Vow of Victim

[PraRFLEsEkHm]

Hi all

I have some questions I’m hoping someone can help me with. I recently came across (again) the Vow of Victim…spirituality? Practice? Offering? Not sure what category it falls under really.

The upshot is - I feel especially drawn to this, if I’m not already in it, which I say after learning a little about it. But, anyway - I wish to commit myself to this completely - problem is I’m not quite sure how to go about it. Is anyone out there already practicing this? How do I begin, or what do I need to do? I’m kinda lost - and prayer hasn’t really done anything but draw me more towards it without supplying much in the way of “How To”.

If you don’t want to post anything that’s quite OK - just PM me.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Peace and Blessings

John

 

[water]

I am not sure where you get the information from. I never heard of it. But in a Catholic sense, I would refer to the signature of yours:
“So pick up your cross and Live His Word”.

God bless.

 

[bpbasilphx]

This sounds like a particular form of dangerous spirituality that teaches that sometimes God just gets so angry at people He just has take it out on someone, or He’ll just explode.

There is only ONE Victim that will please God, and He’s already done it.

 

[Eliza10]

I don’t have a well-informed answer, but I know some people feel called to being victim souls. Myabe look for information under that. Try searching “victim souls” and Catholic.

 

[TOP]

I don’t have a well-informed answer, but I know some people feel called to being victim souls. Myabe look for information under that. Try searching “victim souls” and Catholic.

I’ve heard of this as well, but it is not something you choose. I’ve heard it in the context of seriously impaired people that may not even no that they are a “victim soul”, but others have found strength of faith in their situation. Tim

 

[PraRFLEsEkHm]

I don’t have a well-informed answer, but I know some people feel called to being victim souls. Myabe look for information under that. Try searching “victim souls” and Catholic.

Hi

Yes, Victim Souls is another term for it. I first heard about this all through the book “Sister Mary of the Holy Trinity”…I’ve also heard that St. Faustina had a lot to say about this particular form…but just can’t seem to find a starting place so to speak.

It is both something you are chosen for and something you agree to…some people are, as one poster said - simply picked and I suppose asked in their own way for this…but others can and do accept the “mission”…from what I understand Jesus calls all people to practice this - in their own unique way with their own unique talents.

Peace

John

 

[sea_star]

I am sure you will get other more informed answers, and it seems that you have gotten some enlightenment so far. so the only thing I want to add is that I believe you want to GIVE all of yourself to God, and that is a beautiful thing. You sound like a very generous soul. The term “victim soul” brings to my mind great suffering which can be a good thing when offered in union to God.

I don’t want to dampen your fervor though by what I am about to say, but I would be careful about approaching God with a preconceived idea with how you want to suffer. If that’s not what you are thinking, then I appologize for saying that.

Sometimes our greatest sufferings are those that we must accept, and we would never dream of asking God for. Sometimes an unexpected illness occurs (what an inconvenience! when you have a girl’s soccer team to coach on Saturday!)…or sometimes you are unexpectedly called to take care of an elderly parent who is afraid to die, as they will surely die soon…

To God you ***are ***special, and you want so much to serve Him. Give it to Him, and let *Him *decide how you will be His “victim” so to speak, and there doesn’t have to be a *special way *to do this but just to offer yourself to Him daily and let His Will work in Your life. Things happen…TRUST me—He ALWAYS answers the prayer of a generous soul like yours.

So I think to some greater degree(or lesser degree in most common cases) we are all victims for His Love if we offer ourselves to Him. God bless you.

edit: I just read your profile, and yes, accepting the crosses we already bear, as in your case, is a generous offering of “victimhood” ( if it is called that) but you can tell God everyday in your own way what your intentions are. Your generosity is certainly not common, though!

 

[gwendolyn]

I know exactly what you mean! You are not alone! Not many understand the role of victim or the desire to be one. There seems to be little reference to go by either. I believe it springs up from the soul in response to God’s love and/or request. The soul offers itself as victim out of love. A love to offer itself in entirety with nothing held back. An offering of love which acknowledges the cross. The soul wishes to love so entirely as to be consumed within Jesus’s heart and to be made in HIs image and likeness, to share His sufferings, to intercede, to help all souls to be saved, to console God, to make reparation to His wounded heart, to love completely in union with.

St Therese made an offering of victimhood which is easy to search. You can read Sister Josefa Menendez’s book The Way of Divine Love.

Here is an offering prayer: My God and my all,
I realize Thy mysterious operations in my soul, I have heard Thy appeal, and behold, I am ready. I offer myself to Thee to be Thy victim in the full acceptance of the term. I deliver over to Thee my body, my soul, and my heart, and all that I have, so that Thou mayest sacrifice them to Thy good pleasure. I offer Thee my life; take it my God. Love lays down no conditions or reservations, and I make none. My most tender Father, I offer myself to Thee and beseech Thee to accept me. Do not consult either my preferences or my dislikes; if Thy love is content, that will be sufficient. When I think of my own frailty, I am frightened; but when I turn to Thee, my sweet and tender Lord, I feel myself strengthened and irresistibly drawn towards a life of complete self-immolation. I distrust myself, but I trust Thee. Mary , my good and tender mother, have pity upon thy child. She is alarmed… but in spite of her fears, she wants to bring glory and consolation to her God. Offer me, I beseech thee, to the Most Holy and Most Adorable Trinity. I desire to have the purity of thy pure heart so as to be worthier of God, to Whom I make my oblation.
Xavierine de Maistre

There is one website which a woman is working on making a copy of a scarce book available online victimsoulsofthesacredheart.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.html
She or he has made (I believe) a formal offering at her church, there is some info there but you may have to search the blog to find it. There are different levels she says, of victimhood. And this person is very nice and would email you with more info and help.
Here is a website that may be interesting: sodcvs.org/eng/usa/

I think you will find yourself rather lonely in this vocation as many these days do not understand the meaning of it. But wasn’t Christ also misunderstood and lonely? It is an abhorrence in our times to want to suffer, we are so physically pampered these days- people think it must be archaic or insane to specifically choose it.
John Paul has written encyclicals about the value of suffering. In suffering we find Christ- the perfect victim, the perfection of love.

It would be good to find a spiritual advisor and talk with them about it. I also have felt called to offer myself. It just seems to well up from inside and come out. I am not crippled or confined to a bed. I do have aches and pains like everyone else- probably more than some, at times on the brink of overwhelming, but I look back and would change nothing. I just offer all of myself to God to do as He chooses and if He wishes suffering, then I gladly accept. I accept all. I wish to be made in HIs likeness and that would include offering myself up to be a victim for souls as He did. I am not sure if a souls chooses this, I think that more likely the love you have within you- the trinity- moves you so. God moves us all in different ways and if you feel like this call is in you, then I think it must come from God. Of course, that is where spiritual direction comes in to help discern. I cannot see how anyone who entirely gives themselves to God cannot help but offer but I am sure there are differing opinions about that. I believe that there must be different degrees of suffering and we won’t all be called to be totally immolated as people may think of the idea but some will be. It is God’s choosing what He wills. Maybe it is enough to accept and let HIs will be done?
God bless you!

 

[quiet52]

I’ve never heard of this (“vow of victim”)

In the Catholic context, I’ve always thought that it was Jesus who was the “Victim” whom we adore.

During the Benediction and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, we sing “O Salutaris Hostia” – or “Saving Host” which also means “Savnig Victim” – words from St. Thomas Aquinas.

O salutaris Hostia
Quae coeli pandis ostium.
Bella premunt hostilia;
Da robur, fer auxilium.

Uni trinoque Domino
Sit sempiterna gloria:
Qui vitam sine termino,
Nobis donet in patria.
Amen.

O Saving Victim opening wide
The gate of heaven to all below.
Our foes press on from every side;
Thine aid supply, Thy strength bestow.

To Thy great name be endless praise
Immortal Godhead, One in Three;
Oh, grant us endless length of days,
In our true native land with Thee.
Amen.

With reflection, perhaps we share in the “victimhood” of Christ when we walk the way of the Cross. Through His death and resurrection, he is the Victor, and has offered us victory.

 

[PraRFLEsEkHm]

I’ve never heard of this (“vow of victim”)

In the Catholic context, I’ve always thought that it was Jesus who was the “Victim” whom we adore.

During the Benediction and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, we sing “O Salutaris Hostia” – or “Saving Host” which also means “Savnig Victim” – words from St. Thomas Aquinas.

O salutaris Hostia
Quae coeli pandis ostium.
Bella premunt hostilia;
Da robur, fer auxilium.

Uni trinoque Domino
Sit sempiterna gloria:
Qui vitam sine termino,
Nobis donet in patria.
Amen.

O Saving Victim opening wide
The gate of heaven to all below.
Our foes press on from every side;
Thine aid supply, Thy strength bestow.

To Thy great name be endless praise
Immortal Godhead, One in Three;
Oh, grant us endless length of days,
In our true native land with Thee.
Amen.

With reflection, perhaps we share in the “victimhood” of Christ when we walk the way of the Cross. Through His death and resurrection, he is the Victor, and has offered us victory.

Taking, or accepting, the vow of victim, or being a Victim Soul - in no way dilutes the Sacrifice of Christ. In no way do we take His place. In no way is anyone adored other than Christ.

Rather, Victim Souls take upon themselves the temporal punishment due others, alleviating that suffering to more fully allow the Love and call of God to shine through. God is infinitely just, and infinitely merciful. His Justice is shown through the consequences of our sins, His Mercy is shown through the redemption bought for us through Christ.

Temporally speaking, His Justice is shown through the suffering we endure because of our sins, and His mercy is shown through the offerings of Victim Souls to take on part or all of that suffering for the good of our souls and to have a better chance of knowing and accepting Christ through it, or to more fully participate in doing His will ‘unencumbered’ so to speak, with the suffering due us.

Many of the posts above have excellent references to this very Catholic position and practice.

Peace

John

 

[PraRFLEsEkHm]

I know exactly what you mean! You are not alone! Not many understand the role of victim or the desire to be one. There seems to be little reference to go by either. I believe it springs up from the soul in response to God’s love and/or request. The soul offers itself as victim out of love. A love to offer itself in entirety with nothing held back. An offering of love which acknowledges the cross. The soul wishes to love so entirely as to be consumed within Jesus’s heart and to be made in HIs image and likeness, to share His sufferings, to intercede, to help all souls to be saved, to console God, to make reparation to His wounded heart, to love completely in union with.

St Therese made an offering of victimhood which is easy to search. You can read Sister Josefa Menendez’s book The Way of Divine Love.

Here is an offering prayer: My God and my all,
I realize Thy mysterious operations in my soul, I have heard Thy appeal, and behold, I am ready. I offer myself to Thee to be Thy victim in the full acceptance of the term. I deliver over to Thee my body, my soul, and my heart, and all that I have, so that Thou mayest sacrifice them to Thy good pleasure. I offer Thee my life; take it my God. Love lays down no conditions or reservations, and I make none. My most tender Father, I offer myself to Thee and beseech Thee to accept me. Do not consult either my preferences or my dislikes; if Thy love is content, that will be sufficient. When I think of my own frailty, I am frightened; but when I turn to Thee, my sweet and tender Lord, I feel myself strengthened and irresistibly drawn towards a life of complete self-immolation. I distrust myself, but I trust Thee. Mary , my good and tender mother, have pity upon thy child. She is alarmed… but in spite of her fears, she wants to bring glory and consolation to her God. Offer me, I beseech thee, to the Most Holy and Most Adorable Trinity. I desire to have the purity of thy pure heart so as to be worthier of God, to Whom I make my oblation.
Xavierine de Maistre

There is one website which a woman is working on making a copy of a scarce book available online victimsoulsofthesacredheart.blogspot.com/2007_11_01_archive.html
She or he has made (I believe) a formal offering at her church, there is some info there but you may have to search the blog to find it. There are different levels she says, of victimhood. And this person is very nice and would email you with more info and help.
Here is a website that may be interesting: sodcvs.org/eng/usa/

I think you will find yourself rather lonely in this vocation as many these days do not understand the meaning of it. But wasn’t Christ also misunderstood and lonely? It is an abhorrence in our times to want to suffer, we are so physically pampered these days- people think it must be archaic or insane to specifically choose it.
John Paul has written encyclicals about the value of suffering. In suffering we find Christ- the perfect victim, the perfection of love.

It would be good to find a spiritual advisor and talk with them about it. I also have felt called to offer myself. It just seems to well up from inside and come out. I am not crippled or confined to a bed. I do have aches and pains like everyone else- probably more than some, at times on the brink of overwhelming, but I look back and would change nothing. I just offer all of myself to God to do as He chooses and if He wishes suffering, then I gladly accept. I accept all. I wish to be made in HIs likeness and that would include offering myself up to be a victim for souls as He did. I am not sure if a souls chooses this, I think that more likely the love you have within you- the trinity- moves you so. God moves us all in different ways and if you feel like this call is in you, then I think it must come from God. Of course, that is where spiritual direction comes in to help discern. I cannot see how anyone who entirely gives themselves to God cannot help but offer but I am sure there are differing opinions about that. I believe that there must be different degrees of suffering and we won’t all be called to be totally immolated as people may think of the idea but some will be. It is God’s choosing what He wills. Maybe it is enough to accept and let HIs will be done?
God bless you!

Thank-you very much for your kind words and encouragement. I have spoken to ‘nothing’ and have received answers to some of my questions.

God Bless and Peace

John

 

[PraRFLEsEkHm]

I am sure you will get other more informed answers, and it seems that you have gotten some enlightenment so far. so the only thing I want to add is that I believe you want to GIVE all of yourself to God, and that is a beautiful thing. You sound like a very generous soul. The term “victim soul” brings to my mind great suffering which can be a good thing when offered in union to God.

I don’t want to dampen your fervor though by what I am about to say, but I would be careful about approaching God with a preconceived idea with how you want to suffer. If that’s not what you are thinking, then I appologize for saying that.

Sometimes our greatest sufferings are those that we must accept, and we would never dream of asking God for. Sometimes an unexpected illness occurs (what an inconvenience! when you have a girl’s soccer team to coach on Saturday!)…or sometimes you are unexpectedly called to take care of an elderly parent who is afraid to die, as they will surely die soon…

To God you ***are ***special, and you want so much to serve Him. Give it to Him, and let *Him *decide how you will be His “victim” so to speak, and there doesn’t have to be a *special way *to do this but just to offer yourself to Him daily and let His Will work in Your life. Things happen…TRUST me—He ALWAYS answers the prayer of a generous soul like yours.

So I think to some greater degree(or lesser degree in most common cases) we are all victims for His Love if we offer ourselves to Him. God bless you.

edit: I just read your profile, and yes, accepting the crosses we already bear, as in your case, is a generous offering of “victimhood” ( if it is called that) but you can tell God everyday in your own way what your intentions are. Your generosity is certainly not common, though!

Thank-you

No, I’m not about to try and tell God what will and won’t be done. He knows me infinitely better than I do, and I trust what He wishes for me is what is best for me and everyone else concerned.

Thank-you for your encouragement and kind words.

Peace

John

 

[sea_star]

John , You sound like a very cool person----I am quite sure that you have a calling to give yourself to God’s Will in this way---- please just pray for me!

 

[PhilotheaZ]

A number of saints were what we call “victim souls,” willingly taking on suffering for the salvation of others.

This can be a meritorious thing to do, but it can also be dangerous. If you ask God to give you more suffering, you are likely to get what you ask for. Are you prepared to deal with that?

Also, if you are not careful, it can be a source of spiritual pride.

I would recommend that before you take any such vow, you get yourself a good spiritual director (if you don’t already have one) and discuss the matter with him. Don’t take on any unusual penances, sufferings, vows, etc. without the permission of your spiritual director.

Usually the most meritorious form of suffering is to accept joyfully the little (or big) sufferings that come to us every day without asking for them: illness, unpleasant work, annoying people, criticism, etc. They are the sufferings that God gives us, as opposed to those we choose for ourselves.

 

[PraRFLEsEkHm]

John , You sound like a very cool person----I am quite sure that you have a calling to give yourself to God’s Will in this way---- please just pray for me!

Thank-you

You are included in my Rosaries. Please pray for me as well. I need all the help I can get .

Peace and Blessings

John

 

[PraRFLEsEkHm]

A number of saints were what we call “victim souls,” willingly taking on suffering for the salvation of others.

This can be a meritorious thing to do, but it can also be dangerous. If you ask God to give you more suffering, you are likely to get what you ask for. Are you prepared to deal with that?

Also, if you are not careful, it can be a source of spiritual pride.

I would recommend that before you take any such vow, you get yourself a good spiritual director (if you don’t already have one) and discuss the matter with him. Don’t take on any unusual penances, sufferings, vows, etc. without the permission of your spiritual director.

Usually the most meritorious form of suffering is to accept joyfully the little (or big) sufferings that come to us every day without asking for them: illness, unpleasant work, annoying people, criticism, etc. They are the sufferings that God gives us, as opposed to those we choose for ourselves.

Hi

Yes, I am looking for a Spiritual director. Not easy!

The pride thing has already loomed it’s ugly head, as this is a problem for me anyway. Pride seems to be the underpinning of all sin, somewhere and somehow. When that realization came to me, a lot of things were much clearer, not necessarily easier to deal with sometimes, but I at least knew the root of things.

I do not intend to go overboard, or ask for more of anything (except Faith and Love). God leads, I follow. Anything else is counterproductive, and prideful in itself.

The sufferings God gives us is the point, actually. Some are asked to suffer more. Some to suffer everyday things alone without much comforting. If this is Gods will for me - who am I to refuse? The way of perfection is different for everybody, I want to get myself as close to God, and Mary, as I can. Simply because of Love. That doesn’t mean everything will be easier - because temporally speaking the closer you are - the more you open yourself up to attack. Yet, at the same time, the closer you are, the more you allow yourself to die to self, the more Christ fights for you - and God never loses.

Peace

John