A Guy as a consecrated virgin?!?

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callmeChris

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PAX DOMINI SIT SEMPER VOBISCUM!

For the past couple of months, I have been considering what kind of vocation, the Lord is calling me to (Im 16 btw). I think I might either be a priest OR a consecrated virgin. This means i will live the rest of my life single. I just wanted to know, is there a type of Celebration for this? Does a priest say a couple of prayers, and gives you a blessing, or do You yourself say an act consecration?

WISH ME LUCK, AND PLEASE KEEP ME IN YOUR PRAYERS!
 
Please help me to understand “consecrated virgin”. Why would one not become a priest if willing to to do this? Is this even a “vocation”? I don’t understand. I am not saying this to be critical; I say this so you or others can help me to understand.
 
Consecrated Viriginity is officially only open to women since only women can fully express the icon of the Church as bride of Christ.However, becoming a diocesan hermit, taking private vows or joining a secular institute are all options for both genders. So is religious life.
 
SpaceNeedle said:
Please help me to understand “consecrated virgin”. Why would one not become a priest if willing to to do this? Is this even a “vocation”? I don’t understand. I am not saying this to be critical; I say this so you or others can help me to understand.
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oh foolish me!:o
A consecrated virgin is for woman. I meant to say 'ascetics". That is the proper term used for men who want to live a single, ordinary life while remaining chaste. And yes It is a vocation you just don’t hear about it often.
LINK–>>> en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consecrated_virgin

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ascetic
 
callmeChris said:
A consecrated virgin is for woman. I meant to say 'ascetics". That is the proper term used for men who want to live a single, ordinary life while remaining chaste.
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Yes, only women can become consecrated virgins, which I believe has something to do with the difference between the nature of men and the nature of women. This is a bit of a guess on my part, but I think the Church sees consecrated virgins as sort of the female counterpart of priests (but obviously with different roles.)

As MFTM mentioned, becoming a consecrated diocesan hermit would be open to you as a guy (and also open to women.)

However, aside from publicly professing the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience, I am not sure what becoming, and living as, a consecrated hermit involves.
 
Dale_M said:
As MFTM mentioned, becoming a consecrated diocesan hermit would be open to you as a guy (and also open to women.)

However, aside from publicly professing the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience, I am not sure what becoming, and living as, a consecrated hermit involves.
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If I might quote myself from another thread:

The canon law provisions are relatively non-specific:

*Canon 603

§1. In addition to institutes of consecrated life, the Church recognizes the eremitic or anchoritic life by which the Christian faithful devote their life to the praise of God and the salvation of the world through a stricter withdrawal from the world, the silence of solitude, and assiduous prayer and penance.

§2. A hermit is recognized by law as one dedicated to God in consecrated life if he or she publicly professes in the hands of the diocesan bishop the three evangelical counsels, confirmed by vow or other sacred bond, and observes a proper program of living under his direction.*

This being so, the local bishop has some discretion over what kind of processes are required to enter eremitical life, and you would be subject to his decisions in that respect.

There’s a useful FAQ on the subject at:

sfvocations.com/hermit.html

The page refers to Sister Laurel, a hermit in the diocese of Oakland, whose blog can be read at:

notesfromstillsong.blogspot.com/

The consecrated virgin and canon lawyer Therese Ivers also gives some very helpful information at:

doihaveavocation.com/blog/archives/108#more-108

Hope this helps.
 
“This is a bit of a guess on my part, but I think the Church sees consecrated virgins as sort of the female counterpart of priests (but obviously with different roles.)”

No, the church does NOT see consecrated virgins like this! It is exactly this type for thinking that makes bishops very wary of accepting and promoting the vocation of consecrated virignity. For acurrate information about this vocation see the USACV website:consecratedvirgins.org
 
You are 16 years old and at this time of your life you are called to be a single celibate. Keep yourself chaste and give yourself time to discern your path in life.
 
You have already heard the answer about being a Consecrated virgin.

It would be possible for you to make a private vow of chastity/celibacy. This is not something that should be taken lightly, but with the good spiritual direction of a priest and considerable time for discerning/formation. Only when the priest thinks you’re ready, and had given his permission, should you make any vows like this, I would think.
 
MFTM said:
“This is a bit of a guess on my part, but I think the Church sees consecrated virgins as sort of the female counterpart of priests (but obviously with different roles.)”

No, the church does NOT see consecrated virgins like this! It is exactly this type for thinking that makes bishops very wary of accepting and promoting the vocation of consecrated virignity. For acurrate information about this vocation see the USACV website:consecratedvirgins.org
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I don’t think the Church considers consecrated virginity as a female counterpart to the priesthood. It isn’t meant to “make it even”. Consecrated virginity and the priesthood are two very different things. I think it is just a matter of the differences between men and women and what God has made them to be.
 
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