Consecrated Virgin In The World - 50 Words Or Less

[Sponsa-Christi]

Question  (I have not read this whole thread so forgive me if this has been answered elsewhere).

 

I made Solemn Vows, and was released from these seven years later.

 

Am I a CV? 

 

No, probably not. The Rite of Consecration to a Life of Virginity is a different thing from solemn religious profession, and the only people who are consecrated virgins (strictly speaking) are those who have received the Rite of Consecration to a Life of Virginity.

 

There are a small handful of communities that have BOTH solemn vows and the consecration of virgins. But unless you belonged to one of these communities, and unless you received the consecration of virgins in addition to professing solemn vows, then you are not a consecrated virgin.

[Sponsa-Christi]

Brandelynmarie and God's Beloved,

 

It is very hard for CVs when their bishops don't give them the support that the Church envisions (and actually, even the list I gave wasn't really me talking about what I see as the ideal, but rather sort of the bare minimum, drawing only on those things which the Rite and other documents mention directly). I do think that we can say it's truly unfair when CVs are left to fend for themselves in this way.

 

BUT, at the same time I still want to caution people about being too hard on the bishops! First of all, there are bishops out there who are encouraging of their CVs. Also, most bishops I've been blessed to meet personally--whether or not they were especially supportive of consecrated virgins--have stuck me as very holy, fatherly, hard-working men in general, who sincerely try their best to do the right thing in the face of all the difficult and complicated problems they're called upon to resolve as part of their ministry. 

 

And, objectively, consecrated virginity is not a very well-known or well-understood vocation, so I don't think we can fault the average bishop for not being an expert in something that's still relatively obscure. This obscurity is further complicated by the fact that a lot of bishops who are familiar with consecrated virgins have had bad experiences with them! So as much as I wish consecrated virginity was better understood and promoted, I do appreciate the fact that bishops' time is limited, and they have to make prudential judgments about which needs of their diocese to prioritize.

 

So even though of course I'm not happy when consecrated virgins suffer due to a the lack of concern from their bishops, as a CV I'm always going to be "on the bishops' side". That is, I'm always going to accord them the proper respect and prayerfully support them in their ministry.

 

[oremus1]

Brandelynmarie and God's Beloved,

 

It is very hard for CVs when their bishops don't give them the support that the Church envisions (and actually, even the list I gave wasn't really me talking about what I see as the ideal, but rather sort of the bare minimum, drawing only on those things which the Rite and other documents mention directly). I do think that we can say it's truly unfair when CVs are left to fend for themselves in this way.

 

BUT, at the same time I still want to caution people about being too hard on the bishops! First of all, there are bishops out there who are encouraging of their CVs. Also, most bishops I've been blessed to meet personally--whether or not they were especially supportive of consecrated virgins--have stuck me as very holy, fatherly, hard-working men in general, who sincerely try their best to do the right thing in the face of all the difficult and complicated problems they're called upon to resolve as part of their ministry. 

 

And, objectively, consecrated virginity is not a very well-known or well-understood vocation, so I don't think we can fault the average bishop for not being an expert in something that's still relatively obscure. This obscurity is further complicated by the fact that a lot of bishops who are familiar with consecrated virgins have had bad experiences with them! So as much as I wish consecrated virginity was better understood and promoted, I do appreciate the fact that bishops' time is limited, and they have to make prudential judgments about which needs of their diocese to prioritize.

 

So even though of course I'm not happy when consecrated virgins suffer due to a the lack of concern from their bishops, as a CV I'm always going to be "on the bishops' side". That is, I'm always going to accord them the proper respect and prayerfully support them in their ministry.

@ sponsa, thanks very much! you are right about this being one of the crosses of the vocation, of which there are many, relating to misunderstandings of the vocation, lack of support, people telling you it isnt a vocation etc etc. we will have to oiffer it up!

 

i would be interested in what happens in these pastoral dialogues, has anyone had them? i think in the USA some bishops meet the CVs for morning prayer then lunch once a year or so.  

as i had read the USACV materials, as well as Rene Metz, I did not let this point go, and eventually my bishop said he might meet with me after consecration as i am quite young, to see if i can be sent to study canon laws, or render a ministry for the diocese. the bishop did not know how many CVs were in his diocese!

 

what benefit does the bishop derive from meeting the CVs? what is a pastoral dialogue? what happens?

 

[Cecilia]

FrJeremiah, The veil given signifies she is a spiritual mother and bride of Christ – however it is a wedding veil or mantilla that the consecrated virgin receives. It is not the daily veil that sisters wear. The sacrament of marriage is a public vocation – the wedding band is its symbol. The consecrated virgin in the world has a public vocation – the wedding band is its symbol. Many vocations are public vocations – only religious have public witness as part of their public vocation. Read Magisterial document  <<Essential Elements of The Church’s Teaching on Religious Life>> 1983 from the Sacred Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes – sections 9-11. The habit and veil belong to religious life not secular institutes. Lay women in secular institutes can receive the consecration of a virgin living in the world – and they cannot wear habits or daily veils. Only one kind of individual can receive the consecration of virgin and wear a habit that signifies public witness – the cloistered nuns who are permitted to receive the consecration.

[Cecilia]

Oremus1, I meet my bishop four or five times a year – twice alone – the rest for fellowship. The meetings between us are not formation -- but more telling him how I am doing, asking advice. We have two elderly Carmelites in our diocese – the only two of their order left. The consecrated virgins and bishop have dinner with them every few months – he kills two birds with one stone in checking on how the consecrated women in the diocese are doing.

[Sponsa-Christi]

FrJeremiah, The veil given signifies she is a spiritual mother and bride of Christ – however it is a wedding veil or mantilla that the consecrated virgin receives. It is not the daily veil that sisters wear. The sacrament of marriage is a public vocation – the wedding band is its symbol. The consecrated virgin in the world has a public vocation – the wedding band is its symbol. Many vocations are public vocations – only religious have public witness as part of their public vocation. Read Magisterial document  <<Essential Elements of The Church’s Teaching on Religious Life>> 1983 from the Sacred Congregation for Religious and Secular Institutes – sections 9-11. The habit and veil belong to religious life not secular institutes. Lay women in secular institutes can receive the consecration of a virgin living in the world – and they cannot wear habits or daily veils. Only one kind of individual can receive the consecration of virgin and wear a habit that signifies public witness – the cloistered nuns who are permitted to receive the consecration.

 

Well...consecrated virginity isn't the same vocation as secular institutes, so not everything that applies to secular institutes would automatically apply to consecrated virgins. "Essential Elements" doesn't actually comment on consecrated virginity specifically.

 

It is true that secular institute members can theoretically receive the consecration of virgins, but I think this might say more about the nature of secular institutes than about the nature of consecrated virginity.

 

For example, a diocesan priest can be a member a of secular institutes while still living fully the life of a diocesan priest and being incarnated in his diocese. In a case like this, the priest's life as a diocesan priest is his "primary" vocation, which his membership in a secular institutes simply serves to support. Perhaps something similar could be said about CV members of secular institutes---that they are called to be consecrated virgins attached to a diocese as their main vocation (with a call to be a public witness in this role), with their secular institute membership serving as a source of personal spiritual support for them.

[Cecilia]

Sponsa Christi, A member of a secular institute may receive the consecration of virginity lived in the world. A member of a secular institute is not permitted to wear clothing similar to religious clothing. The Magisterial – indisputably Magisterial and authoritative – document given above spells this out. A member of a secular institute cannot wear clothing that looks like a religious sister’s clothing – the Magisterium flat out prohibits it – however she can receive the consecration of virgins in the world. This means the two consecrated vocations – secular institute and consecrated virgin in the world – are 100% compatible. Because a woman may receive one and not the other they are obviously not identical – however the requirements of each are such that they are fully compatible. It logically follows that one item – wearing a daily veil like religious do – cannot be a necessary part of the consecrated virgin’s vocation if that same item is prohibited by the secular institute vocation. Otherwise the Magisterium would offer a qualification to members of secular institutes receiving the consecration. Facts such as these – indisputable requirements and teachings, handed straight down from the Magisterium – must be respected. Denying them causes vocational confusion.

[Sponsa-Christi]

Also, I think other parts of the Rite of Consecration to a Life of Virginity besides the giving of the veil do show that CVs are called to a life of public witness.

 

For example, consecrated virgins would seem to make an explicit promise to be a public evangelical witness when they answer "I do" to the bishop's question: Are you so resolved to follow Christ in the spirit of the Gospel that your whole life may be a faithful witness to God’s love and a convincing sign of the kingdom of heaven?

 

To me, it seems hard to see how one could be a "convincing sign of the Kingdom of Heaven" if one were to keep one's vocation more or less hidden to most people.

 

Also, the Rite also specifies that the "As occasion offers, and especially to promote an esteem for chastity, to deepen understanding of the Church, and to encourage a greater attendance of the people, the faithful should be notified of the celebration in good time" 

 

This is something very different from the profession/commitment ceremonies of secular institute members, which are much more discreet.This would seem to show that the new CV's consecrated status is supposed to be well-known among the people of God, and even in society generally.

 

But, my main reason for believing that consecrated virgins are in fact called to a life of public witness is because of the very nature of the Rite as a liturgy. Liturgy is always an intrinsically public action of the Church, and consecrated virgins enter into their vocation through the liturgical ministry of the bishop. To me, it doesn't make sense to propose that consecrated virgins enter into a public state of consecrated life, but that they are not called to publicly identify as consecrated persons.

[Cecilia]

I have never seen a Magisterial document explicitly stating that consecrated virgins in the world give public witness – public witness is not the same as a public vocation. Possibly I have missed such a document – however I doubt it – considering the Church’s document above regarding secular institutes – which may have members who are consecrated virgins in the world – versus religious orders, who are prohibited from having members who are consecrated virgins in the world. The example of a diocesan priest and secular institute does not work – the two vocations are compatible. What could not happen is that a religious priest would also be a member of a secular institute – because the first includes public witness – the second does not.

[Cecilia]

Sponsa Christi, I am looking for what the Church has actually taught – I would not disregard something the Church does teach -- in reality -- in favor of something I quite simply hoped could be inferred from the Rite. The latter might be acceptable in some situations – but not when it contradicts the former.

[Cecilia]

Sponsa Christi, Possibly you confuse publicly identify with public witness. In baptism – and our baptismal promises – all the faithful commit to follow Christ in the spirit of the Gospel and to be a sign of the Kingdom to come. This is the nature of being a baptized Christian. Christians witness Christ to the world. Married couples enter a public status in the Church when they marry. They do so even though a liturgy is not required for the sacrament to take place – and so they may enter a public vocation without having a liturgy. This means there is not necessarily a direct correlation between a public vocation and a public liturgy as you hope. Members of secular institutes – while leaven in the world – are witnesses to the Kingdom. In fact they commit to follow Christ in the spirit of the Gospel <<more explicitly>> than a consecrated virgin in the world – because they are consecrated by promising the evangelical counsels.

Edited February 2, 2014 by Cecilia

[Sponsa-Christi]

Sponsa Christi, A member of a secular institute may receive the consecration of virginity lived in the world. A member of a secular institute is not permitted to wear clothing similar to religious clothing. The Magisterial – indisputably Magisterial and authoritative – document given above spells this out. A member of a secular institute cannot wear clothing that looks like a religious sister’s clothing – the Magisterium flat out prohibits it – however she can receive the consecration of virgins in the world. This means the two consecrated vocations – secular institute and consecrated virgin in the world – are 100% compatible. Because a woman may receive one and not the other they are obviously not identical – however the requirements of each are such that they are fully compatible. It logically follows that one item – wearing a daily veil like religious do – cannot be a necessary part of the consecrated virgin’s vocation if that same item is prohibited by the secular institute vocation. Otherwise the Magisterium would offer a qualification to members of secular institutes receiving the consecration. Facts such as these – indisputable requirements and teachings, handed straight down from the Magisterium – must be respected. Denying them causes vocational confusion.

 

Some thoughts on this:

 

1. I actually don't think secular institute members are outright forbidden to wear habits (although granted, this does go against the spirit of their vocations in probably at least 95% of all cases...). I think a few institutes do have a distinctive garb. But this is somewhat beside the point.

 

2. A CV secular institute member perhaps should not wear identifying clothing specifically as part of her vocation to her institute, but this is a different issue from the question of whether or not she should be a public witness in her capacity as a consecrated virgin. The point in my previous post is that, if a vocation to consecrated virginity could be considered a woman's main vocation, then the public witness of her consecrated virginity might take precedence over the "hiddeness" of her secular institute vocation. This would be similar to how a priest-member of a secular institute is still called to be open about his priesthood.

 

3. I'm not actually trying to argue that wearing a veil is required for CVs. But, even if something (like a daily veil) is not required, it still may be appropriate and praiseworthy. 

[Sponsa-Christi]

I have never seen a Magisterial document explicitly stating that consecrated virgins in the world give public witness – public witness is not the same as a public vocation. Possibly I have missed such a document – however I doubt it – considering the Church’s document above regarding secular institutes – which may have members who are consecrated virgins in the world – versus religious orders, who are prohibited from having members who are consecrated virgins in the world. The example of a diocesan priest and secular institute does not work – the two vocations are compatible. What could not happen is that a religious priest would also be a member of a secular institute – because the first includes public witness – the second does not.

 

A religious priest can't become a member of a secular institute because he is already a member of an institute of consecrated life--i.e., his religious community. A diocesan priest--who is called to be a public witness in his priesthood--can join a secular institute (or alternately, a secular institute member who is a layman can seek ordination in a diocese) because the diocesan priesthood is not an institute.

 

I think consecrated virginity can be thought of as parallel to the diocesan priesthood in this particular instance, in that consecrated virginity itself is also not an institute, and (arguably) involves a vocation to a public witness as a CV.

[Cecilia]

SACRED CONGREGATION FOR RELIGIOUS AND FOR SECULAR INSTITUTES

ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS IN THE CHURCH'S TEACHING ON RELIGIOUS LIFE AS APPLIED TO INSTITUTES DEDICATED TO WORKS OF THE APOSTOLATE

 

From the Vatican, on the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 31 May 1983.

 

#9 below—a woman who belongs to #9 is permitted to receive the consecration of virgins living in the world. Possibly members of this or that secular institute have decided on their own that they will wear distinguishing garb—however the Magisterial, authoritative document below explicitly states this is not the norm.

 

9. Union with Christ by consecration through profession of the counsels can be lived in the midst of the world, translated in the work of the world, and expressed by means of the world. This is the special vocation of the secular institutes, defined by Pius XII as "consecrated to God and to others" in the world and "by means of the world" (Primo feliciter, V and II). Of themselves, the counsels do not necessarily separate people from the world. In fact, it is a gift of God to the Church that consecration through profession of the counsels can take the form of a life to be lived as a hidden leaven. Christians so consecrated continue the work of salvation by communicating the love of Christ through their presence in the world and through its sanctification from within. Their style of life and presence are not distinguished externally from those of their fellow Christians. Their witness is given in their ordinary environment of life. This discreet form of witness flows from the very nature of their secular vocation and is part of the way that their consecration is meant to be lived (cf. PC 11).

 

10. Such is not the case, however, with those whose consecration by the profession of the counsels constitutes them as religious. The very nature of religious vocation involves a public witness to Christ and to the Church. Religious profession is made by vows which the Church receives as public. A stable form of community life in an institute canonically erected by the competent ecclesiastical authority manifests in a visible way the covenant and communion which religious life expresses. A certain separation from family and from professional life at the time a person enters the novitiate speaks powerfully of the absoluteness of God. At the same time, it is the beginning of a new and deeper bond in Christ with the family that one has left. This bond becomes firmer as detachment from otherwise legitimate relationships, occupations, and forms of relaxation continues to reflect God's absoluteness publicly throughout life. A further aspect of the public nature of religious consecration is that the apostolate of religious is in some sense always corporate. Religious presence is visible, affecting ways of acting, attire, and style of life.

 

#10 above—a woman who belongs to #10 is not permitted to receive the consecration of virgins lived in the world. #10 is explicitly contrasted – as a vocation – against #9 above. The two are incompatible. The Magisterium above connects religious profession made by vows which the Church receives as public with public witness – the two go together. A member of a secular institute promises the evangelical counsels privately – not publicly. A consecrated virgin in the world does not promise the evangelical counsels – and certainly does not vow them – unless she belongs to a secular institute – in which case she promises them privately. Never does a consecrated virgin in the world publicly profess the evangelical counsels, the very thing that gives rise to public witness.

[Sponsa-Christi]

Cecilia,

 

And honest question for you...how exactly would you define the distinction between a public witness, a public vocation, and a public identity?

 

To me, a public vocation mean that you are completely open about the commitments you have taken on. Marriage is public, because the community in general is supposed to know that you are married, and who your spouse is.

 

If consecrated virgins are called to be, as the Rite says: "...a transcendent sign of the Church’s love for Christ, and an eschatological image of this heavenly Bride of Christ and of the life to come", then how precisely can being "public" about this mean that we are discreet about our consecrated status?