Canon 604 and Associations of Consecrated Virgins -- PART 3

#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 fulfill their pledge more faithfully, and to assist each other to serve the Church in a way that befits their state.

CANON 604 MENTIONS ‘WHEN THE DIOCESAN BISHOP CONSECRATES THEM ACCORDING TO THE APPROVED LITURGICAL RITE.’ 

THUS CONSECRATION ACCORDING TO  THE  APPROVED LITURGICAL RITE MAY GIVE THE FORCE OF LAW TO THE  CONTENT OF THE RITE IN THE ROMAN PONTIFICAL. I shall try to elaborate on this in the following post/s.

It  particularly mentions Diocesan bishop. This is significant to understand the specific diocesan vocation of  women consecrated according to the approved Rite as  mentioned only in Canon 604 in the entire Code of canon law 1983.

Before the Second Vatican Council, the Rite of Consecration to a life of virginity was restricted to  women who qualified for it and  lived in monasteries that had the tradition of using this rite along with their  ceremony of Profession of  monastic vows  or several years later.  With the passage of centuries, fewer monasteries opted for it, in order to avoid discrimination between virgins and non-virgins. Another reason is that the Vatican Congregation was strict regarding giving permission to  monastic orders  that were new, not stabilized economically,etc. This was to avoid  difficult  resolution to cases when  women had to leave the monastery  and it was considered  unsafe for permanently consecrated virgins to fend for themselves   in the world without  being allowed to enter  sacramental marriage after leaving monastic life.

However God’s ways are not our ways. He chooses whom He wills to choose, often the weak and powerless. The Holy Spirit inspired the Second Vatican Council  to allow this Rite /vocation for women living in the world. This does not mean anyone can be consecrated without  seeing the implications of this difficult form of  life with little concrete support in today’s  Church and world. Prudence and a practically balanced approach are required . Thus there is provision for Associations of Consecrated virgins to help dealing with the practicalities of implications of this difficult vocation  in context of today.

The Criteria for discernment are mentioned  in  the introduction to the rite in the Roman Pontifical  and may carry the force of  Law.

The monastic consecration to a life of virginity has a separate Rite in the Roman Pontifical and can be integrated with monastic profession of vows. An Abbot may preside over the consecration ceremony. Canon 604 does not refer to monastic consecrated virgins [since it has #2 referring to possibility of associations]. The Rite for monastics refers to a purely liturgical category of women whose primary vocation is monastic life  according to their  institutional charism.

But in case of women remaining in the world, it is not any bishop  from any diocese who can preside over the ceremony, but the diocesan bishop of the diocese where the woman seeking consecration resides[ideally in a stable /permanent manner]. I think canon 604 thus refers to a Socio-liturgical category of consecrated virgins with  a specific diocesan identity and charism as it was in  Early Christianity, when the Order of Virgins was a specific group of women, with  specific role in a specific church community. This is in spite of the fact that the Rite was reserved to the Pope and did encompass the Universal nature of the Church as Bride of Christ.

The Catholic notion of the Church looks to the communion which exists between the universal and the particular. There is a relationship of mutual interiority between the universal Church and the particular Churches ,and this identifies and makes concrete the Church’s catholicity. The presence of the whole in each of the parts gives each part an inner impulse towards universality, an impulse that in one sense is manifested in the missionary impulse of each of the Churches and in another sense, in the sincere recognition of the goodness of the parts, which includes acting in harmonious cooperation with them. The universal Church is a reality which precedes the particular Churches, which are born in and through the universal Church. This truth is faithfully reflected in Catholic teaching ,especially that of the Second Vatican Council. It leads to an understanding of the hierarchical dimension of ecclesial communion and allows the rich and legitimate diversity of the particular Churches constantly to develop within that unity in which particular gifts can become an authentic source of enrichment for the universality of the Church.[38, Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Ecclesia In Medio Oriente Of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI ]

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Cf. Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on Certain Aspects of the Church Understood as Communion Communionis Notio, (28 May 1992), 9: AAS 85 (1993), 843-844, especially the statement in the first paragraph: “‘The universal Church cannot be conceived as the sum of the particular Churches or as a federation of particular Churches.’ It is not the result of the communion of the Churches but, in its essential mystery, it is a reality ontologically and temporally prior to every individual particular Church.”

I think it is appropriate to apply  the above ecclesiology to  OCV. As I mentioned in the previous post   Here  the Order of Virgins that is an image of the  One Church Bride of Christ, would logically not be of Diocesan right in the strict sense. It cannot be seen at par with  Religious Institutes of  Diocesan right. Its Universal nature needs to be respected, thus ensuring  canonical protection  to consecrated virgins who are usually  few in any diocese and vulnerable  to injustice. The Universal Order of Virgins as one Unity would precede the particular consecrated virgin/s  in each Diocese/country around the world. This is while allowing legitimate diversity of each consecrated virgin/s in a diocese/ country, while enriching the universal Order of Virgins.

ASSOCIATIONS OF CONSECRATED VIRGINS AT DIOCESAN OR NATIONAL LEVEL  CAN THUS BE POSSIBLE, SIGNIFYING THE CONTEXTUAL  IDENTITIES AND REALITIES OF EACH DIOCESE/ COUNTRY, WHILE BEING IN REAL COMMUNION AT THE UNIVERSAL LEVEL AS ONE ORDER OF VIRGINS.

More in the next post---------

Canon 604 and Associations of Consecrated Virgins – PART 2

Nuances in the translations of Canon 604  from Latin to English

Canon 604  in Latin

§ 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.

 

Canon 604 in English

§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.

§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.

As I was meditating on Canon 604 , I tried to compare the Latin and English translations. Previously I had observed that the translation of the Latin ‘propositum’ into the English ‘pledge’, ‘ plan’ , 'resolution’ etc.   Read this   seems to dilute the theological richness of the Faith  contained in the word ‘propositum’. The English translations seem to express only one  of the facets of the Latin text.  The  dynamic  nature of ‘propositum’ in the history of consecrated life  in the Catholic Church is missed   and it  gets reduced to  a resolve [ like a new year resolution], effort, desire, etc., thus leading to an understanding that  it is something less than the Simple vows  of apostolic religious Sisters.  No wonder  people in the Church think consecrated virgins  have to only live the vow of chastity while not  having  to live under obedience and poverty.  It is not understood that the consecration of Virgins  is a different paradigm [diocesan] altogether and cannot be compared with religious life /vows. 

Similarly, I noticed  that the English translations mention Virgins in plural and never in singular. The Latin text  speaks of the Ordo Virginum  as one group/entity  in  Canon 604#1  and  of course virgins in plural in 604#2.  It is only in Vita Consecrata that  it is said, “Either alone or in association with others, they constitute a special eschatological image of the Heavenly Bride and of the life to come.” Hence I think it was the mind of the  Church  in  revising the Rite of Consecration to a life of virginity for women living in the world  and formulating Canon 604 to focus  on the Unity  of consecrated virgins as forming one Order of Virgins  that encompasses   all virgins  consecrated since 2000 yrs . 

There is no strain of Singleness, Individualism,Solitariness  anywhere in the Rite  or in Canon 604. The very nature of the Church  is Eucharistic communion  with Christ and each other.  This CANNOT be ignored  in the  understanding of  this Ecclesial vocation  in today’s world  where  Individualism  is harming the Church and the world.

Canon 604 uses the term ‘Diocesan Bishop’  whereas the Introduction to the Rite in the older but Post-Vat II version of the  Roman Pontifical, uses the term 'Local Ordinary’ because the Rite was revised  much before canon 604 on the Order of Virgins  was formulated in the 1983 Code of Canon law. Read older version here : 'Those who may be consecrated/ 5 / c  and yr 2011 version / III /5/c Here    The implications are that  some rights of consecrated virgins  like  having a Pastoral Dialogue directly with the Diocesan Bishop  cannot be delegated  to another Bishop  or Vicar for  consecrated life.  The Pastoral Dialogue  is a right mentioned   with the Rite in the Roman Pontifical, although not  explicitly mentioned in canon 604. 

The Latin Christo Dei Filio   is not mentioned in all English translations. It means  Christ, Son of God  as  I described in Part 1 of this  post    Here .  refer to Mt 16:16 - Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." and in the rite of consecration of virgins , the  woman is asked, “ Are you resolved to accept solemn consecration as a Bride of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God ?”  

I see the implications  of  virgins being espoused to  The Christ, Son of God,  an  Identity of Jesus proclaimed by  Peter  in Mt 16:16.  Theologically, the Bride of Christ  is the  Church of Christ which subsists in the One  Catholic Church.   To say that the Universal  Church is present in  the Diocesan Church  is more  theologically correct than to say that the Diocesan Church is present in the Universal Church.  The Ordo Virginum represents the Universal Church  in the Diocesan reality.  To say that  it is  strictly of Diocesan right  would be incorrect. All theological pointers lead to the fact that  it  is meant to encompass the Universal Identity of the Church, as mentioned by Pope Benedict XVI in  This

"From the sphere of the Diocese with its traditions, its Saints, its values, its limits and its problems, you broaden your horizons to the universal Church, sharing above all in her liturgical prayer, which is also entrusted to you so that “the praise of our heavenly Father be always on your lips; pray without ceasing”, (RCV, n. 28). In this way your prayerful “I” will gradually be enlarged, until there is no longer anything except a great “we” in the prayer. This is ecclesial prayer and the true liturgy."

Here again I see the mind of the Church to focus  on the Unity  of  consecrated virgins. While individual women can be consecrated, there is no emphasis on Individualism  or  Solitary mindset     in   Scripture, Tradition, the Rite or  Canon 604.  The current trends to  HIGHLIGHT  the   strict living of this vocation INDIVIDUALLY    as an ESSENTIAL  element of the Identity of this vocation  according to me would  be an aberration. However, I don’t mean  that  several consecrated virgins  present in the same diocese  should live together  like a religious community.  

 Vita Consecrata  42 mentions. “ Consecrated virgins in the world live out their consecration in a special relationship of communion with the particular and universal Church.” The Primary community of the consecrated virgin is the Diocese.  But  in reality and humanly speaking,  virgins do need the  concrete support of each other to live the vocation faithfully and fully. 

I think  the Order of Virgins needs canonical protection for it to survive  / live the vocation fully. For this to happen  it needs to  be seen  not  as a liturgical category  like the order of deacons, order of catechumens, etc., but as a Socio-liturgical category, acquiring a Public Juridical Personality in the Church.  How this can be compatible with the possibility of  Associations  at diocesan, national  levels, I shall try to discuss  in the next part of this topic.

Another Latin term in the code is mystice desponsantur  which has been translated as  mystical  betrothal   / espousal   in various English versions.   However  the term desponsantur is best translated as  Espousal  meaning  that it speaks of  a Marriage and not an Engagement like it is in the Rite of Profession of Religious women.  Read

Canon 604#2  in the Latin text has a term perficiendum  which  I think  has not been translated in the English versions although it is rich in theological meaning.  If  any reader  who knows Latin  well  can help  me  I shall be grateful.  As far as I understand  it  means ‘finish,’ ‘complete,’ ‘fulfill.’ What is it that virgins   can be associated to mutually assist each other to  fulfil  or complete ?   Some words ring in my ears, “ May God who has begun a good work in you bring it to completion."

The latest translation of the Roman Missal  for the Ritual Mass of Consecration of virgins mentions  in the Collect :

Grant, we pray, O Lord, to these your servants,

in whom you have instilled a resolve to live in virginity,

that the work you have begun in them

may be brought to fulfillment

and that they may be found worthy

to complete what they now begin,

so as to bring you a full and perfect offering.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit

one God, forever and ever.

More  reflections on Associations of Consecrated Virgins in following posts.

Canon 604 and Associations of Consecrated Virgins -- PART 1

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.

Reality Check: It is often said that the Catholic Church is NOT a voluntary association of several churches or individuals but a Eucharistic community founded by Jesus Christ, also called Bride of Christ, Body of Christ, People of God, Family of God,etc. How do we reconcile the Identity of Church as a Eucharistic community, with  the  provision in Canon law 604# 2 for virgins to be associated together if they desire? I shall try to theologize on  this through a series of posts.

Mystery of Church

POST-SYNODAL APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION VITA CONSECRATA OF THE HOLY FATHER JOHN PAUL II    n. 7. states “ It is a source of joy and hope to witness in our time a new flowering of the ancient Order of Virgins, known in Christian communities ever since apostolic times. Consecrated by the diocesan Bishop, these women acquire a particular link with the Church, which they are committed to serve while remaining in the world. Either alone or in association with others, they constitute a special eschatological image of the Heavenly Bride and of the life to come, when the Church will at last fully live her love for Christ the Bridegroom.”

Not only every consecrated virgin as a person, but  also several consecrated virgins together  in a diocese  / country / continent / all consecrated virgins in the universal Church,who are living in the present  and  those who have moved ahead during the last two millennia, together  share the title bride of Christ.

The specific grace and responsibility of receiving this title reserved to Mother Church of all times and places  and  shared by virgins consecrated according to the ancient rite – is meant to make it possible for consecrated virgins  to reflect the  Identity and Mission of the Church  that has journeyed through  more than 2000 years, continues to journey together, with the horizons of Jesus Christ Himself.  Consecrated virgins are called not only to receive the title of the Church but also  TO BE and TO DO everything that Mother Church is called  TO BE and TO DO  at every moment, urged by the Call given by Christ through the Holy Spirit  in response to the Signs of the times.  The Second Vatican Council is the latest example  and I think every CV should reflect on the document  Lumen Gentium    which speaks about the Mystery of the Church.

Mystery of Christ

In Matthew 16  we find Jesus ask , “Who do you day I am?”

13 After that Jesus came to Caesarea Philippi. He asked his disciples, "What do people say of the Son of Man? Who do they say I am?"

14 They said, "For some of them you are John the Baptist, for others Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the prophets."

15 Jesus asked them, "But you, who do you say I am?"

16 Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

17 Jesus replied, "It is well for you, Simon Barjona, for it is not flesh or blood that has revealed this to you but my Father in heaven.

18 And now I say to you: You are Peter (or Rock) and on this rock I will build my Church; and never will the powers of death overcome it.

In the Rite of consecration of virgins, the  woman is asked, “ Are you resolved to accept solemn consecration as a Bride of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God ?”

Consecrated virgins cannot remain stuck with  the beauty and consolation of the ancient Rite of consecration, the title bride of Christ, and live in a world 2000 yrs behind today. Since 2000 yrs, in every generation Jesus  has asked each person and  church community at the level of the diocese / country/ continent  / the universal level  --the perennial question, “Who do you say I am ?”  In the initial stages as believers each has tried to answer according to popular understanding and expectations [as prophet, miracle-worker, guru, a revolutionary come to threaten the polity, etc.], but He gradually revealed Himself as the Christ – Son of the Living God, the Messiah, the Son of Man, etc., transcending all their human understanding and yet in a very specific and personal relationship  with each believer /community. [there is a unique Christology for each believer /community ]. 

Jesus Christ is the same  yesterday, today, forever.  He is the same ontologically as the Word- but sameness does not indicate immovability. He functionally empties Himself out in love, searching for the seeker, moved by longing  to unite Himself with the believer /community.  The consecrated virgin is a sign  of the response [the Yes ] of her local  church community [diocese] to this call to be  United with Jesus Christ, the only Son of God. The Spousal  relationship with Him  is a Metaphor expressing  the  Real Union with God that takes place through her Consecration. By receiving the title and graces belonging to Mother Church and Virgin Mary, she  becomes a channel of graces to the entire Church, expressed not only through her prayers but also  her services to the Church and the world.

Just as the believer’s understanding  of Jesus grows from seeing Him as a  prophet, miracle-worker, healer, guru, etc., to the realization of His Identity as Son of God, in today’s world too, the believers who search for the Way, the Truth, the Life   experience the presence of the Church in the world through the various vocations in the Church [ e.g. Laity and Secular Institutes  as Salt, Light, Leaven transforming the cultural, economic, political conditions in the world  / Apostolic religious as Teacher, Health-worker, Social-worker etc.]  

In most parts of the world, the Church is seen as an Institution with huge buildings, schools, welfare- centres, etc. Gradually  this experience should lead to their understanding of the Church  as a community that identifies itself as People of God on a pilgrimage towards Union with God through our Lord Jesus Christ  His only Son.  

Consecrated virgins either alone or in association with others, constitute a special eschatological image of the Heavenly Bride and of the life to come, when the Church will at last fully live her love for Christ the Bridegroom and be united with the Holy Trinity.

More  in the next post………..

Virgin -Martyrs : Broken Wheat

Virginity in the Early Church implied Martyrdom [ Witnessing to  Jesus Christ ] .I found the following mp3 very touching and inspiring , as if for a moment at last I touched the Truth of the vocation of Consecrated virginity- called to BECOME the Eucharist.

Listen here :     http://media.blubrry.com/discerninghearts/p/discerninghearts.com/Aquilina/Roman-Martyrs.mp3

"And so, in A.D. 107, when Ignatius described his own impending execution, he imagined it in Eucharistic terms. He said he was like the wine at the offertory. He wrote to the Romans: “Grant me nothing more than that I be poured out to God, while an altar is still ready.” Later in the same letter he wrote: “Let me be food for the wild beasts, through whom I can reach God. I am God’s wheat, ground fine by the lion’s teeth to be made purest bread for Christ.” Ignatius is bread, and he is wine; his martyrdom is a sacrifice. It is, in a sense, a eucharist.

Read more: http://touchstonemag.com/archives/article.php?id=19-02-023-f#ixzz216ZOJCKE

Ordo Virginum- my research article

In yr 2011  I had published  a  personal research article in Vidyajyoti Journal of Theological Reflection- in English.

Ordo Virginum : Order of Consecrated Virgins- Re-discovering its Identity and Mission in Today's world  

It is a 12 MB pdf  document  .  Click Here    if you wish to download it in PDF format  to read or save the file directly to your computer.

In case of any problem with download or viewing the pdf doc. please do inform me by email. Thank you !

Pastoral re-vision of the ancient theology of irrevocable commitment to celibacy in OCV

Consecrated virginity / OCV has ancient origins closely linked to the Tradition of the Church whose founder is Jesus Christ Himself.  In the Early Church it was considered a True and not merely symbolic marriage of the virgin with Jesus the Christ. She was given the title ‘Sponsa Christi’ which was the title of the Church itself. 

The disciples [Church] had in mind  their Master’s  teaching ,” It was also said: anyone who divorces his wife must give her a written notice of divorce. But what I tell you is this: If a man divorces his wife except in the case of unlawful union, he causes her to commit adultery. And the man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery. [Mt.5 :31-32 ]”

Besides women falling in love with Jesus Christ and His teachings, there were also sad practices of parents vowing to dedicate their  daughters to the service of the Church  and to Christ through consecrated virginity. Naturally  some of them were rebellious  and remarried or fell into sin. These virgins were thought to commit adultery and denied the reception of Holy Communion. There was varying practice in the local churches regarding the forms of penance and reconciliation for such women. Some bishops allowed  them to repent and return to full communion and the OCV. They were more understanding to those who had been pressurized by their parents to embrace a life of virginity  and allowed  the reception of Communion at the end of their lives. As monastic life developed  and the vocation of consecrated virginity was still considered a true marriage with Jesus Christ and hence irrevocable,  the virgins considered unfaithful were made to lead a life of penance through stricter regulation  in enclosed monasteries. 

Tradition thus  maintained the strictly indispensable nature of consecrated virginity. With the passing of centuries  even if some monastics who had received the consecration to a life of virginity -opted to leave their monasteries for grave reasons, they were released of all obligations except  that of leading a celibate life of virginity. Monastic life gave way to  apostolic religious life in recent centuries. The marriage of religious with Christ became more Symbolic than true. The vows in recent times  changed from Solemn to Simple in most institutes and  can be dispensed  completely from serious reasons. Religious women are symbolically the bride of Christ only as a community. Marriage with Christ  is no more the essence of religious life, although celibacy/ chastity  has remained  a central element  of their vocation, seen more as a way of life that leaves freedom and availability for the commitments of apostolic services. In the more conservative institutes, religious women still consider themselves the brides of Christ. The characteristics of marriage as a union between one man and one woman and the uniqueness it implies for every married couple  however is not tangible in the uniform, heavily institutional mentality in conservative religious congregations that live in large groups.

Taking a glance  at ancient history  as mentioned in the scriptures : The Early Christians had the hope of Jesus’  second coming, hence St Paul gave emphasis to the vocation of celibacy /virginity for the sake of the Kingdom. There was an eschatological tension signified  through the lives of virgins  for whom the world was a passing phase whereas  true Life could only be found in relationship with Christ, in the pursuit of holiness through Communion with Christ and the Christian brethren.

The whole community of believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but rather they shared all things in common. With great power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, for all of them were living in an exceptional time of grace. There was no needy person among them, for those who owned land or houses, sold them and brought the proceeds of the sale. And they laid it at the feet of the apostles who distributed it according to each one's need. [Acts 4: 32-35]”

“Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she bent down to look inside; she saw two angels in white sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head, and the other at the feet. They said, "Woman, why are you weeping?" She answered, "Because they have taken my Lord and I don't know where they have put him." As she said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not recognize him. Jesus said to her, "Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you looking for?" She thought it was the gardener and answered him, "Lord, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him, "Rabboni" - which means, Master. Jesus said to her, "Do not cling to me; you see I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them: I am ascending to my Father, who is your Father, to my God, who is your God."   [ Jn  20:11-17 ]

The words in scripture,”Do not cling to me.”  have always seemed a mystery to me when I compared them with the words in  the  Catechism of the Catholic Church:

922. "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.' [Mt 19:12 ; cf. l Cor 7:34-36.]

923. "'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.' By this solemn rite (Consecratio virginum), the virgin is 'constituted . . . a sacred person, a transcendent sign of the Church's love for Christ, and an eschatological image of this heavenly Bride of Christ and of the life to come.'"

What is the mind of Jesus Christ regarding the Order of Virgins ?

The Early Christians thought  many of them would live to see the second /final coming of Jesus Christ. This did not happen as expected.  Virginity was embraced because it was considered somewhat superior to married life in a passing world. 

In Early Christianity, there was no specific Rite of Sacramental marriage. The local customs were followed. Marriage was not considered a sacred Christian vocation.  During recent centuries  the theology of Catholic Sacramental Marriage developed, borrowing the  symbolism of the  Church’s marriage with Christ. The Order of Virgins   which   has women  Truly  and also Symbolically  married to Jesus Christ, is not considered an additional Sacrament  in the Church. But  the Sacramentality of  consecrated virginity  cannot be denied.  The Prayer of consecration in the Rite of consecration of virgins  begins with saying that chaste bodies are the temple of God. Then it speaks about the Fall and Redemption of humankind  with particular reference to the account  in the Book of Genesis, about the vocation of marriage as well as the vocation to a life of virginity for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.   This prayer recalls the sin of the first couple and how they are redeemed. How  virgins  make  a sacrifice of marriage for the sake of the love of which it is the sign.

To people who live under the influence of  sin – the witness of the lives of these virgins should become a sign to be internalized and to be imprinted on their hearts and change their life-scripts from  sin to liberation and redemption through the grace of the Holy Spirit.

The sacraments are efficacious signs of grace. I personally think the consecration to a life of virginity has the potential  to be an efficacious sign of grace, especially  in today’s world  where sexuality and marriage are treated  as banal  rather than having a sacred  mission in the Plan of God. Read this  [Eph 3:10-11 ; 1: 9,13 ]

Scripture says: Because of this a man shall leave his father and mother to be united with his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a very great mystery, and I refer to Christ and the Church.[Ephesians 5 :31-32 ]

But  contrary to this potential  of the witness of virginity, in today’s Church  in most dioceses around the world – OCV being countercultural - is despised, hated  by clergy who  experience celibacy as a burden,  misunderstood  by most sections of the Church. The  Sign value of the vocation of consecrated virginity  seems negligible, especially due to the  tendency of  People to compare  OCV with  Religious life and see the former as worthless. 

 In fact  I myself  sometimes wonder whether  some consecrated virgins  who have a strongly individualistic and romantic inclination towards  the spirituality of OCV without  equal emphasis to  love of neighbour / service to others  as specific to this vocation -- may have seriously erred  in the discernment of their vocation and were actually called to the Sacrament of Matrimony . There is  an overlap of the  spirituality of Consecrated virginity and the Sacrament of Marriage.  Read this

Consecrated virginity, I believe is a vocation meant for young women. But  today’s culture  is not suitable  or supportive  of lifelong commitments. There is possibility of genetic  shifts  making it more and more difficult  for some  to stick through a wrong decision regarding ones fundamental vocation.  Young women  may be  rightly frightened  with the tradition  of irrevocable commitment to a  life of virginity / celibacy .  

What then is the Pastoral response to this situation ?

The consecration to a life of virginity  is considered to be permanent. There is no formal definition regarding the possibility of a dispensation from the obligations to service or an annulment of the consecration to a life of virginit. According to tradition the virgin is irrevocably espoused to Christ. If she married she was considered an adulteress.

 In the mystical journey of Union with God  as experienced during prayer  there comes a time when one moves from the finiteness of words, images, impressions, rites, etc., and becomes immersed in the silence of contemplation when it is not the individual but God  who possesses the person.^[1] This is possible in the life of all human persons irrespective of religion, state of life whether single or married .

It is unlikely that a person who has resolved to live in the state of virginity and is moving deeper in union with God  while not living a complacent life –should feel a vocation to marriage. However if this does happen  --as it is the paradigm of the present day society, it may not be impossible to think of a possible dispensation from the obligation to be celibate  for serious reasons.^[2]The  ‘prayer of consecration’ in the rite  speaks about  the vocations of  virginity or the married life as gifts  of God .If she  later feels a call to marriage –perhaps there would be a shift in focus. She would then be an image of the Church’s love for Christ  as it is in the theology of marriage, actualizing it with another person  who would signify Christ. Vocation is a freedom and not a burden imposed by the Lord. 

Another identity may thus emerge or be impressed on her without confusion. There would be a kind of re-alignment of the seal/Design of God for her with some aspects/phrases fading and others becoming more prominent –a change in the appearance and design of the seal of consecration. The call to be a visible image of the  Church  and its missionary dimension, maintaining an eschatological tension in the world -may not be clearly expressed in a vocation to marriage  as it would be lost in the sea of the vast number of lay faithful. However what is more fundamental is not ‘to be an image’ or ‘sign’ of  the church’s love for Christ –which even married couples  ought to signify ---but to really love God. Sometimes this may be missed in a complacent living as a consecrated virgin. On the other hand, it may be possible to love God if she feels a call to marriage  which has its own demands of chastity, provided she continues in her call to service  in faithfulness to the fundamental call of every Christian. 

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Points for reflection

·        In Early Christianity, there was no specific Rite of Sacramental marriage.  In today’s world the Image of the  love between the Church and Christ  -  should be manifest  in the  witness of the lives of  Consecrated virgins  as also  by   Women and Men  who are sacramentally married. I am often amazed  at the witness  of self-giving love  between a couple, especially in  Asian countries where relationships  still have a sense of permanency, are valued  and considered sacred. However, the influence of Post-Christian culture in some parts of the world is  rapidly influencing life in the cities in Asia. 

·      Consecrated virginity  that is  founded on mere  romanticism and feelings  is  empty. For the  efficacy of the witness of OCV it requires an active faith and desire  to  love God and love neighbour  in tangible ways. This I personally think is not happening around the world.

·       Today’s Church needs the witness of  sacramental marriage  for stable families and of course  with the long term effects of safeguarding the Catholic Faith itself. 

·       Tradition  has believed the consecration of virgins as a true marriage with Christ and hence  permanent and indispensable, just like  sacramental marriage.  If a valid marriage between a virgin and Jesus Christ can be dispensed, there is no theology or reason for  sacramentally married couples  to be denied  divorce   in the Church. 

·       For those women who have received the consecration to a life of virginity  while the tradition and theology of irrevocable commitment to celibacy in OCV   has continued,  perhaps  a dispensation  to allow  them to remarry  sacramentally  may become a grave compromise  on the mind of the Church  and the mind of Jesus Christ [ Mt 5: 31-32 ], creating a  ‘Conscientious’ objection, although Canon Law has a loophole since  it does not mention  consecrated virginity as an impediment for  the validity of Sacrament of Matrimony.

·      If the Church makes a formal definition  respecting the  permanence of  consecrated virginity as a marriage between Christ and the virgin for those women who never feel called to sacramentally remarry, while also  allowing a dispensation for  those who  feel called to sacramental marriage  later, it should not create a  conscientious objection.

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[1] “The heart of Christian meditation is a return to the primordial state of ‘being’ . It is a journey from ‘words’ into the Creative ‘Word’ of God; and this Word is enveloped by Silence . …..In the realm of silence, irreconcilable differences can co-exist without tension because silence is non-judgemental ……words once spoken also die away and sink back into the oblivion from which they came……Silence is a deep presence within a person……….points a person to life that is beyond the word and ultimately beyond  oneself.” – Christopher Mendonca . The Examiner .Vol.155 No.38 .

[2] This ancient and new vocation seems quite relevant for the present times when  increasing number of women feel called to dedicate their lives to the Lord in service but do not feel called to join a convent.  However the traditional  theology of its irrevocability  could prevent younger women from living this vocation  and benefiting from the empowerment through the rite of consecration . The Church needs to have clarity in this regard  seeing the seriousness of this commitment.

The theology of the consecration of virgins influences also the theology of marriage . The former is supposed to be a model for the latter . During past decades some have questioned the paradoxical  practice of allowing  religious [ who also signify the Bride of Christ ] seeking  dispensation from their vows –to be married , whereas couples who are sacramentally married  cannot be divorced but the marriage is declared ‘null and void’.