For those of you who are not too familiar with the vocation of a Consecrated Virgin, there is an article from the Dallas Morning News that I stumbled across that does a great job of explaining this unique vocation in the Church.
“The church recognizes that vocations can take various forms,” says (then) Bishop Raymond L. Burke. “These women don’t have the call to be sisters. That’s a very distinct call to live in a community and to take up a particular (mission), or to devote oneself completely to contemplation and prayer.” According to the article, there are about 100 American Consecrated Virgins and about 1,000 worldwide. From the earliest days of the Church, men and women devoted their lives to Christ as hermits or Consecrated Virgins. With the advent of monasteries and convents, this way of life somewhat disappeared. Following Vatican II, the Solemn Rite of the Consecration of Virgins for Women Living in the World was re-instituted. A Consecrated Virgin must be self-supporting but many serve the local parish or diocese in some capacity. They also live a devout life of prayer and wear a ring as a sign of their espousal to Jesus Christ. They live in full communion with the Church through their spiritual bond with their Bishop.
“The consecrated virgin does not wear habit or veil, nor use the title ‘Sister,’ nor write ‘OCV’ after her name. She witnesses subtly, but publicly and powerfully, by her virginal life given exclusively to Jesus Christ.” (From USACV website)
To read the very interesting journey one women traveled to this beautiful vocation, click here. For more information about Consecrated Virgins, go to USACV website (United States Association of Consecrated Virgins).
Maryanne, can I ask, was your conswecration mass a latin tridentine mass? Is this possible
Agnes, regarding your question about a consecration as a Consecrated Virgin using the Extraordinary Form of the Mass (Tridentine Mass), I suggest you go to the Consecrated Virgin website to see if they have any information – //consecratedvirgins.org/ God bless you!
I’ve thought of becoming a consecrated virgin myself (since I’m considered as ‘too old’ for most of the ‘good’ religious Orders out there-I’m 57-and I’ve ‘been there and done that’ regarding Third Orders), but I can’t find a spiritual director.
I go to the Traditional Latin Mass exclusively, but the priests who come to say it are from out of town, and they’re too few in number to be able to do spiritual direction except for those they serve in the immediate area of their seminary.
Hi, I hope you see this post. I’m a consecrated virgin who attends the Latin Mass. I’ve been a CV almost 10 years. There is no upper age limit on CV’s. You might be able to find a priest who is an excellent spiritual director who is not one that says the TLM but is still solid and good on directing. Most priests who say the TLM don’t know much about the vocation. I would try to find a good director first, he can learn about the vocation. He needs to be solid on spiritual direction.