Is living the single life of celibacy not a true vocation?

[TiggerS]

You are a bride, lakotak. Not in the “secular sense” of “bride” - but in the sense of Catholic Theology and understanding. The Church is the Bride of Christ and The Church IS it’s membership - you are baptised into The Church and thus share in the ‘bridal imagery’ of The Church as His Bride. Certainly religious and nun, priests and brothers do live a very special way of life in The Church (THE Bride of Christ) committing their whole selves to Jesus. And it is very special and a great honour to receive the Graces necessary to live out such roles in The Church. A great responsibility and accountability for the Graces received.

But one does not have to be called to the roles above to commit one’s whole self and life in every way and such beautiful desires come about through Grace and the ability to actually live out that commitment is due to Grace. Sometimes in fact, very sadly, it can be that the privileged roles in The Church, or the individuals committed to these roles through Grace rather, who do not respond to Graces as they should respond - in an ideal sense. It happens!
It can happen to us too, we lay people, in our own daily lives as living in the consecrated state of baptism. It is not a “consecrated state” in terms of face value Canon Law however. In Canon Law, the term used: “consecrated state”, has a very special meaning and Church definition building on the consecrated state of Baptism, created by Jesus, and individuals are taken out of their lay status in The Church - and into especially created consecrated states of life with very special roles in The Church and created by The Church under the Inspiration of The Holy Spirit.

The moment a person sins seriously, no matter their role in The Church from the lowest to the highest or from, rather, the least “worldly-type” honoured to the highest “worldly-type’” honoured - they excommunicate themselves from The Church and the life of Grace and cannot be considered a Bride of Christ; therefore, a bride of Christ is much more than a certain role in life - much more than dressing differently and/or etc. etc… Very much more, in fact. Instrinsically it is something entirely different in essence. Certainly, priests and nuns, religious, consecrated persons have their own special roles and duties in The Church and there is a great variety of duties and roles in The Church - the laity is one of them.

All the baptised are COMMANDED by God (not “invited” by God) to share this Life of Grace in which we are united to The Blessed Trinity in Jesus, Second Person of The Blessed Trinity - and therefore united to each other in Grace- what an awesomely and at once totally humbling matter. What a miracle of Grace and God’s Love for us.

All is Grace (St Therese of Lisieux)

We have priest and nun saints etc. etc. - but then we have saints who were lay people too. What is my target? To be a nun, priest, consecrated person - or to be a saint. Certainly I can become a saint through the roles of nun, priest consecrated person - and lay person.

You are an astoundingly blest person to my mind, from from what I have read, lakotak. And from a very young age conscious of more than you were aware - and now entirely humble about it all. Astounding and rare to my experience (limited therefore). May The Lord ever continue to richly bless you with His Graces…Barb (Tigger)

---

It is a very great honour to be called to religious life, consecrated life or the priesthood - and states of life that require very special Graces. But then so does the lay state and it is a great honour to be called to be baptised and take up the lay state in The Catholic Church. Lay status can NEVER be a ‘default’ position, which is really denigrating and a misleading word (that seems to be creeping into our Catholic Culture - and CREEP is the word! - ever watched a snake watch it’s prey silently and focused, and then strike suddenly and right out the blue at the very right moment to strike with deadly force). Default position is ALWAYS a ridiculous and theologically unsound term for lay status and our baptismal consecration, it suddenly struck me. . Laity Is a consecrated state in life with its own unique duties and unique apostolate or mission, rights and responsibilities, accountabilities - as with any other role or lifestyle in The Church.

Marriage in a secular definition follows.
mar·riage dictionary.reference.com/browse/marriage?s=t

**a legally, religiously, or socially sanctioned union of persons who commit to one another, forming a familial and economic bond: Anthropologists say that some type of marriage has been found in every society, past and present. **

I am hoping that this post will read ok, I am running out of time to edit!

 

[TiggerS]

POST-SYNODAL
APOSTOLIC EXHORTATION
***VITA CONSECRATA ***
OF THE HOLY FATHER
JOHN PAUL II
TO THE BISHOPS AND CLERGY
RELIGIOUS ORDERS AND CONGREGATIONS
SOCIETIES OF APOSTOLIC LIFE
SECULAR INSTITUTES
AND ALL THE FAITHFUL
ON THE CONSECRATED LIFE AND ITS MISSION
IN THE CHURCH AND IN THE WORLD
vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_25031996_vita-consecrata_en.html
**THE ORIGINS OF THE CONSECRATED LIFE **
**IN THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST **
AND OF THE TRINITY
vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/apost_exhortations/documents/hf_jp-ii_exh_25031996_vita-consecrata_en.html

Quoting from above document: “Many of the baptized throughout history have been invited to live such a life “in the image of Christ”. But this is possible only on the basis of a special vocation and in virtue of a particular gift of the Spirit. For in such a life baptismal consecration develops into a radical response in the following of Christ through acceptance of the evangelical counsels, the first and essential of which is the sacred bond of chastity for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.”

 

[TiggerS]

The section in red below should have been included into my post here but the Board/softwear on CA -

[whatever ya call it-would not let me (and my brother now, on and off, is teaching me computer language ). I wonder how long it will be before the census includes in a special section for languages that are spoken … “computer language” - amongst many other special languages for this and that which are forming slowly - creeping in on us )…a good read: “Future Shock” (Alvin Tofler) ]

But one does not have to be called to the roles above to commit one’s whole self and life in every way and such beautiful desires come about through Grace and the ability to actually live out that commitment is due to Grace. Sometimes in fact, very sadly, it can be that the privileged roles in The Church, or the individuals committed to these roles through Grace rather, who do not respond to Graces as they should respond - in an ideal sense. It happens!
It can happen to us too, we lay people, in our own daily lives as living in the consecrated state of baptism. It is not a “consecrated state” in terms of face value Canon Law however. In Canon Law, the term used: “consecrated state”, has a very special meaning and Church definition building on, and flowing from, the consecrated state of Baptism, created by Jesus, and individuals are taken out of their lay status in The Church - and into especially created consecrated states of life with very special roles in The Church and created by The Church under the Inspiration of The Holy Spirit.

 

[lakotak]

You are a bride, lakotak. Not in the “secular sense” of “bride” - but in the sense of Catholic Theology and understanding. The Church is the Bride of Christ and The Church IS it’s membership - you are baptised into The Church and thus share in the ‘bridal imagery’ of The Church as His Bride. Certainly religious and nun, priests and brothers do live a very special way of life in The Church (THE Bride of Christ) committing their whole selves to Jesus. And it is very special and a great honour to receive the Graces necessary to live out such roles in The Church. A great responsibility and accountability for the Graces received.

But one does not have to be called to the roles above to commit one’s whole self and life in every way and such beautiful desires come about through Grace and the ability to actually live out that commitment is due to Grace. Sometimes in fact, very sadly, it can be that the privileged roles in The Church, or the individuals committed to these roles through Grace rather, who do not respond to Graces as they should respond - in an ideal sense. It happens!
It can happen to us too, we lay people, in our own daily lives as living in the consecrated state of baptism. It is not a “consecrated state” in terms of face value Canon Law however. In Canon Law, the term used: “consecrated state”, has a very special meaning and Church definition building on the consecrated state of Baptism, created by Jesus, and individuals are taken out of their lay status in The Church - and into especially created consecrated states of life with very special roles in The Church and created by The Church under the Inspiration of The Holy Spirit.

The moment a person sins seriously, no matter their role in The Church from the lowest to the highest or from, rather, the least “worldly-type” honoured to the highest “worldly-type’” honoured - they excommunicate themselves from The Church and the life of Grace and cannot be considered a Bride of Christ; therefore, a bride of Christ is much more than a certain role in life - much more than dressing differently and/or etc. etc… Very much more, in fact. Instrinsically it is something entirely different in essence. Certainly, priests and nuns, religious, consecrated persons have their own special roles and duties in The Church and there is a great variety of duties and roles in The Church - the laity is one of them.

All the baptised are COMMANDED by God (not “invited” by God) to share this Life of Grace in which we are united to The Blessed Trinity in Jesus, Second Person of The Blessed Trinity - and therefore united to each other in Grace- what an awesomely and at once totally humbling matter. What a miracle of Grace and God’s Love for us.

All is Grace (St Therese of Lisieux)

We have priest and nun saints etc. etc. - but then we have saints who were lay people too. What is my target? To be a nun, priest, consecrated person - or to be a saint. Certainly I can become a saint through the roles of nun, priest consecrated person - and lay person.

**You are an astoundingly blest person to my mind, from from what I have read, lakotak. And from a very young age conscious of more than you were aware - and now entirely humble about it all. Astounding and rare to my experience (limited therefore). May The Lord ever continue to richly bless you with His Graces…Barb (Tigger) **

---

I never considered myself astounding in anyway. I just thought of caring for her as just something that was normal to do-Christian charity. Looking back, I guess I lived a life of service to her out of love, respect and duty to God. Her care was not the reason to my call to single life. I thought about marriage once in a while, but I knew it would never be for me and I was content with it. I don’t know why, but I guess it was God’s Grace that I had no regrets. I would have to say that if God truly calls you to the single life, He gives you the grace to have no nagging regrets about it.

 

[TiggerS]

I never considered myself astounding in anyway. I just thought of caring for her as just something that was normal to do-Christian charity. Looking back, I guess I lived a life of service to her out of love, respect and duty to God. Her care was not the reason to my call to single life. I thought about marriage once in a while, but I knew it would never be for me and I was content with it. I don’t know why, but I guess it was God’s Grace that I had no regrets. I would have to say that if God truly calls you to the single life, He gives you the grace to have no nagging regrets about it.

I just thought of caring for her as just something that was normal to do-Christian charity.

It is - and spot on!

I lived a life of service to her out of love, respect and duty to God

Spot on again!

I thought about marriage once in a while, but I knew it would never be for me and I was content with it.

Nuns and priests (and committed to celibate chastity) think about it now and then too - well some of them anyway and if they are human quite a few of some of them . Read a book by a journalist interviewing nuns who stay (in the monastery or convent). She asked one nun if she ever thought about sex? Her reply ran something like this. “Sure I think about it, I’m human. When I do think about it, I try to remember to thank God that I am still a woman” Great reply!

but I guess it was God’s Grace that I had no regrets.

…and quite spot on yet again!..and no guess at all…I had a thought tonight and thought “oh no!” …and then I thought “Grace of God”…and thought that that sounded worse…

goodreads.com/author/quotes/17297.Marianne_Williamson
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
― Marianne Williamson, Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”

I’m not too sure about that last sentence however!

. I would have to say that if God truly calls you to the single life, He gives you the grace to have no nagging regrets about it.

Well, I’ve been in the single celibate chaste way of life now for near on 30 years. Oh man oh man, have I had nagging regrets when life either ran away with me or out of my control. I have felt literally cold that I might have chosen the wrong way of life. Heaps of ups and downs in my journey (almost 68yrs of age now) - a few round the bends and off the planet with a few ‘up a creek’s’ in my pilgrimage here.
Nowadays lately I have no regrets whatsoever. None. Not a single one. But as my darling Dad used to say “Life is long and full of pitfalls”. And to date, I have to congratulate him on his accuracy. But to fall into a pit is not a sin - and one might need to be …
Matthew 10:16
Behold I send you as sheep in the midst of wolves. Be ye therefore wise as serpents and simple as doves.
…as one climbs up the ladder gingerly - and out of the pit they have dug for one, not realizing that they are about to fall into the jolly thing themselves … sherv.net/cm/emo/happy/thumbs-up.gif

You apparently have never had nagging regrets and so The Lord has richly rewarded you for your love and care of your Mom and your sound sense of duty to God. And despite the fact that He gifted you The Cross on other matters concerning your past desires - and now raised it as your baggage in life.

…and now you are moving on in His Will yet again…and a great place to be…tjhere is no better…EVER…

Barb

 

[cranster]

There are three Primary Vocations:

• consecrated life
• holy matrimony
• generous single life

I was going to say. Some of us are not cut out for marriage. I’ve been divorced for 10 years and will never remarry. If there is no vocation for being single, and most religious orders won’t take you over 50. what are we supposed to do, pray to be annihilated because there is no place for us?

 

[TiggerS]

I was going to say. Some of us are not cut out for marriage. I’ve been divorced for 10 years and will never remarry. If there is no vocation for being single, and most religious orders won’t take you over 50. what are we supposed to do, pray to be annihilated because there is no place for us?

Your baptism is a call and vocation by God to the Laity. Nothing at all great or small happens outside of God’s Will, either His Direct or His Permissive Will. He has permitted some sufferings in your life and is calling you to the Laity at this point. Read the the Papal Document: APOSTOLATE OF THE LAITY.

Your baptism is a call and vocation from Jesus and is a consecration to Him and His Gospel lovingly.

Some religious orders will take women and men over 50. I am presupposing you are female without really knowing :

vocationnetwork.org/articles/show/235

eudistservants.org/index.html

pathsoflove.com/religious-communities.html#latevocations (This site has late vocations for both men and women)

Catholic Catechism:
The Permissive Will of God
311 Angels and men, as intelligent and free creatures, have to journey toward their ultimate destinies by their free choice and preferential love. They can therefore go astray. Indeed, they have sinned. Thus has moral evil, incommensurably more harmful than physical evil, entered the world. God is in no way, directly or indirectly, the cause of moral evil.176 He permits it, however, because he respects the freedom of his creatures and, mysteriously, knows how to derive good from it:

For almighty God. . ., because he is supremely good, would never allow any evil whatsoever to exist in his works if he were not so all-powerful and good as to cause good to emerge from evil itself.177

 

[z_0101]

lakotak, it is certainly commendable to have given so much support to your mom - I hope my children are as dedicated to my Wife and I in our old age.

And to see so much support for your efforts within this community, very, well, I not sure how to say it - but, it is very, heartwarming (?) - Just not sure how to express that adequately… very rare that I don’t have the right words!

It does seem to me however that, IMHO, we’ve tracked a tad off the original topic: “Re: Is living the single life of celibacy not a true vocation?”

Respectfully then, I would ask that you go back and re-read the original post, and my three posts: Post 4, and Post 6, and the article that is linked to therein ( Celibacy and the Priesthood ) and Post 27

Can anyone refute the CCC and Biblical teaching offered in these three posts establishing that there is a general vocation of celibacy?

 

[WildCatholic]

Apparently I am being misunderstood. I am not saying that one is not living according to God’s will by remaining single. I am not saying single life is not challenging.

I am saying that we are all born single and are commanded to be chaste. Chastity in the single life is celibacy. We do not receive a calling from God, in other words a vocation, to do what we are already doing.

I suspect that is what the priest meant when he told the OP that single is not a vocation.

Not everyone receives a vocation. It does not make them any less holy.

Single life is not challenging? Thats junk. What about my brother with high functioning autism. He probably is unable to have a real loving relationship with a woman, but he has crushes and all that and its hard because he’ll probably never get married and it will be hard for him.

 

[MtnDwellar]

Can anyone refute the CCC and Biblical teaching offered in these three posts establishing that there is a general vocation of celibacy?

What is a “general vocation”?

Religious vows include a vow of celibacy. Some lay people also take the vow. I am not aware of any general vocation of celibacy.

We are all, lay and religious, commanded to chastity. Compliance with the sixth commandment compels us to sexual behavior that is compatible with our state in life. Chastity is not a vocation.

 

[MtnDwellar]

Single life is not challenging? Thats junk.

I think you misread my post.

I am not saying single life is not challenging.

 

[z_0101]

What is a “general vocation”?

Religious vows include a vow of celibacy. Some lay people also take the vow. I am not aware of any general vocation of celibacy.

We are all, lay and religious, commanded to chastity. Compliance with the sixth commandment compels us to sexual behavior that is compatible with our state in life. Chastity is not a vocation.

MtnDweller, we have already discussed this in posts 25 thru 30 wherein, you provide only your opinion; however, I have provided the teachings of the Church where in it is clear that there is a vocation established both in the Scripture and the over all Magisterium.

I re-direct you to my post # 27 where I provide the link to the CCC which clearly states that Celibacy/Chasticy is a vocation. It is infact the title of the section.

Catechism of the Catholic Church
Part Three
Article 6
Section II: The Vocation to Chastity

thus by the very teaching of the Church you argument does not appear to “hold water.”

 

[MtnDwellar]

MtnDweller, we have already discussed this in posts 25 thru 30 wherein, you provide only your opinion; however, I have provided the teachings of the Church where in it is clear that there is a vocation established both in the Scripture and the over all Magisterium.

I re-direct you to my post # 27 where I provide the link to the CCC which clearly states that Celibacy/Chasticy is a vocation. It is infact the title of the section.

thus by the very teaching of the Church you argument does not appear to “hold water.”

The title of that section is indeed the Vocation to Chastity. The text of the section refers to chastity as a virtue. It never again uses the word vocation. We are all called to virtue. The Catechism does not explain why chastity is a vocation. The text is in regard to chastity - the virtue.

Please answer my other questions about general vocations toward celibacy.
Thanks.

 

[z_0101]

The title of that section is indeed the Vocation to Chastity. The text of the section refers to chastity as a virtue. It never again uses the word vocation. We are all called to virtue. The Catechism does not explain why chastity is a vocation. The text is in regard to chastity - the virtue.

Please answer my other questions about general vocations toward celibacy.
Thanks.

Let’s start with the “general” - perhaps a poor choice of word.
However, even given that, your questions have been asked and answered by St Paul and then again by Christ in my past posts; however, I bring those back forward:
(I leave the links dead in the following repost, you can get at them in the indicated posts

From Post #4

There is an article about this here:

Celibacy and the Priesthood

and a small part of it reads (emphases mine):

Quote:
(…) All of this is false. Although most people are at some point in their lives called to the married state, the*** vocation of celibacy is explicitly advocated***—as well as practiced—by both Jesus and Paul.

So far from “commanding” marriage in 1 Corinthians 7, in that very chapter Paul actually endorses celibacy for those capable of it: “To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is well for them to remain single as I am. But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion” (7:8-9). (…)

Note that last underlined sentence… (!)

the article continues with:

Quote:
Paul even goes on to make a case for preferring celibacy to marriage: “Are you free from a wife? Do not seek marriage. . . those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that. . . . The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman or girl is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about worldly affairs, how to please her husband” (7:27-34).

Paul’s conclusion: He who marries “does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better” (7:38).

(the article is well worth the time to read in full (IMHO))

I for one am not in a position to argue with the Apsotle St. Paul about what is and is not a vocation – why are you?

Perhaps you think that St. Paul was a-bit in his dotage (old age) so let is bring back Christ’s own words; (From post at #6)

Quote:
Paul was not the first apostle to conclude that celibacy is, in some sense, “better” than marriage. After Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 19 on divorce and remarriage, the disciples exclaimed, “If such is the case between a man and his wife, it is better not to marry” (Matt 19:10). This remark prompted Jesus’ teaching on the value of celibacy “for the sake of the kingdom”:
“Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom it is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of God. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it” (Matt. 19:11–12).

Now above quote, sub-quotes, and their interpretation are from the track (linked to in the other posts and available from Catholic.com!) – Wherein they are used to establish the Vocation of Celibacy. This person certainly knows more than I do, and I would suspect, more than the average person does. – The track has a NIHIL OBSTAT and an IMPRIMATUR. So at least one at least one bishop also agreed with the materials.

Now let us look at the CCC that I referenced.
Why would the title be insufficient to establish the intent of the Church to establish the Vocation of Chasity?
Why would the Holy Mother Church use such a title, if that were not the intent, to establish the vocation thru and by the virtue?

One need not re-use a word within a title to establish the link between the argument or statement. Indeed, the very existence of the title is the only link needed to establish the link as the main concept is summarized within the title or heading and the remaining material is to support the title or heading. Or perhaps all of those English and Technical writing teachers I had to suffer with while in school and university wasted my time?

However, let us read a little further in to the section I reference… upon doing so, I come up with a question:

Is a “Vocation” or “calling” considered a “Gift” from God - even so far as to say a “Grace” from God?

I would venture to say that most people would say that a “Calling/Vocation” is a “gift” from God and therefor a “Grace”

So with that said (and I suspect agreed to) then I will give you:

CCC-2345 (BTW: Part3;Sec2;Ch6:2345)
Chastity is a moral virtue. It is also a gift from God, a grace a fruit of spiritual effort. The Holy Spirit enables one whom the water of Baptism has regenerated to imitate the purity of Christ

And let’s move on to:

CCC-2394 Christ is the model of chastity. Every baptized person is called to lead a chaste life, each according to his particular state of life.

”CALLED” == “Calling” == “Vocation”

Once again, you only have a personal opinion as to why this is not a vocation… **please support your position ** either via scripture, CCC, Canon Law, some other part of the Magisterium.

I have provided such for my position, why will you not provide the same for yours? Instead you bring only your opinion as we hashed out in posts 25 thru 30.
(hit the 6000 character limit… sigh)

 

[TiggerS]

Originally Posted by MtnDwellar forums.catholic-questions.org/images/buttons_khaki/viewpost.gif
Apparently I am being misunderstood. I am not saying that one is not living according to God’s will by remaining single. I am not saying single life is not challenging.

I am saying that we are all born single and are commanded to be chaste. Chastity in the single life is celibacy. We do not receive a calling from God, in other words a vocation, to do what we are already doing.

I suspect that is what the priest meant when he told the OP that single is not a vocation.

*Not everyone receives a vocation. It does not make them any less holy. *

There is a very big difference between living in celibate chastity, but being aware that it is not one’s vocation in life and discerning some other state in life including possibly marriage.

The flip side of the coin is the celibate chaste lay person that has discerned their future vocation and decided to live in the celibate chaste state in the laity(ideally with spiritual direction) “for the sake of The Kingdom” and to serve Jesus and His Gospel, The Church, in a particular role within the laity. To remain in the celibate chaste lay state and to commit their lives to some aspect of The Gospel.
The celibate chaste lay state in life is a state in life defined by The Church as a particular and distinct state in life to all others.

Indeed every single person does receive a vocation per se - and without exceptions, and the lay celibate state is a particular state in life and defined carefully by The Church. Our baptism is a vocation and call to embrace Jesus and His Gospel, His Church. Any further call and vocation might be a call and vocation to embrace some particular way of life outside of the celibate chaste (single) lay state in life: Sacrament of Marriage, Holy Orders or some consecrated state in life that is not the lay state in life.

Like the role of women in The Church, we do have a theology of the celibate chaste lay state in life - however it is scattered through Scripture and various documents of The Church with no particular document addressing the (lay celibate chaste) state in life in particular. I can give you a quote from Via Consecrata (The Consecrated Life) about individuals who devote themselves to lay celibate chastity (outside of the consecrated state) if you wish. But I have quoted it previously I think.
For example, secular institutes existed before they were carefully defined by The Church and ‘shifted’ from the lay state in life to a form of consecrated life per se.

 

[MtnDwellar]

Let’s start with the “general” - perhaps a poor choice of word.
However, even given that, your questions have been asked and answered by St Paul and then again by Christ in my past posts; however, I bring those back forward:

z -This thread is about semantics. I have no argument with St. Paul, or Christ. The single life is a valid way to fully serve God. The only question is about the definition of vocation, or more precisely “true” vocation, and does the single life fit the definition.

vocation
A call from God to a distinctive state of life, in which the person can reach holiness.

My interpretation of the definition is that “distinctive” means distinct from a person’s current state of life. Again, since we are born into the single state of life, we cannot be called to it, because we are already in it.

 

[TiggerS]

z -This thread is about semantics. I have no argument with St. Paul, or Christ. The single life is a valid way to fully serve God. The only question is about the definition of vocation, or more precisely “true” vocation, and does the single life fit the definition.

vocation
A call from God to a distinctive state of life, in which the person can reach holiness.

My interpretation of the definition is that “distinctive” means distinct from a person’s current state of life. Again, since we are born into the single state of life, we cannot be called to it, because we are already in it.

It is your concept and interpretation, but not every persons, nor that of The Church.

The lay state of life is defined in Church Law as a DISTINCTIVE state of life in in it’s own right, others are Holy Orders, and the consecrated states of life. Celibate chastity is a category, if you like, in the lay state of life. The other category in the lay state of life is the marital state.

Catholic Catechism: 945 Already destined for him through Baptism, the person who surrenders himself to the God he loves above all else thereby consecrates himself** more intimately** to God’s service and to the good of the whole Church.

Scripture tells us that all that is good has its origin in God. We can do nothing of worth without God’s Grace. Therefore, the person who choose consciously not to marry, nor change their state in life from the lay state in life, but rather to consecrate their whole selfhood to Jesus and His Gospel, The Church, within the lay state and in celibate chastity as their call and vocation, does so as a result of a gift of Grace - a call or to a special vocation through Grace. Vocation is from “vocare” meaning “to call”. Grace calls to us at every moment of our life.

pathsoflove.com/church-on-vocation.html “In the Catholic Tradition, a vocation consists of two internal elements: (1) A good intention, and a firm will to make use of the means necessary to pursue that intention. (2) The qualities and capabilities needed in order to live the way of life one desires: this is sometimes described as a lack of obstacles or impediments.”
**Author: **Joseph Bolin

International Theological Institute: Catholic School of Theology, Faculty of Theology, Faculty Member

 

[TiggerS]

Catholic Catechism:
**The vocation of lay people **
[898](javascriptpenWindow(‘cr/898.htm’) "By reason of their special vocation it belongs to the laity to seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and directing them according to God’s will. . . . It pertains to them in a special way so to illuminate and order all temporal things with which they are closely associated that these may always be effected and grow according to Christ and maybe to the glory of the Creator and Redeemer."431

 

[lakotak]

Catholic Catechism:
**The vocation **of lay people
[898](javascriptpenWindow(‘cr/898.htm’) "By reason of their special vocation it belongs to the laity to seek the kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affairs and directing them according to God’s will. . . . It pertains to them in a special way so to illuminate and order all temporal things with which they are closely associated that these may always be effected and grow according to Christ and maybe to the glory of the Creator and Redeemer."431

Thank you for this information.

 

[z_0101]

z -This thread is about semantics. I have no argument with St. Paul, or Christ. The single life is a valid way to fully serve God. The only question is about the definition of vocation, or more precisely “true” vocation, and does the single life fit the definition.

vocation
A call from God to a distinctive state of life, in which the person can reach holiness.

My interpretation of the definition is that “distinctive” means distinct from a person’s current state of life. Again, since we are born into the single state of life, we cannot be called to it, because we are already in it.

NO. the thread is not about semantics.
It is about the teaching of the Church.

So let’s take the semantics out of it by using the definition as given by the Church

From the Glossary of the CCC:
Vocation
The calling or destiny we have in this life and hereafter. God has created the human person to love and serve him; the fulfillment of this vocation is eternal happiness (1,358,1700). Christ calls the faithful to the perfection of holiness (825). THe vocation of the laity consistes in seeking the Kingdom of God by engaging in temporal affaris and directing them according to God’s will (898). Priestly and religious vocations are dedicated to the service of the Church as the universal sacrament of salvation (cf. 873; 931)

And I have cited this before, you simply refuse to acknowledge the teaching of the Church.

A call from God to a distinctive state of life, in which the person can reach holiness.

And you ignore the CCC
CCC-2394 Christ is the model of chastity. Every baptized person is** called to lead a chaste life**, each according to his particular state of life

Again, since we are born into the single state of life, we cannot be called to it, because we are already in it.

And yet you IGNORE Chirst’s teaching where in he clearly states that not all or born with the grace to enter into marriage.
“Not all can accept this word, but only those to whom it is granted. Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of God. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it” (Matt. 19:11–12).
I at this point must conclude that you are in that number of people that cannot accept the word as our Lord clearly states “Not all can accept this word”

Once again, you refuse to provide any teaching of the Church or of scripture to refute the standing that I have provided support for from the teachings of the Church and within scripture. Furthermore, others have also now provided teachings from other sources within the Church… I think perhaps I’ll need to go pull St. Frances de Sales’s Introduction to the Devout Life and start quoting from him too!

:shrug:But why bother? You wont even accept the word of the Holy Mother Church, St. Paul, nor of our Lord Christ… why would you accept the word of a Saint?