Therese1895 Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Just now, LittleDiana said: Well, if you think about it, all the holy virgins of the first centuries of the Church (St. Agnes, St. Agatha, St. Cecilia, St. Anastasia, St. Catherine of Alexandria...) were consecrated virgins. Oh right! Would you also happen to know of any more modern examples? Of course, with patronesses like our early 'Church Mothers,' who needs more? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleDiana Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 What happened is that with the apparition of communities of nuns, the Consecration of Virgins fell into oblivion (I think it wasn't officially supressed, but I don't know for certain). It was fully restored by Pope Paul VI in the seventies. That's why you can't find canonized consecrated virgins who had lived in these last centuries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Therese1895 Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Oh alright, that makes sense. God reward you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DominicanHeart Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 St. Kateri Tekawitha I believe was one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Therese1895 Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Oh, right! I guess I was using consecrated virgin also in a broad sense as well, maybe a private vow of chastity, etc. Just interested- thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiserereMeiDeus Posted March 9, 2017 Author Share Posted March 9, 2017 (edited) 1 hour ago, Therese1895 said: I was wondering- are there any saints who were consecrated virgins? I was thinking about it the other day, and couldn't think of any. I guess that their canonization process would be less likely to occur, however, as they wouldn't have an order to promulgate it. Here is a list from the Sponsa Christi blog: http://sponsa-christi.blogspot.com/2009/11/consecrated-virgin-saints-of-early.html These are from the early Church, so definitely not modern. She may have the answer to that though, or maybe some more searching around the blog it could be found. It would be nice to know though about modern saints that were consecrated. I know the Benedictine nuns used the Rite at their final professions, but that fell out of practice many, many years ago. So some Benedictine nuns that have been canonized could have been consecrated virgins as well. Some women saints who were not in religious communities but remained virgins in the world and lived a spousal relationship with Our Lord you will see that for their memorial in the Divine Office and the Mass they will be referred to as virgin, but they didn't receive the consecration. I'm still learning about this vocation myself. I have been in contact with consecrated virgins and that has been very helpful. As I learn more I find a lot of Carmelite spirituality. A lot of what is important to a Carmelite is also important to the CV such as the role of Mary our Blessed Mother, praying and sacrificing for priests, and praying the Liturgy of The Hours. It's a shame that not much is mentioned about this vocation, or at least in my experience. Being the Bride of Christ, an image of His Church in the world seems so needed in our world today. Our Lord still calls women to this type of spousal relationship with Himself, but many may not know much about it. However, at the same time He somehow will make it known if she keeps searching for Him. Edited March 9, 2017 by MiserereMeiDeus Spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Therese1895 Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Just now, MiserereMeiDeus said: Here is a list from the Sponsa Christi blog: http://sponsa-christi.blogspot.com/2009/11/consecrated-virgin-saints-of-early.html I'm still learning about this vocation myself. I have been in contact with consecrated virgins and that has been very helpful. As I learn more I find a lot of Carmelite spirituality. A lot of what is important to a Carmelite is also important to the CV such as the role of Mary our Blessed Mother, praying and sacrificing for priests, and praying the Liturgy of The Hours. It's a shame that not much is talked mentioned about this vocation. Being the Bride of Christ, an image of His Church in the world seems so needed in our world today. Our Lord still calls women to this type of spousal relationship with Himself, but many may not know much about it. However, at the same time He somehow will make it known if she keeps searching for Him. !Dios se lo pague! I love your comparison to Carmel! It's so beautiful as such a truly humble and hidden vocation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiserereMeiDeus Posted March 9, 2017 Author Share Posted March 9, 2017 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Therese1895 said: !Dios se lo pague! I love your comparison to Carmel! It's so beautiful as such a truly humble and hidden vocation! I knew you in particular would like that! And it's also a hidden and humble vocation. Not in a cloister, but in the world she is still hidden in Him. "To be in the world, but not part of it." An update: please to all, remember me in your prayers and sacrifices. I took my first official step in discerning the consecrated virginity vocation. I met with my parish priest and was thrilled to find out that he is familiar with this vocation as he has been the spiritual director to two consecrated virgins before. He is supportive of me and my next step will be to contact the diocese vocation director to set up a meeting with the Bishop to talk with him. I haven't made this contact yet, but it will be sometime in the near future. Edited March 9, 2017 by MiserereMeiDeus Added on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Therese1895 Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Just now, MiserereMeiDeus said: I knew you in particular would like that! And it's also a hidden and humble vocation. Not in a cloister, but in the world she is still hidden in Him. Yes! Maybe someday?... at the moment I'm just making myself holy as a student and not trying to "discern" but just grow holier! But a wonderful and understate vocation to keep in mind! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiserereMeiDeus Posted March 9, 2017 Author Share Posted March 9, 2017 2 minutes ago, Therese1895 said: Yes! Maybe someday?... at the moment I'm just making myself holy as a student and not trying to "discern" but just grow holier! But a wonderful and understate vocation to keep in mind! Definitely one to keep in mind. You reminded me of something that a Christian friend of mine at work shared with me. It was a meditation for the day on a website. It talked about living with and for God in the present wherever we are and, "if you can't serve God well where you are now, you wouldn't serve God well anywhere." That was a great reminder when some days my mind wanders and I start to imagine doing something else or being somewhere else, but His grace is sufficient for the day to get through those times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
truthfinder Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 1 hour ago, DominicanHeart said: St. Kateri Tekawitha I believe was one? She was not formally consecrated as the rite was in disuse by that time. She did make a vow of chastity (with a few other devout women) - but mostly because they were not permitted to become nuns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OnlySunshine Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 What about: St. Clare of Assisi, St. Catherine of Siena, or St. Rose of Lima I know the last 2 were virgins who were Third Order Dominicans, but I'm not 100% sure about St. Clare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleDiana Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 1 hour ago, OnlySunshine said: What about: St. Clare of Assisi, St. Catherine of Siena, or St. Rose of Lima I know the last 2 were virgins who were Third Order Dominicans, but I'm not 100% sure about St. Clare. St. Clare is the foundress of franciscan nuns, so I would say she is considered a nun. I think it depends on what you mean by "Virgin". Stricto sensu Consecrated Virgins are those who have been consecrated in a ceremony presided by the local bishop. In this case, the only ones I can think about is the virgins of the first centuries. In a broader sense, those women who never married and lived a life of celibacy, as nuns, sisters or lay women, are inscribed as "virgins" in the martirology. In my opinion St. Rose and St. Catherine are a special case (The last one had a mystical marriage with Christ): most Third Order's members on their times were celibates. For all that I have read about consecrated virginity nowadays, it is considered a unique vocation. Now I wonder if a vocation to consecrated virginity is considered compatible with being member of a Lay Fraternity or Third Order (Maybe someone addressed this before and I didn't see it. If so, I apologize) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MiserereMeiDeus Posted March 9, 2017 Author Share Posted March 9, 2017 @Sponsa-Christi would you help us with these questions? I don't feel confident in the knowledge I have at this point to teach others as I am still learning myself. I think I can say, which is probably the obvious, that consecrated virginity is a form of religious consecration and doesn't fall under laity. Unlike the laity and those in religious life, they are under vows or promises which can be dispensed but those who are consecrated virgins are consecrated which is different than a vow and can't be dispensed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sponsa-Christi Posted March 9, 2017 Share Posted March 9, 2017 Okay, to try to get to questions: 9 minutes ago, MiserereMeiDeus said: I think I can say, which is probably the obvious, that consecrated virginity is a form of religious consecration and doesn't fall under laity. Unlike the laity and those in religious life, they are under vows or promises which can be dispensed but those who are consecrated virgins are consecrated which is different than a vow and can't be dispensed. It's correct that consecration to a life virginity cannot be dispensed--or at least that's the general understanding of those who have seriously studied this vocation, which I fully agree with. Whether or not we consider CVs "lay" depends on how we are using the word "lay." In the Church's theology and canon law, "laity" can mean two things: 1. everyone who is not a cleric (and so in that sense, CVs would be laity--but so would a cloistered nun!); and 2. everyone who is not ordained or in a public state of consecrated life (in which sense, consecrate virgins would NOT be laypeople, just as religious aren't in this sense.) 1 hour ago, LittleDiana said: I think it depends on what you mean by "Virgin". Stricto sensu Consecrated Virgins are those who have been consecrated in a ceremony presided by the local bishop. In this case, the only ones I can think about is the virgins of the first centuries. In a broader sense, those women who never married and lived a life of celibacy, as nuns, sisters or lay women, are inscribed as "virgins" in the martirology. This is true. Technically, "consecrated virgins" are those who have received the Rite of Consecration from a bishop. So many nun-saints who are often identified as "consecrated virgins" aren't CVs in this strict sense. Though I hope it goes without saying that this doesn't make their dedicated virginity any less beautiful! St. Kateri was also not, strictly speaking, a member of the Ordo Virginum, since she didn't receive the Rite. But she is actually the patroness of the U.S. Association of Consecrated Virgins because she had very similar spirituality and way of life to "official" consecrated virgins. And there is obviously nothing wrong with CVs/aspiring CVs looking to virgin-but-not-CV saints for inspiration! Since the Rite of Consecration to a Life of Virginity for women "living in the world" was only re-introduced at Vatican II, you really aren't going to find any modern saints who were canonically members of the Ordo Virginum (there might be a nun-saint whose Order may have used the Rite, but I don't know of any). So today's CVs need to get busy in terms of growing in holiness so we can fix this lack of a modern CV saint before too long! On 2/12/2017 at 6:15 PM, MiserereMeiDeus said: I talked to one of the priests at my parish and I was thrilled to find out that they do have a program for the consecrated virginity. I'm going to talk to the parish priest this weekend and hopefully be able to fill out the paper work that needs to be sent to the Bishop, and Lord willing be accepted as a candidate. Congratulations! It's Providential that you're not actually starting from scratch in your diocese! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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