Consecrated Virginity
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