Is being single an official vocation?

[bardegaulois]

While all humans are called to holiness, that doesn’t have anything to do with singleness being a vocation. I agree with someone who described it as a “default.” Marriage, religiousb life and consecrated virginity are the only valid states in which a permanent vocation is chosen. Doesn’t mean singles are without value, but singleness is not a vocation.

I’m going to have to add my voice in agreement here (though I would add the secular clerical state to your list). The baptismal call to holiness and the vocation to the single state are very different things, yet much of the rhetoric here seems to be saying that a denial of the “single vocation” amounts to a denial of the baptismal vocation. As that is rather heretical, we can be sure that no one here is saying any such thing.

In fact, I’d even say such a point of view diminishes the importance of the sacrament of baptism by correlating it closely with only one historically rare state of life. In reality, everyone is baptized, as it is necessary for salvation, regardless of what state of life they enter thereafter. As for the call to holiness, we can look at the duties and obligations of any other state of life as more specific elaborations on that call; the call to holiness in the state of lay celibacy has no more specific means attached to it, though specific means might attach to other incidentals in the person’s life: work, family, and so forth. This is why it is generally difficult to consider it a vocation to me.

 

[Sarcelle]

I’m going to have to add my voice in agreement here (though I would add the secular clerical state to your list). The baptismal call to holiness and the vocation to the single state are very different things, yet much of the rhetoric here seems to be saying that a denial of the “single vocation” amounts to a denial of the baptismal vocation. As that is rather heretical, we can be sure that no one here is saying any such thing.

In fact, I’d even say such a point of view diminishes the importance of the sacrament of baptism by correlating it closely with only one historically rare state of life. In reality, everyone is baptized, as it is necessary for salvation, regardless of what state of life they enter thereafter. As for the call to holiness, we can look at the duties and obligations of any other state of life as more specific elaborations on that call; the call to holiness in the state of lay celibacy has no more specific means attached to it, though specific means might attach to other incidentals in the person’s life: work, family, and so forth. This is why it is generally difficult to consider it a vocation to me.

So if a single person who is not a priest or nun does not have a vocation. Is this not having a vocation bad? Is it sin not to have a vocation?

 

[bardegaulois]

So are singles who are not consecrated religuous committing mortal sin if the are not able to get married?

This is one of my chief fears. I try to look live a faithful life, following the teachings of the church, availing of the sacraments, but I will go to hell because
I was not able to get married or become a nun.

I don’t see anywhere that GraceUnderFire was saying or even inferring that. Moreover, it’s not sinful at all to turn down a vocational offer. I’ve found through experience that, while not to marry or enter religion is not a vocation, the empty space that such creates leads to many more unconventional and offbeat offers from God that actually do serve as more specific means of sanctification and ordering principles in one’s life. So yes, everyone has a vocation, even though it might not be what we’d traditionally consider an ecclesiastical vocation.

 

[Sarcelle]

I don’t see anywhere that GraceUnderFire was saying or even inferring that. Moreover, it’s not sinful at all to turn down a vocational offer. I’ve found through experience that, while not to marry or enter religion is not a vocation, the empty space that such creates leads to many more unconventional and offbeat offers from God that actually do serve as more specific means of sanctification and ordering principles in one’s life. So yes, everyone has a vocation, even though it might not be what we’d traditionally consider an ecclesiastical vocation.

I have not had any unconventional offers from God. But as the say, be careful of what you pray for. Personally, I find it easier to take it one day at a time.

 

[bardegaulois]

I have not had any unconventional offers from God. But as the say, be careful of what you pray for. Personally, I find it easier to take it one day at a time.

That’s the most important vocation of all–not some great plan for the organization of your future life, but the vocation of the present moment: what is God calling me to do at this time, and in this situation? Focus on that, and everything else will fall into place.

 

[BarbTh]

APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION
FAMILIARIS CONSORTIO
OF POPE
JOHN PAUL II
TO THE EPISCOPATE
TO THE CLERGY AND TO THE FAITHFUL
OF THE WHOLE CATHOLIC CHURCH
ON THE ROLE
OF THE CHRISTIAN FAMILY
IN THE MODERN WORLD
vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_19811122_familiaris-consortio_en.html

Christian revelation recognizes two specific ways of realizing the vocation of the human person in its entirety, to love: marriage and virginity or celibacy. Either one is, in its own proper form, an actuation of the most profound truth of man, of his being “created in the image of God.”

The celibate state of life in the laity is also that which is also termed the “single life”.

I have put into this thread numerous quotations out of Rome by way of Documents which underscores that the single life or the lay celibate state can be a vocation and call for some to the secular state of life.
We are all entitled to our opinions and concepts, but they are only personal opinions and concepts where they are not supported by what The Church has to state. We can either cling to our own personal opinions and concepts or to what The Church states and teaches i.e. that which She proclaims by way of Her Teaching Authority.

 

[Sarcelle]

That’s the most important vocation of all–not some great plan for the organization of your future life, but the vocation of the present moment: what is God calling me to do at this time, and in this situation? Focus on that, and everything else will fall into place.

Thank you.

This has put my mind at ease.

Come to think of it, I find living in the present prepares one for the eternity, where there is no past or future, only the present.

 

[BarbTh]

That’s the most important vocation of all–not some great plan for the organization of your future life, but the vocation of the present moment: what is God calling me to do at this time, and in this situation? Focus on that, and everything else will fall into place.

This is well stated to my mind. God does not ‘suddenly speak’ and call one only once in one’s life to some particular state in life and then is silent. God calls to us personally and quite uniquely and in every single moment of our journey and if this “vocation of the present moment” is our focus, then indeed all will fall into place. (“Vocation” comes from the Latin “vocare” meaning “to call”).

latindictionary.wikidot.com/verb:vocare
**Vocare **

Translation : To call, summon

Main forms: Voco, Vocare, Vocavi, Vocatus

 

[bardegaulois]

The celibate state of life in the laity is also that which is also termed the “single life”.

I have put into this thread numerous quotations out of Rome by way of Documents which underscores that the single life or the lay celibate state can be a vocation and call for some to the secular state of life.
We are all entitled to our opinions and concepts, but they are only personal opinions and concepts where they are not supported by what The Church has to state. We can either cling to our own personal opinions and concepts or to what The Church states and teaches i.e. that which She proclaims by way of Her Teaching Authority.

Barb, I’m not dissenting with the Church, nor do I think anyone else here who is disputing with you is dissenting with the Church. What I think we are arguing with is your reading of documents from the Holy See and your reliance on but a few texts taken out of context in an attempt to devise a theology. If you ever wanted to look around at how evangelical Protestants devise theology, it’s much the same thing: scriptural proof-texts shorn of their contexts, and often with interpretations that don’t logically follow or are laden with fallacies.

I think it would be nice if perhaps you could put your ideas clearly, in logical sequence, and in your own words, without the footnotes, because I think you might be onto something, which could prove very fruitful and provoking for the many who will read this. Were you to do that, we might be able to make some progress on this, one of the thorniest issues that comes to vex many young Catholics nowadays.

 

[BarbTh]

Barb, I’m not dissenting with the Church, nor do I think anyone else here who is disputing with you is dissenting with the Church. What I think we are arguing with is your reading of documents from the Holy See and your reliance on but a few texts taken out of context in an attempt to devise a theology. If you ever wanted to look around at how evangelical Protestants devise theology, it’s much the same thing: scriptural proof-texts shorn of their contexts, and often with interpretations that don’t logically follow or are laden with fallacies.

I think it would be nice if perhaps you could put your ideas clearly, in logical sequence, and in your own words, without the footnotes, because I think you might be onto something, which could prove very fruitful and provoking for the many who will read this. Were you to do that, we might be able to make some progress on this, one of the thorniest issues that comes to vex many young Catholics nowadays.

You seem to be saying that what I have quoted previously is taken out of context and not the mind of The Church at all if one puts things into context. That is what you seem to be saying and if so, I totally disagree since you are generalizing and not quoting particular instances where I have taken something out of context, distorting the meaning, because I have not done so.

By putting things into my own words and my own concepts, they must remain my own personal concepts - until and if I can support what I am saying through quoting what The Church has to state. I am not interested, personally, in putting things into my own words, rather to quote what The Church has to state and allow others to investigate those quotations and related Documents and come to their own conclusions based not on my thoughts, but on The Mind of The Church. It is not my purpose to put forward my own personal concepts, rather my purpose is to invite those contributing and/or reading this thread to investigate themselves, giving them some reliable, authoritative and sound resources to do so.

Your purpose may differ as may your thoughts as to how this thread should unfold. Viva la difference!

We have a vocational theology and spirituality for the lay celibate and also for the married and very clearly laid out for us in various Church Documents. There is no need at all to make “an attempt to devise a theology” as you have stated - we have one already! It should not be at all a “one of the thorniest issues that come to vex many Catholics nowadays”. All one has to do is to go to most any Diocesan website, if there is no time to read Church documents, where they will discern that the single state or lay celibate state is indeed a potential vocation.

POST-SYNODAL
APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION
CHRISTIFIDELES LAICI
OF
HIS HOLINESS
JOHN PAUL II
ON THE VOCATION AND THE MISSION
OF THE LAY FAITHFUL
IN THE CHURCH AND IN THE WORLD
vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_30121988_christifideles-laici_en.html

The Council, in particular, with its rich doctrinal, spiritual and pastoral patrimony, has written as never before on the nature, dignity, spirituality, mission and responsibility of the lay faithful…

…Precisely with this in mind the Synod Fathers said: “The secular character of the lay faithful is not therefore to be defined only in a sociological sense, but most especially in a theological sense. The term secular must be understood in light of the act of God the creator and redeemer, who has handed over the world to women and men, so that they may participate in the work of creation, free creation from the influence of sin and sanctify themselves in marriage or the celibate life, in a family, in a profession and in the various activities of societyy”(39).

 

[bardegaulois]

You seem to be saying that what I have quoted previously is taken out of context and not the mind of The Church at all if one puts things into context. That is what you seem to be saying and if so, I totally disagree since you are generalizing and not quoting particular instances where I have taken something out of context, distorting the meaning, because I have not done so.

By putting things into my own words and my own concepts, they must remain my own personal concepts - until and if I can support what I am saying through quoting what The Church has to state. I am not interested, personally, in putting things into my own words, rather to quote what The Church has to state and allow others to investigate those quotations and related Documents and come to their own conclusions based not on my thoughts, but on The Mind of The Church. It is not my purpose to put forward my own personal concepts, rather my purpose is to invite those contributing and/or reading this thread to investigate themselves, giving them some reliable, authoritative and sound resources to do so.

Your purpose may differ as may your thoughts as to how this thread should unfold. Viva la difference!

We have a vocational theology and spirituality for the lay celibate and also for the married and very clearly laid out for us in various Church Documents. There is no need at all to make “an attempt to devise a theology” as you have stated - we have one already! It should not be at all a “one of the thorniest issues that come to vex many Catholics nowadays”. All one has to do is to go to most any Diocesan website, if there is no time to read Church documents, where they will discern that the single state or lay celibate state is indeed a potential vocation.

A little bit about my background may clarify. I work as a writing instructor at a college, where my primary duty is showing eager young students how to construct an essay so as to get their point across. I seldom take my teacher hat off. Talk about callings…

So, as you know, every argument consists of an initial claim, stated explicitly as a thesis statement, and evidence organized in a logical and consistent fashion so as to support it. That evidence can and should include citations from other sources, unless we are dealing with common knowledge. Nevertheless, merely presenting the evidence is not enough; the writer must analyze it and show how it relates to the essay’s claim. Homilists do not merely read catechisms from the pulpit, nor do judges in their decisions merely affix the stenographer’s tape, nor do literary critics merely relate the novel they are writing about.

Why do I focus on this so? Perhaps my favourite of recent papal encyclicals is Fides et Ratio. I’d heartily recommend it to anybody. What is so notable about this encyclical is not that it gets so much into what the Church thinks, but rather how the Church thinks. This is of great importance to me, as I think it ought to be for anyone who would teach the Catholic faith. It’s one thing to give a student an article of faith to be considered axiomatic, but a completely different one to explain the rationale behind it, how it is developed, and so forth. This is how we train our students to think with the Church. That way, we actually develop scholars with a deep and internal understanding of the faith, rather than those who can simply give glib answers that remain external to them.

When teaching in the disciplines, moreover, I always stress to students that they must use their own words, for being able to formulate definitions, cause-and-effect relationships, and so forth, with their own thought process, examples, analogies, explanations, and so forth, shows much greater mastery of the content than merely repeating back to me what is found in the reading or lecture. Excess of repetition, or over-reliance on the words of authority, shows me that the student doesn’t understand the concept well, and often skirts that gravest of academic crimes, plagiarism.

All of that said, Barb, my trouble with your argument lies in the fact that you’re not showing how your evidence relates to your assertion. Moreover, when challenged on that, you accuse your challenger of thinking outside the Church. I think that those who would challenge you, like myself and this writer (roadkillrhapsody.com/2014/06/25/the-single-life-is-not-a-vocation/) and this writer (acountrypriest.com/vocation-to-the-single-life/) and Msgr Pope, who is always a joy to read (blog.adw.org/2013/12/a-brief-explanation-of-the-nuptial-meaning-of-the-body/; see the comments) are putting forward rather reasonable and measured arguments, seeking to use the light of human reason to elucidate doctrine–as St. John Paul promoted in Fides et Ratio. Instead of simply dismissing these ideas, you’ll put forward a better argument if you respectfully answer them. If this were a cut-and-dry debate, we’d all be of one accord.

 

[BarbTh]

A bit of history and background, as I read it only.

Prior to Vatican II priesthood and religious life alone were regarded as vocations per se - this did disregard other vocations in the consecrated state, besides religious life i.e. Consecrated Virginity (oldest form of consecrated life in The Church) and the Eremitical Vocation - a probably rare but definite potential vocation in consecrated life. Nowadays too, we have Secular Institutes incorporated into consecrated life and this came about in 1947 - while it took quite a few more years for it to seep into our Catholic cultural consciousness and to embrace generally Secular Institutes as a recognised form of consecrated life in The Church.

Post V2 the various vocations in consecrated life became recognised in Catholic cultural consciousness. Marriage as a vocation probably came to force in our consciousness also post V2 along with lay celibacy. While marriage is now regarded in Catholic cultural consciousness as a vocation per se, the lay celibate vocation still struggles to do so - but only in some pockets of Catholic understanding or cultural consciousness.

           It needs to be understood that Catholic cultural consciousness does not of necessity reflect the Mind of The Church and our theological understandings - born out by the fact that with Vatican II, it was clearly laid out that lay celibacy can very definitely be a call and vocation from God i.e. to remain in the lay state in secular life and for "the sake of The Kingdom".  Such a vocation is not that so called 'default position' of baptism and lay celibacy wherein one is or is anticipating a call to a different state in life and is discerning same - and wherein one still has a call to holiness and to lay celibacy - and of necessity this discerning is probably the paramount focus i.e. discerning God's Will for one's life.

Ideally speaking, the person called to lay celibacy in the secular state as their call and vocation in life has been through a discernment period with spiritual direction - which ideally will continue thereafter.

Certainly Pope Pius XII pre Vatican II does mention lay celibacy as a potential vocation for those in the lay state who might have dedicated themselves to the evangelical counsels. From the very beginning of Christianity, the lay celibate vocation has been a potential call and vocation. It is only in later years, more or less, that there is much discussion about it.

THE STATES OF PERFECTION
Pope Pius XII

Address of His Holiness to the Second General Congress of the States of Perfection on December 12, 1957.

Every Christian is called upon to strive to attain this ideal of perfection with all his strength, but it is fulfilled in a more complete and certain way in the three states of perfection according to the manner described in Canon Law and in the aforementioned Apostolic Constitutions. In particular the Constitution of February 2, 1947, on “Secular Institutes” gives access to states of perfection to the greatest possible number of souls who eagerly aspire today to a more perfect life. Although this Constitution states that associations which do not meet the prescribed requirements do not constitute “states of perfection,” it does not claim in any way that there do not exist real tendencies to perfection outside the latter.

We are thinking at this moment of all those men and women from all walks of life who, assuming the most varied professions and functions in the modern world, out of love for God and in order to serve Him in their fellowmen, dedicate their person and all their activities to Him. They pledge themselves to the practice of the evangelical counsels by private and secret vows known only to God and let themselves be guided in matters of obedience and poverty by persons whom the Church has judged fit for this purpose and to whom she has entrusted the task of directing others in the exercise of perfection.

At least potentially, The Church can recognise other forms of religious living as charismas from The Holy Spirit and incorporate them specifically into the consecrated life and Canon Law. This is born out in the CCC “#919 Bishops will always strive to discern new gifts of consecrated life granted to the Church by the Holy Spirit; the approval of new forms of consecrated life is reserved to the Apostolic See.459”

There was quite serious theological discussion on the agenda of The Church and prior to our new Code of Canon Law (now in effect) of incorporating the lay celibate vocation into consecrated life. This did not happen although whether it is still on an agenda of The Church or not is unknown. I can quote an article with link if anyone would like same. Whether lay celibacy is incorporated into consecrated life, or whether it is not, it remains a potential call and vocation from God and “for the sake of The Kingdom”.

.

.

 

[BarbTh]

Any problem might lay in defining what exactly is a vocation. For me it is to personally experience a call from God to a certain way of life, discerned with spiritual direction. I entered monastic life in my early forties and left of my own accord knowing beyond doubt that I was not called to monastic life and those advising me (outside of that monastic life) felt that I did not have that vocation. But at least I gave it a good shot since I was unsure at that stage! After leaving, I resumed my private vows and way of life and have never looked back for one second since. I still however hold religious life in very high esteem. But it was never my call and vocation. My way of life probably incorporates some features of all the female vocations without being precisely any one of them and with some distinct differences.

Since I am called to lay celibacy in the secular state of life - affirmed by my Archbishop with permission for a Home Mass to renew my private vows including to a quite specific Gospel way of living…after 30 years ‘on the road’ of lay celibacy living that Gospel way of life and with much discussion with our previous Archbishop, now retired, who gave me his blessing on diocesan letterhead.
The way of life began with my the SD/confessor who was a priest religious and theologian lecturing in our seminary. He is now deceased. My way of life has continued under another priest religious as my SD and confessor today. He celebrated my Home Mass. For over 35 years now a Carmelite nun and prioress has been a very close pal and mentor, sometime adviser - and a great source of affirmation and encouragement. She attended my Home Mass along with my family and close friends.

From my own diocese:

adelaide.catholic.org.au/our-faith/vocations/what-is-a-vocation-
"What is a Vocation?

One of the best kept secrets

'The dawning of this new century presents us with the challenge of continuing to foster a new (actually very old) understanding of vocation, one that was prevalent in the early Christian community but faded over the centuries. Many of our Catholic adults today remain blissfully unaware, firstly, that they actually have a vocation, and secondly, that they can play a vital role in assisting young people to choose the vocational lifestyle that will help them develop to their fullest potential.

Our English word “vocation” comes from the Latin “vocatio” which means “calling”. For the greater part of the 20th century, there was a widely held perception that only priests, religious brothers and sisters had a “vocation”, and that their lives were more favoured in God’s eyes than those who did not have a calling. This narrow understanding of “vocation” was reviewed and addressed during the Second Vatican Council, which reinstated the vocational theology of the early Christian community.

Until the early 1990s this was one of the Vatican Council’s “best kept secrets”. The secret is now out, and the good news continues to spread. Today growing numbers of people recognise and celebrate that everyone has a vocation.

“Vocation” must be understood in the context of baptism. Our Christian calling is the consequence and the challenge of our baptism. Through baptism, all of us are called by God to become disciples of Jesus, discovering, developing and sharing our gifts and resources with others, as we work together to make a difference in our local and global communities.

God’s call is always an invitation to “Choose Life” (Deut.30.13). God calls most people to “choose life” within the vocation of marriage. Others are called to “choose life” through the single vocation, while others are called to “choose life” as sisters, brothers and priests.’

From Sr Mary Ryan RSJ, Executive Officer, Catholic Vocations Ministry Australia.

As well as the vocation to priesthood, religious life, marriage and single life, there is also vocation to the diaconate and to lay ecclesial ministry within the Church.

 

[BarbTh]

Because things may be where they are now wherever they are, it is not of necessity an indication for the future and where The Holy Spirit will lead The Church.

Back in our history all women entering religious life had to be very strictly enclosed. There was then no such thing as religious sisters who moved about and worked in the general community in some way. That was to come about much later in our history as the years and insight and discerning by The Church moved on in time and evolved.

 

[GraceUnderFire]

So are singles who are not consecrated religuous committing mortal sin if the are not able to get married?

This is one of my chief fears. I try to look live a faithful life, following the teachings of the church, availing of the sacraments, but I will go to hell because
I was not able to get married or become a nun.

No, I would say not–especially if your desire is marriage or religious life but through no fault of your own, it doesn’t happen. There are lots of people who could have a call to marriage but because there is literally no one around who shares their faith or they never connect to the right person, again through no fault of their own, they may never marry. I don’t think God will punish these people because they couldn’t live out their vocational call. Also, I believe your vocation is the best pathway to get you to heaven–doesn’t mean if you choose wrong you won’t get there. It will just be a different (and perhaps harder) pathway,

 

[BarbTh]

**Originally Posted by Sarcelle **:
So are singles who are not consecrated religuous committing mortal sin if the are not able to get married?

This is one of my chief fears. I try to look live a faithful life, following the teachings of the church, availing of the sacraments, but I will go to hell because
I was not able to get married or become a nun.

Dogmatic Constitution of The Church vatican.va/archive/hist_councils/ii_vatican_council/documents/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html

But the laity, by their very vocation, seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and by ordering them according to the plan of God. They live in the world, that is, in each and in all of the secular professions and occupations…
…Finally all Christ’s faithful, whatever be the conditions, duties and circumstances of their lives—and indeed through all these, will daily increase in holiness, if they receive all things with faith from the hand of their heavenly Father and if they cooperate with the divine will. In this temporal service, they will manifest to all men the love with which God loved the world.

Have no fear whatsoever, Sarcelle … and this I will hope and pray !

Your baptism witnesses that you have been chosen by God to follow Jesus and His Gospel - whether a person is called into another state of life, besides the lay state, is up to God. If God has not, in His Divine Providence, granted the circumstances necessary (e.g. attraction & desire, health and qualities or other factors) to embrace another state in life, then this is nothing of your fault. Quite and totally to the absolute contrary, and quite positively, it is the Divine Design of God - as mysterious to us as God’s Ways very often can be. Isaiah Ch 55 “[8] For my thoughts are not your thoughts: nor your ways my ways, saith the Lord. [9] For as the heavens are exalted above the earth, so are my ways exalted above your ways, and my thoughts above your thoughts.”

Nowhere does The Church in Her Teaching Authority state that laity must either marry or enter the priesthood or some form of consecrated life (e.g. religious life etc.). Our baptism is a vocation and call from God as The Church in Her Teaching Authority does state and She has written an entire Document on “The Vocation and Mission of The Laity” vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_30121988_christifideles-laici_en.html

Daily prayer for all your intentions…God bless…Barb

.

 

[BarbTh]

Baptism & Confirmation is a public consecration with Holy Oils and life vows are made. We formally renew these perpetual vows each Easter. In baptism, we are a consecrated people. Any further consecration is a consecration to live out our baptism in a particular manner and role in The Church and a person is consecrated to do so.

Those not called to a further consecration remain in the laity and The Church has given us laity a Document “Vocation and Mission of The Laity in The Church and The World” and this spells out for us our own particular manner of living and role in The Church.

Not all our saints have been religious or priests, or in any form of consecrated life.

*Christifideles Laici (*Pope John Paul II) vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_30121988_christifideles-laici_en.html

campus.udayton.edu/mary/questions/faq/faq23.html

1. God consecrates

In a strict and primary sense, there is room only for one type of consecration, the one made by God himself. Only God can appropriate a human being and make him/her sacred. God communicates his holiness to us; he gives us participation in his holiness. He is our creator and wants us to be in his image. This transformation into his likeness is the foremost meaning of consecration.

1. Consecration is a response

Our consecration is therefore essentially a response to his call. In acquiescing, we bind ourselves to a consecration that comes from God. We consecrate ourselves to belong to the Lord in a new way. In fact this new way is the only way by which we truly become who we are. The foremost example of God-human consecration is Jesus Christ himself. He is the “Anointed,” meaning he totally belongs to God. When, by a free act of his person (intelligence, will, affection), he accepts the mission for the salvation of the world (Jn 17, 19; 30) he consecrates himself. This is what we call his subjective consecration in response to the objective consecration of his being which occurred in his humanity at the moment of the Incarnation.

1. Consecration in Christ through baptism

Christ imparts to his disciples and followers a very special belonging to God. He gives us his own life by making us participants in his own consecration. This happens in baptism. Baptism is our first and most important consecration. Baptism is our objective consecration. With Christ and through him we are destined and commissioned to the glory of God and the salvation of the world. There is a radical meaning to this mission: through baptism we do not belong to ourselves anymore but to Christ who imparts his life to us.

1. A consequence of baptism

What we commonly regard as consecration–our subjective consecration through promises, renewal of baptismal promises, confirmation, and vows–is consecration by voluntary adherence to what baptism has made of us. We promise to live as sons and daughters of God, and thus fulfill subjectively our objective consecration. All consecrations which follow baptism are rooted in this primary act of our Christian vocation.

 

[broct]

One option available to single women who truly wish to consecrated their singleness is the vocation of consecrated virginity. Consecrated Virgins are rarely spoken of in the Church - they are not to be confused with religious sisters or nuns (though women religious can also receive the consecration to virginity in addition to their religious consecration in some cases).

Simply choosing to be single on one’s own is a valid choice and could be one’s calling in life in the loose sense of the word, but it can’t really be compared to the vocation of consecrated life which is confirmed and blessed by the Church.

I agree single life is a vocation, too bad when priests and female or male religious a lot of times try and get single people involved in religious ministry especially when they are established in their single life. Many times I have heard this story.

 

[BarbTh]

**Originally Posted by twf **
One option available to single women who truly wish to consecrated their singleness is the vocation of consecrated virginity. Consecrated Virgins are rarely spoken of in the Church - they are not to be confused with religious sisters or nuns (though women religious can also receive the consecration to virginity in addition to their religious consecration in some cases).

Simply choosing to be single on one’s own is a valid choice and could be one’s calling in life in the loose sense of the word, but it can’t really be compared to the vocation of consecrated life which is confirmed and blessed by the Church.

I can’t see why the single celibate lay vocation cannot be compared to the consecrated states in The Church when one speaks subjectively. Speaking subjectively, it is not a matter of what a person chooses, rather it is a matter of God’s Will for a person’s life and journey and nothing can be higher than God’s Will. Because God chooses one for this vocation and another for some other vocation does not mean that God loves one person more than another, nor does it mean that one person is more holy than another. The reason God Acts as He does in life most often is Mystery - we do not know for sure very often and very often have no idea whatsoever.

If one wants to consider the different vocations on a theological objective scale, then the various vocations might be able to be ‘ranked’ on a theological scale objectively. But when we speak subjectively of a particular person’s vocation and call, then nothing is higher than God’s Will and no matter what His Will might be.

Phillipians Chapter 2: " [5] For let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
[6] Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man. [8] He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross."

 

[bardegaulois]

Leaving aside the contrasting of a pre-V2 Church and a post-V2 Church, which diminishes the sense of doctrinal and practical continuity of the Church throughout all time so strongly stressed by our good Pope Emeritus and thus has great capacity to mislead, I’m hoping, Barb, that I might be able to pose a few questions to you here. There are a few elements of your assertion that are befuddling me, and so I’ll ask about them as clearly and concisely as I can.

Firstly, is there a specific identity and mission that all lay celibates have? By this I mean something separate from the universal call to holiness to which all the baptized are called. More specific vocations, like priesthood, religious life, and marriage give a more particular means to that holiness; what are the means that a lay celibate person has? Or, can we not assert that there is a more particular means covering the entire category of persons, thus making each lay celibate’s way of holiness subordinate to other circumstances of his or her life?

Secondly, if that way of holiness is subordinate to other circumstances, such as a chosen apostolate to which one has received a strong call, then wouldn’t it be more appropriate to consider the apostolate the vocation and the celibacy simply something subsidiary to it?

Thirdly, what would it mean to reject the call to lay celibacy, short of apostatizing? Apostasy is a sin, we know, but to reject a vocation is not. So how would one, already in that lay celibate state through which we all pass a good portion of our lives, not called to or rejected from the clerical or religious lives, unable to find an appropriate spouse, reject the vocation to lay celibacy? I think this last question is a real lynchpin regarding this issue.