Canonical Protection for Consecrated virgins -- PART 2

Referring  to comment /s in the  previous post  Part I     Here    I’m sure this is the beginning of an important discussion.  For the sake of more perspectives, I shall give other and differing viewpoints although I myself am searching for the truth in these matters. I would sincerely like canon lawyers, bishops, and consecrated virgins to ponder on this holistically from various dimensions of the human person and VERY ESPECIALLY THE PERSPECTIVE /MIND OF JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF WHEN HE FOUNDED THE CHURCH, the same Church with whom every  consecrated virgin is /should be  identified  irrespective of which category in my Q.1 of the previous post  she belongs to.

WE OFTEN SPEAK OF TWO MOMENTS DEFINING THE BIRTH OF THE CHURCH:

1. When on the Cross, Jesus’ heart was pierced and the Bride of Christ was born.  I believe that the mind of Jesus Christ at that moment on the Cross –is the most truthful and reliable guide through the fog  consecrated virgins/the churches  all over the world are experiencing.
2. At Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles /disciples.

The OrdoVirginum is predominantly a vocation as bride of Christ, hence it was founded on the Cross and empowered on Pentecost.  This will give us a clue regarding the essence of the vocation.

According to the mind of Christ the Church is Community. It  is called to live the New Commandment of Love; whereas individualism is exactly what the Church is NOT.  This will help us discern whether it is the Holy Spirit or purely human motivations and convenience that are leading the vocation of   consecrated virgins  in today’s world.

Due to this kind of individualism, in some places, even though several consecrated virgins  exist within the same diocese, they do not concretely support each other  in spite of having the time and the resources to do so. In today’s world where we are aware of abuse / exploitation of consecrated women  especially in African and Asian countries, the need for  canonical protection is what I see.

 Can  the  Covenant with Christ be expressed in its fullness without  a real bond of love - of solidarity lived concretely - between consecrated virgins themselves wherever several are present within the same diocese, even if they are not living in community ?

Before continuing the discussion let me clarify for readers that by the word ‘community’ I am not insisting that  consecrated virgins should  live together  like religious  institutes.  I personally feel that  the Rite of consecration to a life of virginity for women living in the world  is being misused  in some parts of the world by women who want to live an individualistic spirituality which  is against the mind of Christ, because they do not see the local Church as a community / family to whose service they are dedicated.

The constituents of the Church can be found in the Catholic Church at the Universal and Diocesan level to the fullest extent:

This is visible at its best in a Diocesan Pastoral Council which has representatives of all sections of the local catholic community thus truly representing the whole Body of Christ. Next  it becomes visible in a Parish Pastoral Council.  In all other communities like Religious Institutes, Associations, Movements, Small Christian communities, etc., only some part of the Body of Christ is usually represented. So  when we say that the consecrated virgin is an image of the Church herself,  she best represents the Diocesan Church  and the Universal Church that is founded on Rock according to the intention of Jesus Christ.

CANONICAL PERSPECTIVES : 

Can. 604 §1 The order of virgins is also to be added to these forms of consecrated life. Through their pledge to follow Christ more closely, virgins are consecrated to God, mystically espoused to Christ and dedicated to the service of the Church, when the diocesan Bishop consecrates them according to the approved liturgical rite.

§2 Virgins can be associated together to fulfil their pledge more faithfully, and to assist each other to serve the Church in a way that befits their state.

Why has 'order of virgins' been added to the canons on consecrated life  in only one particular canon 604 ? 

When the Rite was promulgated after the Second Vatican Council and  canon law 604 was formulated, why did it indicate the term  ‘order of virgins’ to be added  specifically to canon 604? The term 'order of virgins' is not mentioned anywhere else in canon law, even for monastics who have a separate  version of the same rite in the Roman Pontifical.

If the term  ‘order of virgins’ applies to ALL women  who received the consecration according to any of the two  liturgical versions, according to this view  canon 604 #1 may be interpreted as describing  a purely liturgical category  like the order of priests, order of deacons, order of catechumens,  etc.

However, the canons on Consecrated Life do not include specific canons for the order of priests, order of deacons, etc., who can be incardinated in a diocese or belong to a monastery or religious community or secular institute, lay association, etc. Hence, my interpretation is that canon 604 #1 does not describe the ‘purely liturgical’ category of the order of virgins. Instead it describes the ‘SOCIO-liturgical’ category of ‘Diocesan/Universal’ consecrated virgins with a particular identity and mission.

Point A] If the OrdoVirginum includes all women who received the consecration  through one of the two versions of the rite for  monastics  or those living in the world, by logical extension  it would include women who received it  while being full members of  Secular Inst,  Lay Asso. , Third Orders  of Pontifical or Diocesan right, Diocesan hermits, Solitaries, and Lay Singles.

Point B] If the OrdoVirginum is legally limited to canon 604 and has its own vocational identity and mission, then logically it should NOT apply to Secular Inst,  Lay Asso., Third Orders  of Pontifical or Diocesan right, Diocesan hermits, Solitaries, Lay Singles, etc., who follow a different spirituality. [ e.g. in a situation where such a woman seeks dispensation from vows of a secular institute or lay asso. or third Order  of pontifical right, the procedure of the institute / association/ third order  would  be followed. The diocesan bishop would not be primarily involved .

Point C]  In some parts of the world, women receive the consecration of virgins   when they already belong to and follow the spirituality of  a secular inst. or lay association or third order or hermit or solitary or lay single, etc. Hence, I wonder whether  they would  have a special link with the particular diocese  according to the identity and mission of OrdoVirginum. Then they should not come under canon 604. They come under the social category of the group or spirituality they follow.

Others have first received the consecration of virgins, are  linked to the diocese, and then  because they are the only CV in the diocese, they join a secular inst. or lay association or third order [as core members, not as associates of these groups, for support]. In such situation they  naturally  cannot live fully the specific identity and mission of OrdoVirginum and should cease to come under canon 604.

[I have taken the analogy from canons related to Deacons who can be diocesan or belong to a religious institute or secular institute, etc. read here ]

Point D] To avoid confusion, should the Church limit the term  OrdoVirginum to  women who specifically lead a  diocesan based spirituality in its original expression as mentioned in the Rite and tradition of the early Church, adapted to today’s world  -which means their community is the diocese, and to associations  of consecrated virgins strictly based on Canon 604#2  ? This would also give the Order of virgins according to canon 604 a public juridical personality because it signifies ‘order’ as a liturgical and social category in the Church.

Public Juridical person:
 
 If canon 604 is limited to consecrated virgins leading a diocesan vocation with the original identity and mission  as mentioned in the Rite and in early Church tradition, then I think every consecrated virgin even as an individual would belong to a public juridical person, as per canon 113, since she  belongs to the order of virgins which  is a communion of all consecrated virgins since 2000 yrs. By the same logic, all consecrated virgins together who are alive on the earth today  would be a public juridical person.

An individual consecrated virgin or the  OrdoVirginum symbolises the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. Hence they could perhaps have the status of a moral person or public juridical person. Even if there is only one  diocesan consecrated virgin, there should be prayers for the order of virgins because by doing so the community is praying for all virgins /churches/souls/ in  history and in present and future. The same effect is not present in prayers only for clergy, religious institutes or lay faithful  as we usually hear. Scripturally the order of virgins IS connected with the identity and mission of the Church as mentioned in the book of Revelations.  It’s omission from the prayers in the liturgy of the Church is a big ? for me.

SUMMARY:

The questions  I have begun reflecting in this and the previous blog-post  have practical effects on the lives and vocation of consecrated virgins today. To summarize, the OrdoVirginum is a liturgical category according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church and includes nuns or those who live in the world who have received the same consecration. By logical extension the OrdoVirginum  would include all virgins consecrated through one of the two versions of the Rite of consecration in the Catholic liturgy.

CCC The Consecrated Virgin (922-924)

Christian virgins cling to the Lord with a greater freedom and live in an approved state of virginity "for the sake of the kingdom" (Mt 19:12). Virgins are consecrated to God by the diocesan bishop and are dedicated to the service of the Church (Canon 604).

The order of virgins establishes a woman living in the world (nun) in prayer, service, and apostolic activity. These virgins can form themselves into associations (Canon 604, #2).

However Canon 604 #1 is placed in the section on Consecrated Life  in the Code of Canon Law, which does not have parallel /specific canons for the liturgical category of order of priests, order of deacons, etc., who like the order of virgins  may also join monasteries, secular institutes, lay  associations, third orders or live single, solitary lives, etc.

Hence my interpretation is that canon 604 #1 and 2 refers  specifically to Diocesan/Universal  consecrated virgins. It should not be applied to consecrated virgins who become core-members of other communal or individual  forms of consecrated life that have a different spirituality.

I think it is in a similar sense that Vita Consecrata describes the Order of Virgins . see here

Interestingly the Speech of Holy Father Benedict XVI during the Meeting with consecrated virgins in Rome recently in yr 2008 was addressed ‘To the Order of Virgins’ see here   and it clearly describes the particular  Diocesan /Universal identity  and mission .

The OrdoVirginum also represents in a particular manner –the Marian dimension of the Catholic church. How far this can be realized when a consecrated virgin is   also a  member  of another communal or individual form of consecrated life  -is something to reflect upon, because it may blur and dilute the real vocation.

For Part I  of this  post   Read here


For my personal research article  on Ordo Virginum   click here

Canonical Protection for Consecrated Virgins -- PART I

When  I reflect on  issues faced by consecrated virgins which need canonical protection, I feel that canon law has not yet clearly indicated which canons  can be applied to safeguard the rights and duties of consecrated virgins. 

When canon 604 was formulated, it was open-ended, to allow the ancient vocation to develop in today’s Church and world, to allow the Holy Spirit and the lives of consecrated virgins to indicate what identity and mission it will take in the near future.  I think it is time that canon-lawyers  and  consecrated virgins should get together to discuss these issues. 

e.g.[ Q .1]. 

a. Does  the OrdoVirginum or Order of Consecrated Virgins consist of all women who have received the consecration to a life of virginity, whether they live in a monastery with  the spirituality of its founder[s]  or  remain in the world ?

b. Or is the OrdoVirginum strictly of women consecrated as per canon 604 and linked to the diocese, with or without an association, with a clearly defined vocational identity and mission [I don't mean same works]  at the diocesan level or perhaps universal level ?

c. Or is the OrdoVirginum  in general  inclusive of all women who have received the particular consecration through the same liturgical ceremony -whether they belong to / are legally linked to the Diocese or a Secular institute or Lay association or Third Order of religious institutes, or leading a Single life or a Solitary life like a hermit  or a Quasi-religious or New community discerning its identity or those who ask for transfer from religious vows to individual status ? 

Are the vocations according to canon 604 and the liturgical Rite in the Roman Pontifical, identified with each other? Is canon 604  speaking about a definite vocation with a strict diocesan identity and mission,  with the possibility of further canons being introduced,  whereas the  liturgical Rite is a ceremony or formula that is being mis-used for women who wish to lead a different vocation  as Secular Institute, Single Life, Solitary Life, Quasi-religious  or New communities, Third orders or Transfer from communitarian religious vows to individual status,  etc. without belonging to the OrdoVirginum ?

AS WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING ON VARIOUS BLOGS OF CONSECRATED VIRGINS, THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF CONFUSION ABOUT THIS. HENCE  IT IS MY EARNEST REQUEST TO CANON LAWYERS, AUTHORITIES, AND CONSECRATED VIRGINS, TO DISCUSS THESE POINTS.

[Q .2]

 I’m wondering whether the Ordo Virginum  is a public juridical person, both at the universal level and at the diocesan level. 

Canon 113 #1  The catholic Church and the Apostolic See have the status of a moral person by divine disposition.

2# In the Church , besides physical persons, there are also juridical persons, that is, in canon law subjects of obligations and rights which accord with their nature.   see other canons

In the Early Church, it was a definite socio-liturgical category in the Christian community. If it is a public juridical person, then does this indicate a strong sense of belonging  every consecrated virgin can have in the OrdoVirginum [which I’m sure consecrated virgins desperately need ]? This would link consecrated virgins to each other in a special way .

Every consecrated virgin is identified with the local and universal church which by Divine Institution is a group/community.  Hence the OrdoVirginum should  have the status of  a  juridical person and seeing Jesus’ purpose for the Church, the OrdoVirginum should  have the status of a community even if consecrated virgins may not  live together .  see more

Christ among doctors of the law

For Part II of topic read here in detail

A Story of Church Bells: with Christmas Decoration

This is the story of a tiny girl, 5 yrs old, who lived in a happy family – a hop, a skip, and a jump  distance from a beautiful  old  church in India, which had a beautiful statue of a mother with a boy in her arms . 

Early every morning, she heard the sound of church bells  and was overjoyed. Maybe,when she was in her mother’s womb, she must have leapt with the sound. She asked her Mom, "Mummy, why do the  chhuch  bells ring  every morning?”  “To ask God to Wake Up  dear!" replied her Mom. “When  we want God to listen to us we have to ring bells to wake God up, so that we will get an answer.” 

So whenever the family went to the temple because they were hindus,  she asked her Dad to lift her up on his shoulder and they  rang the bells  at the entrance with joy.

One day something sad happened. She saw someone  with a knife trying to stab her Dad. Her Mom  shoo-ed away  all the children  and commanded  the tiny  girl to go away  too.

She  ran and ran  on the path where she used to  hop, skip, and jump  to play  on the church grounds.  She ran straight  to a staircase at the side of the church  where hung  HUGE  church bells tied with HUGE and thick  ropes  made of  jute. It was Christmas Eve.

her gifts to God

She climbed up the steps  and tried  to ring the bells, but she could not even move a rope. Her tiny hands were too small to even hold them and they were full of thorns.  By now she was crying, her eyes full of tears. She cried, "God, Wake up! Wake up, God, Wake up" But she could not ring the bells.  She said, "God, I’ll give you what you want. I’ll give you my doll, my compass –box with the new pencil which has a scented  eraser  on top, I won’t  trouble Mom. I’ll drink the Bournvita, I’ll drink the bitter medicines, I’ll do my home-work  on time, I won’t ask for a dotted  frill frock  or sandals  or a new bicycle. Wake up, God  and don’t let him hurt my Dad with the knife."

The tiny girl did not know what is life or death. But she  understood that when some angry man takes a knife  and tries to stab, it can hurt and there can be bloodshed.

She cried and cried but  she could not ring the bells and  so she thought God is sleeping. She too cried and cried till she fell asleep on the steps, holding on to the thorny rope, tightly.

Then suddenly  she woke up.  She felt silent. She came down the steps and went  a hop, a skip,  and a jump  to  her family. There she saw  as she knew in her heart  that she would. Her Dad was safe. Everyone was happy. There was a  nice tea party  where  the man with the knife and  his family and  the tiny girl’s family all had  tea together. They became friends!

God's gift to her !

She went  to bed  with true Peace in  her heart  where the Baby Jesus  was born  to stay there forever! 

 

Since then  they put  tiny bells on the Christmas tree so that little children too can ring them.

HAPPY  CHRISTMAS! MAY  THE LORD JESUS GIVE YOU PEACE, LOVE, AND JOY NOW AND THROUGH THE NEW YEAR.

Consecrated Virginity from an Inter-generational Perspective

Growth-stages, Shades of Charism, or Generation gap between consecrated virgins ?!

The Order of Virgins is both  ancient and new,since its charism originated on the cross of Jesus Christ, went through several challenges, and was revived after the Second Vatican Council.

Since then,thousands of women around the world have received the special consecration. There are three categories of consecrated virgins- 

1. those who were born before the Second Vatican Council which was held from 1962-1965  and have seen life before and after it,
2. those who were born after the Council  between1965-1977 or the Generation X and have not personally experienced the church before it, and
3. the Millennial generation of those born approx. between 1977-1998. 

It is interesting to note the differences between these generations to see how this can help us understand the Order of Virgins  and each other better,and be able to respect  different approaches to the vocation and discern in which direction it should journey.

Each generation has different list of motivations for seeking the consecration of virgins. Most consecrated virgins born before the Second Vatican Council  are ex-religious who asked for the consecration  due to the need of a ceremony or rite so that they could continue with their commitment on their own, without rigid regimentation of religious life which had left a wound on their lives. They could not join secular institutes for various reasons. Some of these ex-religious were drawn towards solitude or individual and independent life-style  as a ‘reaction’ to their negative experiences with religious life.  They have definitely influenced the way consecrated virginity is being lived and understood in the  church today.

The charism, identity and mission of the Ordo Virginum as it originated on the Cross and during the first four centuries of  Christianity,was not revived with the revival of the Rite of consecration to a life of virginity as per canon 604  #1 and #2. Even after receiving this consecration, most of these ex-religious  continued to live the spirituality of the institutes they had left. Some followed the spirituality of  Solitaries / Hermits, Single Lay women or Secular Institutes under the veil of consecrated virginity.

The Post-Vatican II and the Millennial generations are not much influenced by religious life. They tend to see the charism of the Ordo Virginum from the perspective of Early Church. They are not drawn towards an individualistic interpretation of the vocation but see it as communitarian, where the community is the diocese / parish  and also the possibility of several consecrated virgins supporting each other concretely or  living together in association,  as it was with consecrated virgins in the Early Church, who lived together in households, without the regimentation of a religious community. [not the charisms but the lifestyle of movements like the Focolarini, the Teresian Association, etc. ]

An area of concern is the emphasis by some bishops' conferences and even associations of consecrated virgins, on the spousal dimension of the vocation, to the extent that dedication to the service of the Church is suppressed, to mean service only in the form of prayer. This could be because most of the consecrated virgins are of the pre-Vatican II generation and cannot commit themselves to active service in the Church.

Psychological theories mention that healthy development of sexuality  leads to intimacy and solidarity in the age group 18 to 35 yrs  while an unhealthy outcome is isolation. Also, in the age group 35 to 55 a healthy ego development focuses on generativity or care for others. Unhealthy development leads to self absorption and stagnation. There is no understanding of these factors in the living out of celibacy. To expect a celibate to lead a Single life in isolation without community and spend most of her energies focused on prayer, is the antithesis of Christian and  human vocation to relate and to love. 

YOUNG CONSECRATED VIRGINS NEED THE SOLIDARITY OF AN ASSOCIATION THAT IS CONCRETELY SUPPORTIVE AND FORMATIVE  AND ALSO NEED PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND SERVICES. OLDER CONSECRATED VIRGINS CAN CHOOSE TO BE MORE INDEPENDENT BUT WOULD STILL NEED TO EXPRESS THEIR MATERNAL INSTINCT THROUGH CONCRETELY EXPRESSED  CARE FOR OTHERS. 

It may be justified for contemplative religious who live in community to focus only on  prayer. But the same can be detrimental to the health of a consecrated virgin if she lives alone. A balance of prayer and work, spousal  spirituality and service of the Church is the ideal.

For young consecrated virgins it is psychologically important to have a strong point of reference or some sense of accountability to a person of authority, e.g., the diocesan bishop or a senior consecrated virgin who acts as a mentor or the co ordinator of an association of consecrated virgins [Similar to some sort of support which young couples need in the beginning of married life]. They should not be left to fend for themselves or left high and dry after the consecration ceremony.  A young consecrated virgin needs the tenderness, understanding, and support from seasoned  women in the same vocation if the Ordo Virginum is to survive and grow.

Perhaps there is need of some universal level formative institute that can offer in-depth preparatory and on-going formation and assistance to consecrated virgins and associations, also keeping in mind their cultures, inculturation etc.

Plan of God and Resolution of a virgin

When I started this blog, my intention was to  search  for the Truth about the Identity and Mission of the  Order of Consecrated Virgins in today's Church and world.

In this process, I developed a theology of the vocation of consecrated virginity, not focusing on the Rite of Consecration to a life of Virginity as a  ‘sacramental’(noun) but on its ‘sacramentality.’ This Rite is not among the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church.

I also developed an understanding of the prayer of consecration,  necessary elements for its validity, degrees of effective quality of the seal of consecration, or ‘sacramental’ character and design of the seal  impressed on the virgin. Read my post  here-it's important  for details.

A very important question regarding the DESIGN of the seal of consecration comes to my mind because it is central to the vocation. The most authoritative sources to understand it are 

• the vocation in the history of the Early Church,
• the Rite of Consecration to a life of Virginity present in the Roman Pontifical, and 
• canon 604 in the latest Code of Canon Law of the Catholic Church after Vatican II.

Early Church History does lay emphasis on the Sequela Christi or Following of Christ. This was a general obligation of every disciple of Christ through baptism. Consecrated life demands a special form of  following Him. In some other post, I shall write in depth about this Sequela Christi specifically  for the vocation of consecrated virgins.

The Rite of Consecration to a life of Virginity  mentions about the plan of God and the resolution to follow Christ, at significant moments:

• through the antiphons, e.g., ‘Now with all our hearts we follow you,’
• the suggested homily, ’ Let your light then shine before men and women, that your Father in heaven may be glorified, and his plan of making all things one in Christ come to perfection,’ and  ‘you will sing a new song as you follow the Lamb of God wherever he leads you.’
• the examination by the bishop, 'Are you so resolved to follow Christ in the spirit of the Gospel that your whole life may be a faithful witness to God’s love and a convincing sign of the kingdom of heaven?’
• the renewal of intention,’ Father, receive my resolution to follow Christ in a life of perfect chastity which, with God’s help, I here profess before you and God’s holy people.’
• the prayer of consecration,’ Lord, look with favor an your handmaids. They place in your hands their resolve to live in chastity.’

Canon 604 §1 and §2  mentions about the resolution to follow Christ:

Can. 604 § 1.  Hisce vitae consecratae formis accedit ordo virginum quae, sanctum
propositum emittentes Christum pressius sequendi, ab Episcopo dioecesano iuxte probatum
ritum liturgicum Deo consecrantur, Christo Dei Filio mystice desponsantur et Ecclesiae
servitio dedicantur.
§ 2.  Ad suum propositum fidelius servandum et ad servitium Ecclesiae, proprio statui
consonum, mutuo adiutorio perficiendum, virgines consociari possunt.

As mentioned in the Latin version above, the term used  for resolution is propositum which can be translated as PLAN, PROJECT, PURPOSE, DESIGN, THEME OF DISCOURSE, AIM, THESIS, etc. 

Canon 604 in English:

§1. Similar to these forms of consecrated life is the order of virgins, who, committed to the holy plan of following Christ more closely, are consecrated to God by the diocesan bishop according to the approved liturgical rite, are betrothed mystically to Christ, the Son of God, and are dedicated to the service of the Church.
§2. In order to observe their commitment more faithfully and to perform by mutual support service to the Church which is in harmony with their state these virgins can form themselves into associations.

The virgin renews her intention or  propositum  which she has been living for sometime  before it is publicly consecrated in the ceremony.

WHAT IS THIS PLAN OF  GOD IN THE FOLLOWING OF CHRIST, OR THE DESIGN OF THE PERMANENT SEAL OF CONSECRATION, WHICH THE VIRGIN IS COMMITTED TO LIVE FOR HER ENTIRE LIFE ? 

IT IS VIRGINITY FOR THE SAKE OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN, WHICH IS ONLY POSSIBLE WHEN EVERYTHING IN HEAVEN AND EARTH IS UNITED IN CHRIST. THE CONSECRATED VIRGIN IS CALLED TO BE AN IMAGE OF THIS REALITY THROUGH HER ESPOUSAL WITH CHRIST.

10 Even the heavenly forces and powers will now discover through the Church the wisdom of God in its manifold expression, as the plan is being fulfilled

11 which God designed from the beginning in Christ Jesus, our Lord.[ Eph 3:10-11]

See also  Eph 1: 9,13 ; 5: 31-32

The virgin is consecrated to God for the fulfilment of His plan to unite all things in Christ. Her mystical espousal to Christ and her service of the Church, should manifest this mystery of virginity for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.

More on the Plan of God in the Following of Christ in the vocation of a consecrated virgin  in another post.