Could I be a consecrated virgin?

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I’m definitely NOT a virgin as I have children but I have never been married and I’m single. As much as there is part of me who would love a caring husband to share my life with, I also feel that maybe God is trying to call me on a different path.

I have read that it’s not a necessary requirement to be a virgin for this vocation but as a Mother could this be a vocation option I could consider?
 
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Hello! I don’t think that mothers who have children under the legal age (18) can be a consecrated person, and yes, they can’t be considered a consecrated virgin if they lose their virginity. BUT why don’t you to be a part of the Secular Franciscans? I think that this will be a good place for every person who wants to be a part of a community, although you won’t be able to wear habits and be consecrated. I’m also planning to be a part of Secular Franciscan when I become 20… GOD bless you and your children!
 
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Thank you, thanks for the suggestion. I haven’t heard of them so I will do some research.
 
Consecrated Virgin is only for those who haven’t even engaged in foreplay. CVs are also the only ones who receive consecration. Aside from ordained priests, anyone else can only be Dedicated Laity.

There are other consecrations that are not canonical, e.g. Montfortian consecration to Our Lady.

Perhaps what you’re being called to do is to eventually make a private vow of chastity, and embark upon Second Virginity. We are all called to emulate the angels.

Seek out a spiritual director, and begin discerning what you’re being attracted to. Make notes, and/or keep a journal.

Above all, be a good Catholic Christian. Your example is very important to your children.

Blessings,
Cloisters
My new congregation:
http://cloisters.tripod.com/charity/
My particular Ministry promoting the cloisters and contemplative life:
http://cloisters.tripod.com/
 
Thank you for your message and your detailed reply. I am in the process of RCIA so my knowledge is lacking in this area.

I wasn’t aware of a private vow being an option, so thank you for pointing that out.
 
Religious life is also a possibility I would think… unless you have young children still at home. You can’t be a consecrated virgin, as part of the consecration is to literally consecrate the woman’s virginity… but a vocation as a religious sister / nun is possible. I know an older Sister who is a mother. Sadly, her adult children abandoned her after she converted to Catholicism.
 
You can’t be a consecrated virgin if you lost your virginity voluntarily. You may be able to become a religious sister or a lay consecrated but I would imagine your children need to be of age before you would be considered for these vocations.
 
I have dependent children so a religious life as a nun isn’t an option at present. I feel like although there is a yearning in part for a husband. I don’t feel that is necessarily my path. I enjoy seeing others in relationships and am not against it. I just feel a pull that I should be exploring another option.
 
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Thanks for your message. I think maybe a private vow may be an option I should consider looking at the responses.
 
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No problem. Perhaps. You could look into the options in your diocese. You could also look into Opus Dei, which is a lay vocation. I know they get a lot of bad press but my experiences with them have been wholly positive and they are excellent for lay formation, and that would leave you free for marriage if that option opens up to you in the future.
 
It is difficult to know whether you are in RCIA because you are in the process of joining the Catholic Church or whether you are in RCIA because you want to understand your Catholic Faith better. In the case of converts, due to the enthusiasm of new converts, the Church mandates a “cooling off period” for discernment to the priesthood or religious life. This is because most people are called to be holy as lay persons. A lot of people have the error that it is impossible to be holy as laity and the Church wants people to be comfortable as lay Catholics and see that they can be saints in that state prior to any serious discernment of another vocation that might bring more “help” for attaining greater holiness.
 
T432 said:
I have dependent children so a religious life as a nun isn’t an option at present. I feel like although there is a yearning in part for a husband. I don’t feel that is necessarily my path. I enjoy seeing others in relationships and am not against it. I just feel a pull that I should be exploring another option.
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I say this with all charity. Slow down. Continue RCIA and your discernment to become Catholic. Just be Catholic for awhile, learning more of the faith, becoming comfortable practicing the faith. Once you been Catholic a few years then you can discern what God is calling you to do.

If you have children at home, you can’t be very old, marriage may become a viable option again with a new Catholic lens. I’m also a convert and I certainly saw marriage differently, or better yet, what a good spouse would look like from a Catholic lens.

You don’t have to have it all figured out now, give it some time.
 
T432 said:
I have dependent children
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Can I ask why you would think “virgins” would include women with children? I am curious about this. Has it been presented to you as a “singles” vocation rather than a virginal one? Do you think “virgins” means something other than women who have not consented to having venereal pleasure? Does it come from something you read, or something someone said? This is a genuine question as I am seeking answers to it for my dissertation.
 
Im in regular contact with an order of nuns who told me an interesting fact. In the olden days it was quite common for widows to become nuns. Then in recent times there was a general policy of not admitting novices over 30 (or 33). But now they are rethinking because they have realised that older women with experience of the world have much to offer a community.

There is just one difficulty: it is extremely hard for a woman who has brought up a family to submit to the discipline of obedience.
 
Maximian said:
There is just one difficulty: it is extremely hard for a woman who has brought up a family to submit to the discipline of obedience.
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What do you base this on, my experience is the opposite.
A Widow can be a consecrated widow as another path too. It is an option that suits well in some cases.
 
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