» Consecrated Life

February 2: World Day for Consecrated Life

Therese Ivers, JCL — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:03:50 +0000

Table of contents for Congress Pilgrimage 2008 Rome

by Therese Ivers, JCL, OCV

His Holiness the Pope rarely presides over public liturgies. The importance of World Day for Consecrated Life is such that he prays Vespers and gives an official address on each Feast of the Presentation to consecrated persons. Since the Marian (consecrated life) dimension of the Church is as essential as the Petrine (ordained life) in the life of the Church according to our Holy Father, dioceses should take their cue from Rome and also host celebrations for Consecrated Life in their cathedrals. It is the one day that the Church prays for the consecrated, that is, for those of us who normally pray for the rest of the Church!

The Vicariate of Rome issued the invitation to the Papal Vespers and Address to religious superiors, religious, consecrated virgins, members of secular institutes, members of apostolic societies, hermits, and others in consecrated life living in Rome. For those who don’t know, the Vicariate of Rome functions as the “diocese” of Rome and govern in the name of the Pope. There is a bishop assigned for consecrated persons. I found it ironic that in the official invitation, the Vicariate mentioned that the contemplative (cloistered) religious would be spiritually present, and yet hermits were invited. Perhaps it was an official oversight in terms of the incongruity. Or, perhaps the Vicariate wanted to make it clear that this is one occasion in which it is very appropriate for the hermit to leave his/her hermitage and join the other consecrated persons in celebrating this day in the cathedral. It is heartening, however, that the Vicariate did not limit its invitation to religious. Now I just wait with bated breath – not really – for a consecrated virgin to be one of those selected to have some part in the ceremony as I noticed that only habited religious were chosen this year. At any rate, it is my fervent hope that dioceses will follow the example of the Vicariate of Rome and remember to include consecrated virgins and hermits in their mailings.

On a personal note, yours truly was able to participate in this Liturgy with another consecrated virgin, Jenna Cooper, the author of a blog on consecrated virginity. We disagree on many practical interpretations of how our vocation is to be lived out but we are united in the love of our Divine Spouse and total self gift to the Lord. Speaking of consecrated virgins, on my way home from the papal liturgy, I passed the place where the International Congress for Consecrated Virgins was held in 2008. It brought back so many memories of the 500+ virgins who attended from over 52 countries.

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Consecrated or Lay?

Therese Ivers, JCL — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 21:54:57 +0000

by Therese Ivers, JCL

St. Therese, Virgin and Doctor

St. Therese of Lisieux is my patron saint. I celebrate her feast day as my name day every October 1st.

The Little Flower has been an inspiration to me in many ways. This devout, pious laywoman lived in a convent from the age of 15 to 24, where she died of TB. Life in the convent was very hard. Her fellow sisters, also very devout laywomen, with their own gifts and personality quirks, did not always understand her very well and the saint suffered as a result. St. Therese loved her vocation. She loved being a pious laywoman who recited the Divine Office, prayed and lived in common with the other sisters, and she kept her religious vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience with assiduous care. The Lord guided her on the path to holiness in the midst of her humble occupations within the convent. Prior to her death, she wrote an autobiography which has transformed the world. Eventually, this work and its influence helped her become the 33rd Doctor of the Universal Church, a great honor for this religious laywoman.

I hope that people reading the above paragraph reacted in dismay because I called the Little Flower a pious laywoman even though she was a religious nun with solemn vows. Why did I call her a pious laywoman? I called her a laywoman for the exact same reason that people call consecrated virgins laywomen, which is because in a sense she was a lay person (non-ordained so she was not in the hierarchy). There are, as I have mentioned before, two ways of looking at the Church. One is dividing the Church according to hierarchy (lay vs. ordained).

Now we know that religious men and women (publicly vowed members of diocesan right or pontifical right institutes of consecrated life) are in the consecrated state. This is because the other way of dividing the Church is by doing so into vocational states (lay vs. hierarchy vs. consecrated). “In itself, the state of consecrated life is neither clerical nor lay (canon 588).” St. Therese was in the consecrated state. In this view, then, she was neither clerical nor lay. She was in the consecrated life. Therefore, it is not entirely correct to write that she was a “pious laywoman” when describing the time she was in the convent, because in the strict charismatic sense in the Church, she was in a state that was different from the laity’s.

That being said, I’d like to draw your attention to this sentence, which I found describing consecrated virgins, “Single lay people have chosen to be consecrated virgins and have made private vows in the presence of the local bishop as they lived out their vocation in various walks of life.” Consecrated virgins are not laywomen. They are not “single lay people”. Yes, they were single lay women before their consecration, just as the Little Flower was a single lay woman before she professed her vows in Carmel. Once consecrated by her bishop, the consecrated virgin is no more a pious laywoman than the Little Flower. Also, just as a reminder, consecrated virgins do not make private vows in the presence of the local bishop, they are consecrated brides of Christ through the ministry of the Bishop. They do not make vows of any kind.

Men and women who are members of a diocesan or pontifical right institute of consecrated life (religious) are in the consecrated state. Female virgins who have received the consecration of virgins (whether in the world or as nuns) from their bishop are in the consecrated state. Diocesan hermits who have professed poverty, chastity, and obedience in the hands of their bishop are in the consecrated state. Members of other forms of life are NOT in the consecrated state. They are, therefore, either lay or ordained.

There is only one form of “consecrated laity”. Consecrated laypersons are non ordained men and women members of Secular Institutes who take vows or promises of poverty, chastity and obedience. All other lay persons in other groups and organizations remain lay, without consecration. Some groups label their men or women members who have commitments to living out poverty, chastity, and obedience, as “consecrated” members. This is incorrect. They are no more consecrated than any other lay person if they are not religious, diocesan hermit, consecrated virgin, or member of a secular institute.

Anyone trying to say that members of an organization that is not a diocesan right or pontifical right religious community (who belong to the consecrated state) or of the only way of life that is “consecrated laity” (secular institutes who have semi-public vows but the non-ordained members remain lay), is incorrect. I have recently read a convoluted argument from a pious group which is facing a Vatican investigation that claims that they are “consecrated” even though they are a collection of lay persons. In a nutshell, because they are not a diocesan/pontifical right institute of religious life nor a secular institute, they have no right to collectively call their members with promises, “consecrated”.

www.DoIHaveAVocation.com

Disbanded by the Archbishop’s Orders: The Intercessors of the Lamb

Therese Ivers, JCL — Thu, 21 Oct 2010 23:46:06 +0000

by Therese Ivers, JCL

One of the purposes of this website is to give tools to those discerning their vocation to help enable them to make an informed decision. I have not been posting on this site too often lately because I have been focusing on writing a book for those thinking about the religious life. This book is about the nuts and bolts of evaluating a prospective convent/abbey/monastery as a possible “fit” for oneself. While I have drafted what I think is a catchy title for this book, I think about it in terms of “the good, the bad, and the ugly of religious life”. Why? Because in looking at a community, one must often use a similar technique that one would use in being prudent about a potential spouse. By knowing the good, the bad, and the ugly about many marriages, one can learn to evaluate the possible compatibility of another human being as a prospective spouse. Now, my book has (at the moment) nothing to do directly with the Intercessors of the Lamb. However, part of what I am trying to do is alert people to important aspects of community life which may be disruptive or injurious to one’s own well-being because certain “red flags” were ignored, and I think that while these things will be covered in great detail in my upcoming guide, some of the problems which were highlighted before the suppression of the Intercessors of the Lamb can furnish some food for thought for those discerning religious life in the meantime.

The lay association called the Intercessors of the Lamb (IOL) had contacted the Archdiocese of Omaha to see if they could take the next step in reaching a more serious level of canonical standing within the Church. As a Public Association of the Faithful, the Intercessors of the Lamb in the Church were like a civil corporation within the US- they were a group with a common identity, written statutes, a board, etc. They wanted to go beyond simple “incorporation” in the Church and become a recognized institute or society that lived a consecrated lifestyle in the Church. However, the canon lawyer who was hired by the Archbishop to evaluate the community’s readiness to take the next step found that there were serious problems within the community. Shortly after an attempt was made to begin addressing these problems by putting in place a new “superior”, the group was officially disbanded because the lay board of the community refused to cooperate with the Archbishop of Omaha. Of course, hindsight is often 20/20, but I would like to point out some of the things an informed discerner could have looked out for if he or she had been seriously considering joining the Intercessors of the Lamb.

Reasons Why Knowing the Canonical Status of a Community is Important

1. Only members of Diocesan-right or Pontifical-Right Religious Institutes are religious and enjoy the rights of religious and the obligations of religious. Vowed members of such Religious Institutes are in the consecrated state. The Intercessors of the Lamb, contrary to popular opinion, were NEVER a religious institute and its members were not in the consecrated state. “Consecrated” or vowed Members had some of the trappings of religious life: a habit, vows, chapel, statutes, etc., but they were not recognized in the Church as true religious. Why? Because they were in the more risky (to discerners) stage of being a Public Association of the Faithful. While they had the intention and hope of eventually following some kind of consecrated lifestyle in a form approved by the Church, the Intercessors of the Lamb had the same status as any other Public Association of the Faithful (think Legion of Mary, Worldwide Marriage Encounter, etc.). A good percentage of Public Associations of the Faithful who wish to become a Religious Institute or evolve into a Secular Institute or a Society of Apostolic Life simply fold, fizzle out, are suppressed, or disintegrate for a variety of reasons. Oftentimes, it is because there are unhealthy practices within the community, shady financial practices, personality struggles, etc. The bottom line is that even people with vows in a Public Association of the Faithful remain lay (if non-ordained) because they are not in a Religious Institute.

2. A good percentage of Public Associations of the Faithful who desire to evolve into a recognized form of consecrated life fold. This can have a detrimental effect to your livelihood and future if you were to join one and it was disbanded or the leaders ran off with the money or the superior kicks you out because you have a personality clash. Please understand that the Archdiocese of Omaha is being extraordinarily helpful to the former members of the now suppressed IOL. Since the members were NOT religious, the Archdiocese was not obligated in law to provide for the material needs of the ex-members any more than a diocese would be obligated to support (for a time) an ex-member of the Legion of Mary or Knights of Columbus. (As a side note, I find it quite interesting and perhaps not entirely coincidental that it was the “lay” branch that controlled the finances (all of the group was lay, but the “lay” branch indicated by the news probably refers to the associated members who did not take the private vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience) that was the portion of the IOL that refused to cooperate with the Archbishop. It was those members who had donated their money before entering with their private vows who suffered from their private vow of poverty as a result.) The moral of the story for discerners who are thinking about joining a community that wants to be a religious institute or live a consecrated lifestyle eventually is that the aid given to the ex-members of the IOL by the Archdiocese is extraordinary. Finances are usually tight for start-up groups, and if you leave or it disintegrates or is suppressed, you can usually count on being practically on the street with little or no money to restart your life. Let me say this again. Even with established religious Orders, ex-members have been known to have been given a plane ticket and $250-$500 to begin anew. I suppose that’d buy you a tent and a suit for job interviews but little else. Have no family? That’s just your tough luck. Perhaps a homeless shelter will take care of you until you get on your feet.

Coming Next: Why Canonist Pete Vere’s signs could have been helpful for the person who was discerning the IOL. As I am planning a series on the Intercessors, if you have any questions or comments about Public Associations of the Faithful or the suppressed Intercessors of the Lamb, please feel free to comment on these posts or use the contact us form.

www.DoIHaveAVocation.com

Consecrated Virgins Part II

Therese Ivers, JCL — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 21:54:46 +0000

Table of contents for Consecrated Virgins

by Therese Ivers, JCL

This is a belated continuation of a series of posts on consecrated virgins living in the world.

Q. I read this explanation of consecrated virgins on a vocations website and wanted to know if this is accurate:

From the beginnings of the Church there have been those who felt the call to consecrate themselves exclusively to Christ in a private manner. In recent times there has been a revival of this vocation, by which a woman makes her private consecration in the presence of her bishop.

A. This description of consecrated virginity is highly inaccurate and unfortunately widespread on the internet. I will respond to each sentence of this explanation of the vocation separately.

From the beginnings of the Church there have been those who felt the call to consecrate themselves exclusively to Christ in a private manner.

From the beginning of the Church, women have felt the call to follow Christ exclusively and completely. They were known in the early Church as “virgins” and this was a public vocation, not a way of life lived “in a private manner”. It is said that the Apostle Mathew was the first known Bishop to have conferred the consecration of virgins (upon the princess Iphigenia for which he was martyred as her kingly father wanted to marry her off and couldn’t because of the consecration). However, this was far from being a private affair; members of the Order of Virgins had special privileges in the ancient Church because of their public status as brides of Christ. What were some of these privileges? Virgins occupied a special place of honor in the assembly in Church. They often assisted the deaconesses in the ministry of baptism. As membership in the Order of Virgins was public, many of the Church fathers wrote about consecrated virgins and how they were to live. St. Cyprian described consecrated virgins as “the choicest portion of the Lord’s flock”. That this vocation was not private is implicit in the Catechism of the Catholic Church which states: From apostolic times Christian virgins, called by the Lord to cling only to him with greater freedom of heart, body, and spirit, have decided with the Church’s approval to live in a state of virginity “for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.” [CCC 922, emphasis added]

In recent times there has been a revival of this vocation, by which a woman makes her private consecration in the presence of her bishop.

Since the revision of the Rite of Consecration of Virginity promulgated in 1970, female virgins living in the world were once more permitted to receive the consecration of virgins from their bishop after a short temporary exclusion dating from the 1950′s. This is not private and it is not made by the woman. This is a public ceremony in which the bishop confers the consecration upon the female virgin, constituting her a “sacred person” and placing her in the (public) consecrated state. No vows are made, either public or private in this Rite. Instead, the virgin is consecrated body and soul as a bride of Christ through the ministry of the bishop. This is similar to what happens at an Ordination. A man or deacon does not make promises which somehow transform him into a deacon or priest. Instead, the sacrament of Orders is conferred upon him by the bishop and it is this conferral of Orders which constitutes him a deacon, priest, or bishop. Priests and deacons do make promises during their ceremony, but consecrated virgins don’t. Once a man legitimately receives Holy Orders, he belongs to the ordained state of life, in the hierarchy. Once a female virgin legitimately receives the consecration of virgins from her bishop (or a bishop delegated by him), she belongs to the consecrated state of life and no longer in the lay state.

Q. I am thinking about becoming a consecrated virgin. This seems to be a personal matter between me and Christ and so I don’t want this to be public. Can’t I just have a private consecration?

A. If John wishes to marry Gloria, their marriage is between themselves but their vows create a new reality for them and for the Church. They become husband and wife and join the married state when they get married. Even if John and Gloria get married in the rectory or just in front of a priest/deacon and two witnesses, the marriage is a public act and their new status is public of being married with a true spousal bond between them. They don’t need a whole church full of people to make their marriage a public ceremony celebrating a new public status that they enjoy once they exchange vows. A consecrated virgin becomes a sacred person and a bride of Christ when the sacramental consecration of virgins is conferred upon her by the Bishop. This can be done in a small chapel or (preferably in the mind of the Church)her Cathedral in front of hundreds or thousands of people. Either way, the consecrated virgin has become a member of the consecrated state and is no longer single nor lay. In this sense, her commitment (even if only the bishop was present doing the consecration) is very public.

Q. I believe that there are four vocations- the priesthood, marriage, religious life, and the single life. Do consecrated virgins belong to the generous single life?

A. There are three states in the Church: lay, ordained, and consecrated. Most people are called to be in one of the vocations in these states in Holy Orders (permanent/transitional diaconate, priesthood, and episcopacy), Consecrated Life (religious life, diocesan eremitic life, and consecrated virginity), or to Matrimony (in the lay state). Some people are in more than one vocation such as the married deacon (married state+ ordained state) or the religious priest (consecrated state + ordained state). Those in the consecrated state cannot be in the lay state. Consecrated virgins, therefore, are not singles nor are they lay. They are brides of Christ (a relationship) and they are in the consecrated state.

Q. I thought that consecrated virgins are lay women because they are not priests. Why do you say they are not lay?

A. There are two ways the word “lay” is used in the Church. The first way is to refer to non-ordained persons in the hierarchical sense. Thus, in this view, the Church is divided into two hierarchical categories, ordained and non ordained (lay). In this sense, even non-ordained religious and hermits are “lay” because they are not ordained. In the other view, which is not hierarchical but vocational, the Church is seen to be divided into three categories: ordained, consecrated, and lay. On this subject, the Catechism says: “the state of life which is constituted by the profession of the evangelical counsels, while not entering into the hierarchical structure of the Church, belongs undeniably to her life and holiness.” CCC 914 This is how canon law talks about consecrated life as not being lay or ordained: “In itself, the state of consecrated life is neither clerical nor lay.” – CIC 588 Thus, consecrated virgins are not lay when it comes to the states of life, any more than a religious monk or sister is lay.

Q. Can a consecrated virgin adopt a child?

A. Consecrated virgins live out their consecrated life in accordance with the bishop’s directives. The joys of motherhood are not proper to the virgin who remains celibate for the sake of the Kingdom. To understand this better, a married person agrees not only to be open to children (and the sexual dimension requisite for the procreation of children) but also to assume the duties of educating and rearing of any children God may bless the couple with. The responsibility of educating and parenting of a child in preparation for that child’s eventual maturity as an adult is intrinsically bound with the parental generation of the child. Therefore, unless the child in question is a close relative without other resources, it is not proper for a consecrated virgin to adopt a child as the renunciation of parenting is an implied part of the virgin’s renunciation of sexual intercourse (and its consequences). A decision so momentous which doesn’t normally foster the virgin’s freedom to think upon the things of the Lord without worries stemming from a physical spouse and children must be approved by the virgin’s bishop for her to be able in good conscience to adopt a child without betraying her vocation.

Another objection to a consecrated virgin’s adoption of a child has to do with the way God designed humans to be formed. The acts proper for the procreation of children and the education of any resultant children is an essential element of marriage. A child’s best interest is served by the stable, permanent union of a male parent and female parent with their masculine and feminine influences and complementary gifts with which to give the child the environment necessary for a holistic upbringing. This may be one reason why Mary and Joseph were married- to give the Child Jesus a stable family unit with male and female modeling.

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The Thursday Q & A

Therese Ivers, JCL — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 09:05:28 +0000

Q. Do consecrated virgins wear a habit?
A. Consecrated virgins living in the world do not have the right or obligation to wear a habit unless obliged/permitted by the local bishop.

www.DoIHaveAVocation.com

Will You Take the Next Step?

Therese Ivers, JCL — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 05:55:08 +0000

by Therese Ivers, JCL

An individual who had heard me introduce myself to a group as a consecrated virgin spoke with me at a table. He asked me whether I was thinking of “taking the next step”. Startled, I asked him what he meant, and he responded by saying that he was wondering if I was thinking about joining the religious life. Naturally, I wasn’t planning on joining a convent and explained to him that consecrated virginity is a vocation in its own right.

It struck me that I might have asked that same question of those religious women who find their identity in the thought of being a bride of Christ: “Are you thinking of taking the next step by receiving the consecration of virgins?” For, in my research, I discovered that the consecration cannot be dispensed and yet religious vows can be. I even read in the lives of the saints the story of how a solemnly professed nun, who was a daughter of a king, was for political reasons promised by her father to be the wife of another royal person. This king even obtained a dispensation of vows from the Pope for this to take place, which was to take effect upon her acceptance of the dispensation. Far from accepting the dispensation, the princess-nun took the unusual step (at the time) of receiving the consecration of virgins from her bishop, so as to forever cut off the possibility of marriage.

Another person approached me hours after the encounter I had with the young male. She expressed regret that she didn’t make it to my “private vow” ceremony. For the record, I didn’t make any private (or public) vows before my bishop. Instead, through the ministry of my bishop, I was made body and soul a virgin bride of Jesus Christ through the long consecratory prayer that constituted me a “sacred person” and which placed me in the consecrated state. The closest analogy I can make of my consecration is with ordination. The bishop confers Holy Orders upon a man, (it is not obtained by vow) and it makes him forever a deacon/priest/bishop of God. A deacon/priest/bishop cannot lose this fundamental sacramentally changed identity even if he ceases believing in God and acting as a cleric. In a similar way (although by an ontologically changing sacramental not by a sacrament) the bishop confers the consecration upon a virgin and through the action of God, makes her a bride of Christ, a consecrated virgin forever.

Yes, I will take the next step, which is to become holy in my own vocation as a bride of Christ. I thank God for my vocation and wish you all the best in yours!

Happy Thanksgiving!

St. Teresa of the Andes & Chapel Rats

Therese Ivers, JCL — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 18:52:32 +0000

by Therese Ivers, JCL

One day, as I was helping out a friend in the sacristy, she mentioned something about “the chapel rats”. My friend was not referring to rats scurrying about – for as far as I know, there were none in the building. Rather, she was talking about those who spend practically all their time in the chapel, every day, in the mistaken notion that it is more holy to spend one’s life in the chapel or one one’s knees rather than to lead a balanced lifestyle. This tends to be a common error in those discerning their vocations.

People who are single who are discerning their vocations should pray, yes. Prayer is very good thing. But to spend 4, 5 hours a day in the church, working at a job, and then spending another hour or two on spiritual reading and research on communities or charisms each day is usually unwise. Why? Because the laity have a special mission in the world. They should participate in a prudent manner in the civic, social, family, and spiritual spheres. Volunteering, political activism (even just folding envelopes), building family and social ties, getting enough exercise, healthy meals, etc. are proper activities for those who are free from community or spousal ties. These should all have a slot on a single person’s calendar.

The role of the laity is to be beacons of light in the world. Lay persons, especially singles, whether they are minors or whether they are working adults, should live out their state in life according to their circumstances. In certain areas, it may be too dangerous for a young, single woman to minister directly to the homeless. But surely she can help someone learn to read or volunteer for a day to bring meals to a family in need or do some work of corporal or spiritual work of charity. A man might consider helping out single mothers with repairs around the house (observing all proprieties) or doing a spiritual or corporal work of mercy on a regular basis or as they are called for.

The single person should not forget that he/she is a human being. Having appropriate hobbies, growing in knowledge, interacting with other people and families, participating in cultural enrichment activities, etc. is an integral part of developing one’s humanity. Of course, a person might object, “I’m discerning a vocation! I’m in a different situation than other singles. I need to be holy and learn what God is calling me to. It’s a waste of time to be normal and participate in all these ‘worldly’ activities!”

Again, it is extremely important that the single person pray, do a daily examination of conscience, go to Mass frequently, etc. However, the Church reminds us that the laity have a mission in the world. If you don’t know where you are being called whether by vow, ordination, or consecration, the holy thing and proper thing to do is to live your state in life well and fully. Even if you know you’re being called to the ordained life or consecrated life or marriage, for now you are still single and lay!

Is it too “worldly” to be active in politics, volunteerism, etc.? Will it make a person less “holy”? Will it distract me from God? The answer to this question is that if these activities are done well, prudently, and in accordance with one’s path as discerned in the concrete circumstances of life, they should help the person to grow in holiness, their humanity, and happiness.

To my mind, St. Teresa of the Andes is a perfect “modern” example of how holiness can be found in every day life. Most of St. Teresa’s life was lived as a lay person. She was great at sports, loved airplanes, went horseback riding, went to the opera, played the piano, took care of a poor orphan, lived a social life… and yet, she was extremely holy! It was only the last 11 months of her life that she became a nun. She agonized over her discernment – like so many people do today. She didn’t know which order she was called to. But, while she was discerning and growing up, she lived a normal lifestyle for the people in her family situation. Yes, she prayed, prayed intensely, but she also partied. She was a lay woman, and she was very holy.

It is because I think St. Teresa of the Andes is an attractive, easy to relate to saint, that I spent quite a bit of time contacting people in Chile, EWTN, and other places to see how the TV series on her life could be republished on VHS or DVD a couple years ago. This series is one of my favorite movies because it shows how a person can be normal and holy and that a holy person is surrounded by the same problems everyone else is. To my great delight, I just discovered that Ignatius Press has released the series in DVD format. If you wish to help support the work of this website, you can order this set below by clicking on the picture:

What’s So Important About Being Careful With Private Vows Or Promises?

Therese Ivers, JCL — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 01:02:33 +0000

by Therese Ivers, JCL

In one of the states of the US that I grew up in, there is a convent. In that convent are women dressed in habits. They make vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience… and they live austerely. They claim to belong to an ancient and revered Order. But, they are not nuns, and they are not sisters. As a matter of fact, they are lay women who masquerade as Roman Catholic religious. In a word, they are frauds.

There is an international group that passes themselves off as a budding religious community. Married individuals may join this so-called religious community. People who are married and think they need to somehow become religious in order to become holy and wear a habit are often referred to join this group. The website of this group has what purports to be “encouragement” from the Vatican. The way this group is set up,

Public, Semi-Public, and Private Vows and Promises

Therese Ivers, JCL — Sun, 24 May 2009 21:37:55 +0000

By Therese Ivers

One of the most frequent topics people discerning their vocation have several questions about is on vows and promises. As most people enter their vocation by means of a vow or vows, this topic is of great importance.

To begin with, all Catholics by virtue of their baptismal promises, have the obligation of rejecting sin, refusing to be mastered by sin, rejecting satan, and living out the teachings of the Catholic Church. All Catholics by virtue of their baptism, are called to strive for holiness in a manner consistent with their state in life.

Some people, perhaps the majority of people, are called to live out the general call or vocation to holiness by embracing a specific way of life through means of vow/promise, ordination, or consecration. This can be described as following a “call within the call”, or as more commonly called, following a “vocation”. It is this sense of a call to a specific way of life that the word “vocation” will be used in this article.

Vocations Entered by Public Vow(s)

Marriage and religious life are entered by means of public vow(s). In marriage, each of the (baptized) couple are the ministers of the sacrament of matrimony and by exchanging vows, enter a lifelong relationship as spouses and become “two in one flesh”. Religious profess vows to God according to their constitutions/statutes which specify how the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience are to be led. Diocesan hermits have the option of entering their state by vowing the three evangelical counsels by public vow, or they may choose to make public promises.

Vocation Entered by Public Promise(s)

Diocesan hermits have the option of professing public promises rather than public promises. They promise by means of a promise or sacred bond to follow the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience according to their rule of life.

Vocation Entered by Semi-Public Vow(s)/Promises

Members of secular institutes vow or promise the three evangelical counsels by means of semi-public vows.

Vocation Entered by Ordination in Conjunction with Public Promises

During the Rite of Ordination, those entering Orders promise obedience, and some promise celibacy.

Some Common Elements of Public and Semi-Public Vows and Promises:

Discernment is two-sided. In marriage, it is the other individual who discerns whether to accept marriage vows. It is the Church that discerns through the bishop – or legitimate authority in the different forms of consecrated life or secular institute – whether to accept vows/promises in the name of God and His Church.
Public/semi-public vows and promises either constitute a person into a formal vocation recognized in the Church, or are an important element of that way of life (such as in holy orders).
New public obligations and rights are assumed by the person making the vows/promises which flow from the nature of the vocation being entered into.

Private Vows and Promises

What is a private vow or promise? The Catechism of the Catholic Church states the following about vows:

In many circumstances, the Christian is called to make promises to God. Baptism and Confirmation, Matrimony and Holy Orders always entail promises. Out of personal devotion, the Christian may also promise to God this action, that prayer, this alms-giving, that pilgrimage, and so forth. Fidelity to promises made to God is a sign of the respect owed to the divine majesty and of love for a faithful God.

“A vow is a deliberate and free promise made to God concerning a possible and better good which must be fulfilled by reason of the virtue of religion,” A vow is an act of devotion in which the Christian dedicates himself to God or promises him some good work. By fulfilling his vows he renders to God what has been promised and consecrated to Him. The Acts of the Apostles shows us St. Paul concerned to fulfill the vows he had made.

The Church recognizes an exemplary value in the vows to practice the evangelical counsels:

Mother Church rejoices that she has within herself many men and women who pursue the Savior’s self-emptying more closely and show it forth more clearly, by undertaking poverty with the freedom of the children of God, and renouncing their own will: they submit themselves to man for the sake of God, thus going beyond what is of precept in the matter of perfection, so as to conform themselves more fully to the obedient Christ.²⁴

The Church can, in certain cases and for proportionate reasons, dispense from vows and promises^. (CCC #2101-2103)

Private vows may be made to God, then, for a “possible” and “better” good, according to the Catechism. What is “possible” in this context? Possible has several meanings. One is that a person must be free to make the promise/vow. A married person is not free to vow “chastity” (as the vow of celibacy and continence is called) because the right to the procreative powers of his/her body belongs to his/her spouse. One must be the right age to make a binding vow/promise (the minimum/maximum age will differ according to the nature of the vow/promise). The person must have an understanding of what is being promised and have sufficient deliberation.

The “better” good can encompass a lot of things. A person can promise to fast. This is a “better” good only if it is both subjectively and objectively better for the person making the vow. So, objectively, fasting is a good thing. Subjectively, it can be bad or good depending on the person and his/her circumstances. A person with hypoglycemia probably should never do a strict fast or vow one because it is “bad” for their health. The reason the Pharisee’s fasting and almsgiving talked about in the Gospel could be bad is the motivation was for show and human praise rather than the glorification of God.

Now, should a person make private vows or promises of poverty, chastity, and obedience if they do not feel called to life as a religious, member of a secular institute, or diocesan hermit? That is a million dollar question, and for it, there is no pat answer. In discerning whether to assume private vows or promises with such life changing implications, a person should give the matter the serious thought, understanding, and deliberation appropriate for taking such an action. Some things which should be considered are:

A person should undertake the responsibilities pledged by vow or promise only if they are truly called to do so by God. One of the advantages of pursuing public vow(s)/promise(s) is that the Church herself through the ministry of others (bishop, community, potential spouse) discerns whether a person may be called to a particular way of life. The process of discernment is usually lengthy so that the individual can learn about the rights and responsibilities of the life he/she wishes to enter by vow and so that the bishop, person, or community can determine if they are a good fit. In other words, a lot more formation in the evangelical counsels is available to those who pursue canonically recognized vocations.

By the same token, discerning whether to pursue lifelong commitments made by private vows/promises can be more difficult because there isn’t that in built process of formation and guidance given to people thinking of canonically recognized vocations.

It is strongly recommended that the insight and advice of a competent spiritual director be sought if one is considering assuming a private vow(s) related to the evangelical counsels. This is to ensure that one is indeed truly called by God to make it(them), that the formula and matter is valid (for example, to vow “joy” is invalid because joy is not something that can be undertaken at will), that the scope of the vow is clearly spelled out and understood, etc.
Private vows may be dispensed or commuted by the proper authorities, not by oneself.

While all Christians are called to follow the evangelical counsels in a manner befitting their state in life, not all are called to vow their strict and more radical observance for the sake of the Kingdom. Hence, it is important that it is truly God’s will, not an individual’s inclination, that brings a person to make a vow of chastity. A person should exercise great caution in vowing poverty or obedience, because how they are actually lived out must be understood in accordance with tradition and how they are to be lived should be written out so that boundaries are clearly understood.

Normally, a person should not make a vow of obedience to their spiritual director. This is because the internal and external forums are distinct and should not be confused, and there is room for grave abuse when the forums are mixed. Nor should an individual ever make a vow of secrecy or silence (not to criticize their superior or keep the details of their spiritual life/practices secret).
A private vow/promise of chastity involves a person dedicating himself to the Lord. Thus a lay person who is under private vow/promise is a “dedicated” lay person. A person whose vows are public is a member of the “consecrated state”, and thus belongs to the state which in itself is neither lay nor clerical but consecrated. A person whose vows are semi-public (members of secular institutes make these vows or promises) is a “consecrated” lay person if lay or “consecrated” ordained person if ordained, but is not a member of the consecrated state unless he/she is also a member of a religious institute, a diocesan hermit, or a consecrated virgin. In other words, “dedicated” is one making one’s vows to God unmediated through the Church. “Consecrated” is one whose vows are mediated through the Church.

So, if a person, after suitable preparation, formation, testing, discernment, advice, etc. wishes to make a private vow of chastity, then what? Because the decision should not be made lightly, valid formulas will not be listed on this site, but should be sought from a priest, spiritual director, or other expert.

www.DoIHaveAVocation.com

Consecrated Virgins Part I

Therese Ivers, JCL — Fri, 22 May 2009 07:35:10 +0000

Table of contents for Consecrated Virgins

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by Therese Ivers, JCL

Eleven votes have been cast in favor of having this month’s theme be consecrated virginity. As I sat down to begin writing this article, one of the first things that came up vividly to my mind were several women who were incorrectly described to me as consecrated virgins. Two I met on a trip, and somehow they became locally known as consecrated virgins since they would *like* to be consecrated, but they are in fact, not. Female members of one of the secular institutes I am familiar with also are known -mistakenly- in their local areas as “consecrated virgins”. Finally, members of an international group have oftentimes referred to themselves as “consecrated women” or “consecrated virgins” despite a complete lack of canonical status as such. To help facilitate a better understanding of what a consecrated virgin is – or is not – I thought it would be helpful to have a mini-series of FAQs on consecrated virgins.

Q. Can a widow become a consecrated virgin?

A. No. It is assumed that a wife who has lived even a night under the same marital roof as her spouse has consummated the marriage, thereby surrendering her physical virginity. This is why the Church requires that candidates “never have been married or lived in public or open violation of chastity”.

Q. May a “renewed virgin” receive the consecration?

A. A female who has voluntarily and completely experienced sexual pleasure is not eligible for the consecration, for she cannot offer God physical virginity. As St. Jerome put it, in his twenty-second Epistle to St. Eustochium, n. 5 (P.L., XXII, 397), “I tell you without hesitation that though God is almighty, He cannot restore a virginity that has been lost.” Although generous repentance may restore “spiritual” virginity, physical virginity cannot be restored, and both physical and spiritual virginity are required for a valid consecration.

Q. Where can I find a sample of a rule of life for consecrated virgins?

A. Consecrated virgins live “under the direction” of their bishop. Nevertheless, this direction is more akin to that of married couples being under the care of their pastor than that of religious to their superior. Consecrated virgins do not profess public vows nor do they live according to a rule of life unless they are also religious, diocesan hermits, or members of secular institutes. Because consecrated virgins living in the world are not subject by the vow of obedience to their bishop, and are not required to follow a rule of life (any more than married women are required to follow a rule of life), drafting and following a rule of life is completely optional for most consecrated virgins. Actually, in most instances, it would be imprudent to have a rule of life, for the virgin living in the world lives in the world with all the variables and cares that implies. The advice of a spiritual director should be followed if a virgin is considering adopting a rule of life.

Q. Does a female religious have to be a virgin?

A. No. Only female religious who desire to receive the consecration of virgins must be virgins. Some communities such as certain Abbeys in the Benedictine Order have traditionally offered the consecration of virgins to their members in perpetual vows. In such a case, the individual member desirous of receiving this consecration should be in truth a virgin.

Q. The Rite of Consecration says that a person must never been married, nor have publicly or openly violated chastity. I secretly had a one night stand that nobody knows about 20 years ago. Can I receive the consecration?

A. While it is true that you weren’t married nor lived in public or open violation of chastity (as in the case of cohabiting), your virginity was lost in the one night stand and thus you are unable to validly receive the consecration. Perhaps some other vocational options are available for your prayerful discernment and consideration.

Q. Are all religious women, female members of secular institutes, and female hermits “consecrated virgins?”

A. No. Consecrated virgins are female virgins who have been consecrated by their bishop according to the norms of canon 604 and the Rite itself. Devout women under a private vow of chastity, women in secular 3rd orders, members of religious orders, and others who have not specifically received the consecration conferred by their bishop are technically not consecrated virgins. Given the promiscuous lifestyles of today’s youth and young women, a large percentage of those in consecrated life are probably not virgins, nor are they required to enter as physical virgins. Only those females who wish to receive the consecration of virgins are required to be virgins and to maintain both physical and spiritual virginity. Those in other forms of consecrated life are required to exercise “chastity”, which in their case means perpetual continence and celibacy.

To be continued. But, before this series is continued, I need 5 serious and respectful comments on this post.

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