'Singleness'

[MarysLittleFlower]

Not necessarily.  I believe Mary Beth Bonacci nailed it squarely on the head when she observed that most people are indeed called to marriage, but may not be able to achieve it because they cannot find a suitable spouse due to the poisoning of the dating pool. 

http://catholicexchange.com/is-the-single-life-a-vocation

Addiitonally, considering how hard it is to find a suitable spouse (or get priestly/religious vocations), what in the world would possess anyone to encourage people to make themselves unavailable during a shortage by creating a made-up vocation that serves no purpose other than to give people feel-good fuzzy-wuzzies about not being able to find suitable spouses (which is an improper diagnosis)? We need people to make themselves more available, not less!  This so-called "vocation to be single" (outside of consecrated life) is becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy - you can't find a spouse, therefore, being single must be your vocation, but you probably would have found a spouse if those who would have made suitable spouses hadn't taken themselves "off the market" in the first place because they were duped by the so-called "single vocation".

I wouldn't say that many of those who choose to remain single for Christ do so because they never found anyone... Rather its renouncing marriage for a reason

I guess this involves at least an interior commitment promise or vow... Even if not a formally done private vow

Edited May 20, 2015 by MarysLittleFlower

[MarysLittleFlower]

I have read books written from a very traditional perspective that support the idea of being single for the sake of Christ as a vocation... There's even a book about that from TAN. Also what about St Catherine, St Rose of Lima, St Kateri?

Just to add though they did make a commitment. They weren't just single because they are single. They said no to marriage for Christ

[MarysLittleFlower]

Can we all agree that choosing to not marry in order to love God exclusively is a vocation? I mean eventually such a person would probably want to make at least a commitment or promise - and the way they live that out (private vow, secular institute, third order, etc) is their specific way of following a vocation without human marriage?

[BarbTherese]

I have read books written from a very traditional perspective that support the idea of being single for the sake of Christ as a vocation... There's even a book about that from TAN. Also what about St Catherine, St Rose of Lima, St Kateri?

Thank you for the posts, MLF.

​Agreed. The Church has always upheld and affirmed that celibacy for the sake of The Kingdom in the 'single life' can be a vocation.

Fr J.A. Hardon SJ LAY CELIBACY "Lay celibacy was practiced already in the early Church. The men were called "the continent" (continentes) and women "virgins" (virgines). They were also known as ascetics who were encouraged to follow this form of life by St. Paul. According to the Apostle, "An unmarried man can devote himself to the Lord's affairs, all he need worry about is pleasing the Lord . . . In the same way an unmarried woman, like a young girl, can devote herself to the Lord's affairs; all she need worry about is being holy in body and spirit" (I Corinthians 7:32, 34). Throughout history the Church has fostered a celibate life in the lay state."

I think its ok to enter religious life if previously you made private vows though. You just can't go the other way and marry.

​If one has made private vows one cannot marry without a dispensation and for private vows, the dispensation can be effected by a priest.  Canon Law covers this.  Canon Law - VOWS states that private vow or vows must be dispensed if one is choosing a lesser good.

If one wants to enter consecrated life it is a greater good than private vows and no dispensation is necessary. 

I wouldn't say that many of those who choose to remain single for Christ do so because they never found anyone... Rather its renouncing marriage for a reason

I guess this involves at least an interior commitment promise or vow... Even if not a formally done private vow

 

 

​Agreed again.  Vita Consecrata  (The Consecrated Life - John Paul II) does affirm and give thanks for those who have made a dedication of themselves in secrecy.  Lay celibacy for the sake of The Kingdom has a very long history indeed in The Church - back to our foundations before there was ever any form of consecrated life.  It is an ancient vocation.

Just to add though they did make a commitment. They weren't just single because they are single. They said no to marriage for Christ

​Agreed again.  Certainly, it wasn't because I could not find a man.  In my much younger years, it was a 'problem' of letting the male gender know that I was committed elsewhere.  

Can we all agree that choosing to not marry in order to love God exclusively is a vocation? I mean eventually such a person would probably want to make at least a commitment or promise - and the way they live that out (private vow, secular institute, third order, etc) is their specific way of following a vocation without human marriage?

​Pius XII (pre V2) in The States of Perfection :

"We are thinking at this moment of all those men and women from all walks of life who, assuming the most varied professions and functions in the modern world, out of love for God and in order to serve Him in their fellowmen, dedicate their person and all their activities to Him. They pledge themselves to the practice of the evangelical counsels by private and secret vows known only to God and let themselves be guided in matters of obedience and poverty by persons whom the Church has judged fit for this purpose and to whom she has entrusted the task of directing others in the exercise of perfection."

Edited May 20, 2015 by BarbaraTherese

[BarbTherese]

I think it is important to state that it is not strictly necessary that some sort of private vow or vows must be made to live lay celibacy for the sake of The Kingdom.  Probably, however, and likely that one has made some sort of a commitment to Christ in the secrecy of the heart.

Certainly, when I first set out deliberately on the road of Lay Celibacy for the sake of The Kingdom, my commitment was in the secret of my heart.  In fact I was very surprised to find out about such a thing as private vows.........and as a quite valid option.

Edited May 20, 2015 by BarbaraTherese