A patron saint for those who are called to the single state

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BarbaraTherese

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St. Catherine of Genoa
She was born of a noble family near the historic North Italian port of Genoa in 1447 and married off at 16 to a husband who turned out to be mean, irascible, lecherous, unfaithful, and usually absent from home. Nevertheless her persistent fidelity to him, and devotion to her faith, eventually achieved a change of heart in him (a process recorded in the life of several female saints towards their husbands, but never, it seems, the other way round). In 1473 they moved to a humble abode and jointly devoted themselves to the sick; Catherine became matron of a hospital, putting her health at risk in a plague in 1493, and again in 1496, one year before her husband died. After his death,

she continued her spiritual quest but without becoming a Tertiary of one of the religious orders, as would have been customary at the time
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. A contemplative and visionary, she shared her experiences with others through her writings (on Purgatory, and on the soul and the body). She died in 1510 and was canonised in 1740.
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I am yet to read all the writings of St. Catherine myself.

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Saints
single laywomen
single men

Vocation is from the Latin “vocare” meaning “to call” and the single state embraced as a call and vocation from God to serve The Gospel in the single state - and embraced for that reason as one’s call from God. A single vocation does not mean (I don’t think) the single state which is purely accidental and not of clear choice to respond to a call from God. Some are single by force of current circumstances only and not considering the single state as their life vocation and call.

This thread on the single state as vocation makes some helpful reading (with links) and both sides of the ‘argument’ are presented. The thread is not lengthy:
forums.catholic-questions.org/showthread.php?t=216246
 
Thanks for psting this Barbara, I’ll take a look at all of it. This state may be where I belong. It’ll take some discernment.
Ken
 
Kenneth_Jones said:
Thanks for psting this Barbara, I’ll take a look at all of it. This state may be where I belong. It’ll take some discernment.
Ken
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God’s blessings and guidance on your discerning, Ken. Seeking spiritual direction may help too. I’ve been single now for over 30 years and have made private vows with a priest as my director/confessor. I am also living a specific way of life though not in any third order or other formal Church structure. … Blessings and regards…Barb:)
 
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