -- to the Sydney vocation items that includes part of the decree: http://www.vocationcentre.org.au/resources/Preparation%20Process.pdf

 

1^st 2 pages of the formation items:

 

The revised Rite of Consecration of Virgins for Women Living in the World was published by the decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship on 31 May 1970, after having been formally decreed by the Second Vatican Council. The decree of promulgation explains the development of this venerable and ancient rite in this way:

 

The rite for the consecration of virgins is one of the most treasured in the Roman liturgy. Consecrated virginity is among the most excellent gifts bequeathed by our Lord to his Bride, the Church. From apostolic times women have dedicated their virginity to God, so adding to the beauty of the mystical body of Christ and making it fruitful in grace. Even from earliest times, as the Fathers of the Church bear witness, mother Church in her wisdom set her seal on this high vocation by her practice of consecrating those who followed it by means of a solemn prayer. This prayer, enriched in the course of time by other ritual elements to bring out more clearly the symbolism of virginity in relation to the Church, the bride of Christ, was incorporated into the Roman Pontifical. [Acta Apostolicæ Sedis 62] (1970):

 

Canon 604 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law provides for the establishment of the Order of Virgins as a form of consecrated life in the Church. The word, order, is used in the sense of a distinct group of persons in the Church, for example, the order of bishops, order of presbyters, the order of deacons, the order of penitents or the order of widows. It is not used in the sense of a congregation of consecrated religious, for example, the Order of Saint Benedict, the Order of Preachers, or the Order of Friars Minor.

 

As expressed in the Roman Pontifical, the consecrated virgin is to be a ‘spouse of Christ,’ a sign of Christ’s Virgin Bride, the Church. She is freely and joyfully to bear to Christ the same undivided and perpetual love that joins Christ and the Church. The ring she receives during the Rite symbolises her perpetual fidelity to her Bridegroom. The suggested Homily in the Rite of Consecration of Virgins for Women Living in the World explains the origins of consecrated virginity in this way.

 

Our Lord himself taught us the high calling of such a life, consecrated to God and chosen for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. By his whole life, and especially by his labours, his preaching, and, above all, by his paschal mystery, he brought his Church into being. He desired it to be a virgin, a bride, and a mother: a virgin, to keep the faith whole and entire; a bride, to be one with him forever; and a mother, to raise up the family of the Church.

 

The Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, through baptism has already made you temples of God’s glory and children of the Father. Today through our ministry he anoints you with a new grace and consecrates you to God by a new title. He gives each one of you the dignity of being a bride of Christ and binds you to the Son of God in a covenant to last forever.

 

The Church is the bride of Christ. This title of the Church was given by the Fathers and Doctors of the church to those like you who speak to us of the world to come, where there is no marrying or giving in marriage. You are a sign of the great mystery of salvation, proclaimed at the beginning of human history and fulfilled in the marriage covenant between Christ and his Church.

 

Further insight into this vocation is provided in the Homily of the Rite of Consecration for Women Living in the World, no. 16:

 

You are apostles in the Church and in the world, in the things of the Spirit and in the things of the world...You have renounced marriage for the sake of Christ. Your motherhood will be a motherhood of the spirit, as you do the will of your Father and work with others in the spirit of charity, so that a great family of children may be born, or reborn, to the life of grace.

 

Your joy and your crown, even here on earth, will be Christ, the Son of the Virgin and the Bridegroom of virgins. He will lead all of you to his presence and into his kingdom, where you will sing a new song as you follow the Lamb of God wherever he leads you.

 

Consecrated to God, as a ‘spouse of Christ,’ the consecrated virgin is at the service of the Church. Her vocation is authenticated by the call of the bishop of her diocese. She lives in the heart of the Church in a definitive state of life. Her consecration does not establish her within a new structure or institute in the particular Church. Rather, it establishes her in a true spiritual bond with the diocesan bishop and gives her a distinct spiritual identity in the whole Church. The Consecration brings the Virgin to share intimately in the nature and mission of the Church for she becomes a living image of the Church’s love for her Spouse while sharing in Christ’s redemptive mission. This she especially does by keeping as a special focus in her prayer the intentions of her bishop and clergy and the needs of her diocese. The consecrated virgin lives in full communion with the Church through her spiritual bond with her bishop, the representative of Jesus Christ in her diocese.

 

Like the Church herself, her vocation is virginal, spousal, and maternal. Her primary service in the Church is prayer; hence she is given the Liturgy of the Hours as a sign of this spiritual responsibility. Consecrated virginity looks to its foundation in the early Church herself, under the inspiration of the mystery of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her charism entails a total gift to Christ. The consecrated virgin expends her efforts and energy according to her own unique talents, age, profession or occupation, and charisms in service to the Church. Her works of charity flow from her life of prayer as ‘spouse of Christ.’ She is dedicated to the service of the Church because she is espoused to Christ, her Bridegroom, forever.

 

By responding to their vocation, consecrated virgins contribute significantly to bringing

Christ into the world because she is identified with that “Bride” who, in union with the Spirit invokes the coming of the Lord: “the Spirit and the Bride say ‘Come’.” (Rev. 22:17).

 

[oremus1]

Barbara Therese and aBrideofChrist, My spiritual advisor is a Dominican priest and theology lecturer. In the past he wanted a programme – of my lived poverty, clothing decisions, horarium… My cv mentor at the time told me to give him the Rite. He read it – he then found the Latin himself and read it. He advised me to live the cv vocation in the world more like a religious sister at first – but when he read the versions of the Rite he understood my cv mentor’s guidance. He changed his advisement to me.   

 

The link – again -- to the Sydney vocation items that includes part of the decree: http://www.vocationcentre.org.au/resources/Preparation%20Process.pdf

 

1^st 2 pages of the formation items:

 

The revised Rite of Consecration of Virgins for Women Living in the World was published by the decree of the Congregation for Divine Worship on 31 May 1970, after having been formally decreed by the Second Vatican Council. The decree of promulgation explains the development of this venerable and ancient rite in this way:

 

The rite for the consecration of virgins is one of the most treasured in the Roman liturgy. Consecrated virginity is among the most excellent gifts bequeathed by our Lord to his Bride, the Church. From apostolic times women have dedicated their virginity to God, so adding to the beauty of the mystical body of Christ and making it fruitful in grace. Even from earliest times, as the Fathers of the Church bear witness, mother Church in her wisdom set her seal on this high vocation by her practice of consecrating those who followed it by means of a solemn prayer. This prayer, enriched in the course of time by other ritual elements to bring out more clearly the symbolism of virginity in relation to the Church, the bride of Christ, was incorporated into the Roman Pontifical. [Acta Apostolicæ Sedis 62] (1970):

 

Canon 604 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law provides for the establishment of the Order of Virgins as a form of consecrated life in the Church. The word, order, is used in the sense of a distinct group of persons in the Church, for example, the order of bishops, order of presbyters, the order of deacons, the order of penitents or the order of widows. It is not used in the sense of a congregation of consecrated religious, for example, the Order of Saint Benedict, the Order of Preachers, or the Order of Friars Minor.

 

As expressed in the Roman Pontifical, the consecrated virgin is to be a ‘spouse of Christ,’ a sign of Christ’s Virgin Bride, the Church. She is freely and joyfully to bear to Christ the same undivided and perpetual love that joins Christ and the Church. The ring she receives during the Rite symbolises her perpetual fidelity to her Bridegroom. The suggested Homily in the Rite of Consecration of Virgins for Women Living in the World explains the origins of consecrated virginity in this way.

 

Our Lord himself taught us the high calling of such a life, consecrated to God and chosen for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. By his whole life, and especially by his labours, his preaching, and, above all, by his paschal mystery, he brought his Church into being. He desired it to be a virgin, a bride, and a mother: a virgin, to keep the faith whole and entire; a bride, to be one with him forever; and a mother, to raise up the family of the Church.

 

The Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, through baptism has already made you temples of God’s glory and children of the Father. Today through our ministry he anoints you with a new grace and consecrates you to God by a new title. He gives each one of you the dignity of being a bride of Christ and binds you to the Son of God in a covenant to last forever.

 

The Church is the bride of Christ. This title of the Church was given by the Fathers and Doctors of the church to those like you who speak to us of the world to come, where there is no marrying or giving in marriage. You are a sign of the great mystery of salvation, proclaimed at the beginning of human history and fulfilled in the marriage covenant between Christ and his Church.

 

Further insight into this vocation is provided in the Homily of the Rite of Consecration for Women Living in the World, no. 16:

 

You are apostles in the Church and in the world, in the things of the Spirit and in the things of the world...You have renounced marriage for the sake of Christ. Your motherhood will be a motherhood of the spirit, as you do the will of your Father and work with others in the spirit of charity, so that a great family of children may be born, or reborn, to the life of grace.

 

Your joy and your crown, even here on earth, will be Christ, the Son of the Virgin and the Bridegroom of virgins. He will lead all of you to his presence and into his kingdom, where you will sing a new song as you follow the Lamb of God wherever he leads you.

 

Consecrated to God, as a ‘spouse of Christ,’ the consecrated virgin is at the service of the Church. Her vocation is authenticated by the call of the bishop of her diocese. She lives in the heart of the Church in a definitive state of life. Her consecration does not establish her within a new structure or institute in the particular Church. Rather, it establishes her in a true spiritual bond with the diocesan bishop and gives her a distinct spiritual identity in the whole Church. The Consecration brings the Virgin to share intimately in the nature and mission of the Church for she becomes a living image of the Church’s love for her Spouse while sharing in Christ’s redemptive mission. This she especially does by keeping as a special focus in her prayer the intentions of her bishop and clergy and the needs of her diocese. The consecrated virgin lives in full communion with the Church through her spiritual bond with her bishop, the representative of Jesus Christ in her diocese.

 

Like the Church herself, her vocation is virginal, spousal, and maternal. Her primary service in the Church is prayer; hence she is given the Liturgy of the Hours as a sign of this spiritual responsibility. Consecrated virginity looks to its foundation in the early Church herself, under the inspiration of the mystery of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Her charism entails a total gift to Christ. The consecrated virgin expends her efforts and energy according to her own unique talents, age, profession or occupation, and charisms in service to the Church. Her works of charity flow from her life of prayer as ‘spouse of Christ.’ She is dedicated to the service of the Church because she is espoused to Christ, her Bridegroom, forever.

 

By responding to their vocation, consecrated virgins contribute significantly to bringing

Christ into the world because she is identified with that “Bride” who, in union with the Spirit invokes the coming of the Lord: “the Spirit and the Bride say ‘Come’.” (Rev. 22:17).

 

I have a copy of the Rite. I also gave my bishop the talk by CArdinal Burke referring to the Holy See response re delegation to a priest, but he didnt take it seriously, but when I showed him the extract of the ceremoniale he said OK, it will not be delegated to a priest.
 

My bishop wants my SD to write to them to confirm that I have a rule of life. In some countries Cv do have a rule, in others, (i think the USACV promotes this view) they dont. what are your views? My bishop has a copy of the Rite already. I have it, but the 1970 one I have only in English but with the decree and praenotunda. I have the '62 one in latin only also.

 

Also the Sydney one is good, but it is not authoritative to give to a bishop. most CVs in my country are very old ex nuns. so they have a rule of life, some make habits to wear to their consecration, are called Sr etc.

Edited January 31, 2014 by oremus1

[Cecilia]

Oremus1, I think a rule may be fine -- depending on how it is framed and the reason for it. Some former nuns are given exceptions that most consecrated virgins in the world choose not to follow. Some women do wear a veil daily and have a formal rule but this is not how most in the world live. If the bishop agrees, this is fine. A rule should not imitate a religious sister's life or a hermit's life -- doing this makes it seem like the consecration of a virgin in the world is not enough on its own and needs to be made "better" by imitating religious life. This is false. A consecrated virgin in the world should decide on commitments -- with her bishop and advisor. How she will pray. How she will serve the Church. This could resemble a rule. If a woman's character is more languid, she may need a stricter "programme" to keep her on track. Another woman might have a character that is too rigid and benefit from a looser programme -- in which she focuses on listening to the Lord's promptings each day -- more than living an agenda. It will depend. But the woman should be honest with her spiritual advisor -- and her bishop -- and she has to be mature. She has to know her spiritual needs, virtues, failings -- and be able to share them. But a bishop or spiritual advisor could not draw up a programme and insist the woman follow it without her consent.

[Cecilia]

Oremus1, the decree and Rite quotations in the Sydney materials are authoritative -- for the rest a bishop should be interested to see how other bishops proceed. The decisions by bishops on how to proceed -- if they comply with the Vatican documents and intention for the vocation -- have their own authority. This authority does not bind another bishop -- it is authority within a particular diocese -- but good bishops respect each other's proceedings. They respect each other's offices and opinions -- even if they differ among themselves where legitimate.

[Cecilia]

aBrideofChrist's comments are background for why the consecrated virgin in the world does not imitate religous. In revising the Rite as it did the Vatican made its intentions known - the norm is that consecrated virgins in the world do not have a habit, daily veil.... The norm is that they do not. But a bishop for pastoral reasons could give permissions to a woman for these things. Pastoral exceptions for the good of a soul do not equal a norm. The norm was established -- the Rite was promulgated and it set the norm. The norm set by the Rite is what is best for consecrated virgins in the world -- pastoral exceptions may be given but -- as exceptions -- they are not "best." They are individual decisions in individual circumstances -- even if they cover an entire country -- they remain exceptions. The Vatican sets the norm -- and may permit pastoral exceptions. aBrideofChrist, please put more paragraphs in your comments so they are easier to read.

 

[frjeremiah]

It seems to me that a bridal veil conferred at a wedding is not given by the priest or anybody else at the ceremony. But a veil given at the consecration of a virgin is. Could one not argue then that, since usually, items that are conferred in liturgical ceremonies, like rings, mitres, even chalices, are worn / used either constantly or on occasions again, that,  perhaps a consecrated virgin's veil is in this category in terms of being presented? So it would seem that it could be worn again outside the context of the actual ceremony.

[oremus1]

It seems to me that a bridal veil conferred at a wedding is not given by the priest or anybody else at the ceremony. But a veil given at the consecration of a virgin is. Could one not argue then that, since usually, items that are conferred in liturgical ceremonies, like rings, mitres, even chalices, are worn / used either constantly or on occasions again, that,  perhaps a consecrated virgin's veil is in this category in terms of being presented? So it would seem that it could be worn again outside the context of the actual ceremony.

 

I am by no means a theologian. but the bridal veil is worn, not conferred, at the rite of matrimony. and yes, in your example, she could wear it again. some CVs opt to recieve mantillas at their consecration for this very reason. but they only wear it at mass

 

however as there are now two versions of the Rite, one for those in the world, and one for those in convents, many argue that the 'in the world' ones should not seperate themselves by distinguishing garb .  indeed the wearing of such garb was dropped in the revised rite.

 

therefore, could she wear it again? yes. should she? arguably, no.

[Cecilia]

FrJeremiah, In antiquity the orange veil was worn by both married women and consecrated virgins in the wedding ceremony – however an orange veil was not a daily veil. It was a bridal veil.  Both wives and consecrated virgins then wore regular veils – daily -- to signify their marriage. Consecrated virgins did not dress differently from other married women – all married women wore veils. In the middle ages the ring came to be the prominent sign of marriage. Two spouses confer the ring on each other -- the bishop in the place of Christ bestows the ring on the consecrated virgin. The veil that is conferred on her is -- like the ancient tradition -- a bridal veil. It is not a daily veil. The ring for both married women and consecrated virgins has replaced the daily veil as a sign of matrimony. Reverend Rene Metz covers this history in his books – Reverend Metz was professor of theology and canon law at the University of Strasbourg. I have heard Cardinals Pell, Collins, Egan, Arinze, and Burke mostly favor a consecrated virgin in the world not wearing the veil.

[frjeremiah]

Oremus1: But, couldn't the consecrated virgin's attire be considered in a similar way to that of the secular priest. Canon law expects the secular priest to wear suitable ecclesiastical clothing? The 1962 Rite allowed for blessing of habits. This part of the Rite was dropped in the 1970 revision. But it was dropped for both nuns and women living in the world. So this dropping is not prohibiting any visual sign of consecration.

Cecilia: Married women and consecrated virgins have certain similarities, but the consecrated virgin's spousal relationship with Christ manifests itself in a particular public consecration. The Consecrated Virgin is a mother within the communion of the Church. In the rite, this is the prayer for the giving of the veil:

'Receive this veil,

by which you are to show

that you have been chosen from other women

to be dedicated to the service of Christ

and of his body, which is the Church.’

That wording does seem to imply continuing to wear the veil in order to show others outside what the Consecrated Virgin is dedicated to.

[oremus1]

Can I re-add my question:

 

1) Under Apostolorum Successores n.104, (as i already quoted - also avaliable via google) the Bishop has special care for the order of virgins . In the USA, it seems the bishop meets with them every year or 6 months, i am not sure what other things they do under this section.  

 

in my country, the diocesan bishop told me they do not have have time for this. so the only way we adhere to this section is by the prvision of an informal national gathering (comprising about 20 elderly ex-nuns), and a Bishop-Emeritus who sometimes comes for one day.

 

After consecration, the CV never meets the bishop(s) ever again. This seems to me to go against Apostolorum n.104. Am I right? What can be done?

 

[God's Beloved]

The problem in my country is that the OCV is identified with Single life in a way that  being 'Single' is projected as the Core of the Charism.

 

In Catholic understanding , one can accept that a Virgin is a Bride and a Spiritual Mother . But one cannot say a Married Woman or a Bride or a Mother is a Single woman.

 

If a son introduces his mother to someone , will he say " She is a Single " ? He will say " She is my Mother "

 

Everywhere around the world it seems people are changing the Charism  , the Essence of the vocation to whatever they wish. Thus the Charism is no more a gift to the Church. Whatever is peripheral or accidental or not even necessary .....is projected as the identifying factor of the vocation.