Canon 604

Consecrated virginity is a distinct form of consecrated life in the Church. Therefore, while it is related to other forms of consecrated life, it is not identical to any of them. The consecrated virgin living in the world, as expressed in Canon 604, is irrevocably "consecrated to God, mystically espoused to Christ and dedicated to the service of the Church, when the diocesan bishop consecrates [her] according to the approved liturgical rite."

The Rite of Consecration to a Life of Virginity

"The custom of consecrating women to a life of virginity flourished even in the early Church. It led to the formation of a solemn rite constituting the candidate a sacred person, a surpassing sign of the Church’s love for Christ, and an eschatological image of the world to come and the glory of the heavenly Bride of Christ” [Prænotanda to the Rite of Consecration to a Life of Virginity].

Through the Rite of Consecration, the Church receives the gift of the virgin and calls down upon her the grace of the Holy Spirit that she may never fail in her resolve to live in perfect continence for the sake of Christ and His Church. [Archbishop Raymond L. Burke, “Vocations to the Consecrated Life,” St. Louis Review Online, August 13, 2004]. The consecrated virgin is a particularly striking sign of the love of the Church, the Bride, for Christ, her Bridegroom while living in the world. At the same time, she is a faithful reminder of the life which is to be ours in the Kingdom of Heaven, life belonging completely to Christ. Living the life of a consecrated virgin is a most intimate union with Christ. This is why the ancient title “Bride of Christ” is given to the consecrated virgin and why she sings during the refrain from the Rite of Consecration, “I am espoused to him whom the angels serve; sun and moon stand in wonder at his glory” [No. 29].

The Consecration of a Virgin is one of the oldest sacramentals in the Church, and one of the fruits of Vatican II was the restoration of this profound blessing on virgins living in the world. The promulgation of this restored Rite for women living in the world, which is reserved to the Bishop of the diocese, took place on May 31, 1970. Through this sacramental, the virgin renews her resolve to live in perpetual virginity for God and is set aside as sacred, espoused to Christ, and belonging only to Him alone. It is God Himself who accepts her resolution and makes it spiritually fruitful by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The consecrated virgin shares intimately in the nature and mission of the Church: she is a living image of the Church's love for her Spouse and shares in His redemptive mission.

What does a consecrated virgin do?

To begin, the virgin offers the gift of her physical virginity to Christ as a sign of the dedication of her entire being to Him.

Once consecrated, she has ongoing communications with her Bishop, the representative of Jesus Christ in her diocese and her spiritual father, where she shares pertinent information from her own spiritual journey and, when relevant, the concerns of her diocese.

A consecrated virgin has some regular responsibilities as well. She prays the Liturgy of the Hours, specifically Morning Prayer (Lauds) and Evening Prayer (Vespers), so that "by joining their voices to those of Christ the High Priest and of his Church, they will offer unending praise to the heavenly Father and pray for the salvation of the whole world" [The Consecration to a Life of Virginity.] She also receives the Sacraments regularly and is faithful to private prayer. In particular, since the vocation of consecrated virginity is an ecclesial one, she keeps the intentions of the Bishop, the clergy, and the diocese in their prayers.

In addition, the consecrated virgin understands the positive value of living for the Lord in the world--albeit as an often hidden eschatological sign. She neither wears a habit nor does she use the title “Sister” or use any titles after her name (e.g., "OCV") as religious do [From Archbishop Burke, Questions and Answers in "Preparation Process, USACV Information Packet].

She also provides completely for her own material needs, including medical care and retirement resources, through employment, pension/retirement, or other means. At no time is her diocese financially responsible for her [Sr. Sharon Holland, Consecrated Virgins for Today's Church, 1998, as printed in Consecrated Life, Vol. 24, No. 2, pp. 257-75].

While she may associate with other consecrated virgins for friendship and mutual encouragement, she lives her vocation individually. Not restricted to a particular apostolate, she is free to choose her own way of serving the Church according to her natural and spiritual gifts. Consecrated virgins usually offer their free time, as they are able, to their parish, diocese, and/or Church-sponsored associations, and some also choose to volunteer in their communities.