The introductory norms state:
- The woman never married or lived in public or open violation of chastity.
- That by her age, prudence, and universally approved character she gives assurance of perseverance in a life of chastity dedicated to the service of the Church and of her neighbor.
- She may be admitted to this consecration by the bishop who is the ordinary of the place
It is understood that only a woman may receive this consecration, as only she can image the bride of Christ. It is understood by the above norms that widows and women whose marriages may have been annulled would not fit into the stated criteria. In a response to an inquiry from Archbishop Raymond Burke, the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments has also clarified that "women who have lost the gift of virginity by knowingly and deliberately engaging in sexual relations should not be received as consecrated virgins." [Congregatio de Cultu Divino et Disciplina Sacramentorum, Prot.n.231/06/L, Rome, 4 April 2007]
The bishop's examination of the candidate for Consecration, as given in the rite, shows the image of the virgin as bride of Christ and indicates the permanence of this individual vocation:
- Are you resolved to persevere to the end of your days in the holy state of virginity and in the service of God and his Church?
- Are you resolved to follow Christ in the spirit of the Gospel that your whole life may be a faithful witness to God's love and a convincing sign of the Kingdom of Heaven?
- Are you resolved to accept solemn consecration as a bride of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
From the Code of Canon Law:
- The virgin is consecrated to God by the diocesan Bishop according to a rite approved by the church. [Catechism of the Catholic Church, 922-924]
- She is betrothed mystically to Christ and dedicated to the service of the church.
- She enters a public state of consecrated life in the Church.
- She lives her life individually, under the direction of the diocesan Bishop.