Consecrated Virginity

IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

What is a "Consecrated Virgin"?

Click on the links on the left for information regarding consecrated virgins in the Catholic Church

Becoming a Consecrated Virgin

A letter from the episcopal moderator of the U.S. Association of Consecrated Virgins:

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September 8, 2000

Feast of the Birth of the Blessed Virgin Mary

To: Diocesan bishops and those considering the vocation to consecrated virginity lived in the world

REGARDING THE PREPARATION PROCESS FOR THE CONSECRATION OF VIRGINS LIVING IN THE WORLD

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Consecrated virginity lived in the world is an ancient and most beautiful calling. It is one of the first of the many flowers of the vocation to the consecrated life in the Church. From the earliest days of the Church, virgins have heard the call to give themselves totally to God and His holy People in Christ, their only Spouse. Having heard God's call, the virgin presents herself to the Church to receive the special outpouring of grace, the grace of consecration, upon her holy resolve. Once consecrated, the virgin is constituted a sacred person in the Church; she becomes a living sign of the spousal relationship of Christ and the Church.

Clearly, in order to discern such a noble and wonderful calling, a fitting period of preparation is required. During the time of preparation, the virgin studies in depth the history and meaning of the consecration of virgins in the life of the Church, and develops the habits of prayer and virtue appropriate to the life of the consecrated virgin living in the world.

During the time of preparation, the virgin relies upon the help of the Diocesan Bishop, her spiritual director and the coordinator of her preparation who is designated by the Diocesan Bishop. Since it is the Diocesan Bishop who carries out the act of consecration, he must establish, from the beginning of the process of preparation, a relationship with the candidate which will continue throughout her consecrated life. The Diocesan Bishop is the ecclesiastical superior of the consecrated virgin living in the world.

The service of the spiritual director is essential. The spiritual director helps the candidate to develop interiorly so that she may be ready to make the gift of her virginity to God and the Church in Christ, her proposed Spouse. The spiritual director helps the candidate to add to her gift of physical virginity the gift of virginal-exclusive and enduring-love of Christ.

Finally, the coordinator of her preparation will assist the consecrated virgin to attend to all of the necessary requirements for the consecration so that she may be ready in due time to present herself to the Diocesan Bishop for consecration.

It is hoped that the materials which follow will assist Diocesan Bishops, candidates for the consecration, spiritual directors and coordinators in the process of discernment regarding the sacred vocation of consecrated virginity lived in the world.

I thank the United States Association of Consecrated Virgins (USACV) for its consistent work to perfect the materials which it provides to assist those called to the life of consecrated virginity, their Bishops and all those who accompany them along the way of their vocational discernment. The USACV stands always ready to assist you and welcomes suggestions for the further perfection of the important resources it offers.

With sentiments of profound esteem, I am

Yours devotedly in Christ,

[signed]

+ (Most Rev.) Raymond L. Burke

Bishop of La Crosse [now Archbishop of St. Louis]

Episcopal Moderator of the United States Association of Consecrated Virgins

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