Question On Single Life

[MarysLittleFlower]

I didn't want to derail the other thread with a different question...

 

from what I understand, do the different vocations consist of:

 

- priesthood

- religious life

- marriage

- consecrated virginity

- consecrated single

- single with a private vow made in the presence of a priest

- single with a personal commitment to remain single for Christ, but not making a formal commitment with the Church

 

OR

 

can single life only be done with at least a private vow?

 

Also.. I kept reading debates, some saying that "single life" is a vocation, some saying that not, some saying that it is if you make a commitment to it for God, rather than just being single while wanting something else... is there some sort of answer to this?

 

I'm trying to understand because I'm discerning religious life or single life. Thank you! :)

[BarbTherese]

I think that single lay celibacy as a call and vocation certainly does not happen because one happens to be in the single lay celibate state for whatever reason.  If I am in the single lay celibate state but I am not aware of any call or vocation to be so, then it is probably a transitional state, even a state of discerning, what my actual vocation is or might be.

Although in the single lay celibate state by vocation myself, I think that religious life is probably the 'higher' call (objectively on the theological level***) and simply because in religious life everything is orientated towards attaining perfection.  Religious life is known as "the state of perfection".  Certainly, the road to perfection can be taken in any vocation whatsoever, but not all vocations have the state of perfection as their primary raison d'etre or reason for existence and constitute "the state of perfection". It can be said, I think, that in religious life one is probably more likely to attain perfection or a level of perfection - and simply because of the lifestyle itself - coupled with the all important response of an individual in the life.  This does not mean at all that perfection or a level of perfection is unattainable in any other vocation - and nothing whatsoever is ever higher than God's Will for a person and their journey to holiness/perfection.

To my way of thinking, a vocation to, or potential vocation to, religious life is a great honour bestowed by The Lord - and such a call or potential call should be thoroughly investigated.

 

I did respond this afternoon in the other thread on the subject of the single life. http://www.phatmass.com/phorum/topic/134306-choosing-single-life-is-this-ok/#entry2679342

 

 

_____________________

 

*** When speaking of individuals, nothing can be higher than God's Will for that person, which is the SUBJECTIVE theological level.  When reflecting about vocations objectively, one is speaking on the OBJECTIVE theological level.

[cmaD2006]

consecrated single is probably a bad description.  There are third orders (for laity) and secular institutes, that is a more formal commitment.

 

private vows in front of a priest are still private vows ... of a personal nature (usually).  It isn't a formal commitment with the Church but with God.

 

You have consecrated hermits.

 

Finally -- for my own sanity, I just think of the "single life" as a state.  If someone feels called to stay single forever (and yes I do believe this is possible) then that's one thing.  But being single without any sort of vow is a valid state, and is not necesarily a state of transition for everyone.

 

Sometimes (and this is my personal opinion) we try so hard to define things so that everyone fits easily into one description or another, and unluckily (at least in my 40+ years) I have discovered that life at times just doesn't work that way.

 

Hopefully that helps.  I apologize if I still left it clear as mud :)

[arfink]

To be perfectly blunt, your vocation is to love and to serve God. A "valid" vocation is one in which you can love and serve God (this would preclude things like hired assassin as a vocational calling). Your personal vocation is the one in which you can love and serve God in the best way you can.

 

So, if you're single (whether by necessity or because you want to be) and you love and serve God, then you're good. :)

Edited June 18, 2014 by arfink

[AdvocataNostra]

The church recognizes four states in life: consecrated life (all forms), marriage, the priesthood, and single life. The vocation of all these states in life is holiness.

Be careful not to confuse the universal call to holiness with a persons state in life.

[BarbTherese]

private vows in front of a priest are still private vows ... of a personal nature (usually).  It isn't a formal commitment with the Church but with God.

 

 

The Church is the mystical body of Christ on earth and Jesus is God.  I tend to think that if one's private vows are received before a priest that one is committing oneself in a certain way (called "special consecration" in Vita Consecrata).  Such vow or vows are a commitment to a certain action, which comes under the virtue of religion, with The Church and God.  Through our baptism everything one does think and say has to do with God and His Church.

The Church covers private vows under "Vows" in Canon Law and there are conditions for being dispensed from private vows and by a priest.

In private vows one is not consecrated by The Church, however one consecrates of dedicates oneself to a certain action or actions to The Church and God and in a response to a call from God to do so, since all that is good has God as the origin and cause.  In documents I have quoted in other threads, it is obvious that private vows do concern The Church - I feel that if such vow or vows did not, there would be no mention of them in Canon Law, nor in documents coming out of Rome.  And again, everything we think, do and say concern and involve Christ and His Church - one cannot separate the two in a baptised Catholic.