Virginity Without Humility Is Vanity
- St. Augustine  

Consecrated Virginity is a perpetual commitment, following Christ more closely, consecrated to God by the diocesan bishop, betrothed mystically to Christ the Son of God, dedicated to the service of the Church.
- from Canon 604, CCL 1983

God Calls 
Total Gift of Self For the Sake of the Kingdom of Heaven 

• a public vocation individually lived in the world
• secular mode of life self-supporting, regular job, own living arrangements, own clothes, retirement provisions
• consecration is received in the Ceremony within the Ritual Mass
• ring is the sign of fidelity in espousals to God
• annual group meeting with the Archbishop
• annual individual conference with Delegate
• local and regional activities and projects
• optional membership in U.S. Association of Consecrated Virgins, as voting member, or as Friend

Saying Yes To God  

• in the state of virginity (never married)
• maturity, stability, tranquility of life
• variable period of discernment, candidacy – can be several years
• individual conferences with Delegate, others
• opportunities to meet others in discernment and consecrated virgins

Information Conference in Chicago every August, from a Thursday pm to Sunday am.

Annual Convocation in St. Louis every summer for four days, for those who have attended Information Conference, and for all consecrated virgins:

• download order forms for printed, electronic, audio, and visual materials
• The Lamp, newsletter several times a year
• History Outline 
• Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God
• holy women who served Jesus, His disciples
• Thecla, who followed St. Paul
• early virgin martyrs, mentioned in Canon I of the Mass
• Church Fathers – e.g., Jerome, John Chrysostom, Gregory Nazianzen, Basil, Leavder, Ambrose, Augustine – treatises and letters
• Benedictine Order has retained the Consecration, with the profession of vows
• 1100’s-1900’s: development of Orders, Institutes, Congregations in the West
• Eastern churches have always kept the simple form of consecrated life
• early 1900’s – initiatives in France (Anne LeFlaive)
• 1970 – Promulgation of the restored ancient Rite
• 1995 – Worldwide Pilgrimage to Rome, Special Audience with Pope John Paul II
• 1995 – founding of USACV

Contacts:
Sister Germana Santos, F.S.P. Delegate for Religious Tel: 617-746-5637

USACV (U.S. Association of Consecrated Virgins)
www.consecratedvirgins.org 
300 West Ottawa Street
Lansing, MI 48933-1577