Some Questions from a Reader

Even if I can’t always answer and post them in as timely a fashion as I would like, I’m always happy to take questions from readers. Here’s one I received about a month ago:

“Thank you for your honest advice on the consecrated life. I am 23 years old and know that for health reasons marriage is—unfortunately—not a realistic aspiration. I am committed to living the spiritual life of a consecrated virgin even if I never receive the title. I am curious about the particulars of possessing the title. I am wondering what it means—practically speaking—when in the rite of consecration the young woman promises to ‘serve God and the Church.’ Does the bishop have certain expectations of her besides faithful and joyful service in whatever job she possesses? Does he check up on her regularly? Also, how was it possible for you to be consecrated at so young an age? I was under the impression that you had to be at least 25 for the bishop to consider your case. Thank you again!” —Niki

Dear Niki,

Thanks for your questions and I’m glad you like my blog! While I’ll do my best to be helpful here, it’s actually somewhat difficult to give simple and universally applicable answers to your practical questions, because as of right now the Church has issued very few official directives regarding the concrete details of the daily lives of consecrated virgins.

Our primary source of authoritative information about the vocation of consecrated virginity lived “in the world” is the Rite of Consecration to a Life of Virginity itself, along with similar liturgical sources such as the Ceremonial of Bishops. In terms of non-liturgical magisterial writings, we have one canon (can. 604) in the most recent Code of Canon Law. There are also a few paragraphs in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, and some brief mentions in the documents Vita Consecrata and Apostolorum Successores.

But as you have probably noticed, these sources tend to deal with consecrated virginity in a more abstract way—i.e., they describe the theological foundations of this vocation, but they don’t always give us guidelines as to the ways in which these theological foundations are to be concretely expressed. Obviously, the theoretical theology behind consecrated virginity is crucial to understanding it as a state in life, and I would even venture to say that it’s sufficient for discerning a vocation. But by itself it might not be enough to answer all the practical questions that could be asked about the most appropriate way to live one’s vocation to consecrated virginity.

For example, from the Rite of Consecration and the other documents I mentioned, we know that consecrated virgins are properly called “Brides of Christ” and that they are called to pray the Liturgy of the Hours for the needs of the Church. These things are very clearly defined, and are therefore not up for dispute by anyone. Yet this alone doesn’t tell us what other (if any) ways a consecrated virgin should pray, or what else she could be doing in order to manifest her vocation most fully.

For instance, you could certainly present some extremely strong arguments that consecrated virgins should set aside time for private prayer, have some sort of theological formation, live in a spirit of evangelical poverty, et cetera; but strictly speaking, in an objective sense you could also legitimately disagree that consecrated virgins are required to do these things insofar as the universal Church has not explicitly defined them as obligations for consecrated virgins.

My thought that this lack of specific, concrete directives for consecrated virgins is due to the fact that this is still a relatively “new” vocation. Although the Order of Virgins flourished in the early Church, for about a thousand years the Rite of Consecration was only made available to woman living in cloistered monasteries. This didn’t change until the revised Rite was promulgated in 1970. And even today, consecrated virgins living in the world are still somewhat rare.

Therefore, in my opinion I don’t think that consecrated virginity as a vocation has been widespread enough for the Church’s legislators to have the practical knowledge necessary not only for answering certain specific questions, but even to understand fully what questions should be asked in the first place! Yet do keep in mind that this situation could be completely different in ten or twenty years, as consecrated virginity as a vocation becomes more widespread. (And to put things in perspective, consider the fact that although the priesthood was instituted while Christ still walked the earth, it took the Church over 1500 years to develop anything like our modern seminary system for priestly formation.)

However, even if the universal Church has not provided much specific direction regarding the day-to-day concerns of consecrated virgins, an individual diocesan bishop does have the power to determine authoritatively the concrete ways in which the consecrated virgins of his diocese will live their consecrated lives. This is indicated in the introduction to the Rite of Consecration itself,* and is strongly implied in the other above mentioned documents.

So even if the Church has not (or at least not yet) explicitly named particular set of practices or mode of living as a universal norm for all consecrated virgins everywhere, a consecrated virgin may still be bound to do or observe these things if her bishop specifically asks her to. E.g., the consecrated virgins of a particular diocese may be required to make a silent retreat every year—despite the fact that as of right now Canon Law says nothing one way or the other about annual retreats for consecrated virgins—because their bishop decided that this was an appropriate condition under which they should live consecrated lives.

Similarly, each bishop is free to adopt within his own diocese whatever policies seem most suitable to him regarding the formation of consecrated virgins, the standards for accepting candidates for consecration (this would include things like age limits), the frequency of their official contact with the diocese, the nature of their service to the local Church, and so forth. While knowledgeable individuals, or organizations such as the United States Association of Consecrated Virgins (USACV), are free to have opinions or to make recommendations about such things, ultimately these recommendations become mandatory or authoritative for a consecrated virgin if and only if her own bishop deliberately chooses to accept them as normative in his diocese. A bishop’s freedom to determine these issues within his diocese would only change if the Vatican decided introduce a new universal requirement or practice, or to present an official clarification of a vague or disputed point.

For example, in their literature on formation the USACV states several times that a candidate for consecrated virginity should have a spiritual director—an objectively good idea which seems like common sense to me, and hopefully to everyone who reads this blog. But since Canon Law is actually silent on this point, technically an aspiring consecrated virgin is not strictly required to have a spiritual director UNLESS: 1.) her bishop himself makes having a spiritual director a precondition to receiving the Rite of Consecration, or 2.) her bishop decides specifically to set the USACV formation literature as the standard for the candidates under his own jurisdiction.

So basically, Niki, the answer to all your questions is “it depends on the bishop!”

But since I know that’s not really a satisfying answer, I’ll try to address your points based on my own experiences:

“I am curious about the particulars of possessing the title...”

In a nutshell, the main difference (at least on an exterior level) between actually receiving the Rite of Consecration to a Life of Virginity and simply living the lifestyle of a consecrated virgin is that the former involves a public commitment and a change of your canonical state in life.

It’s difficult to explain briefly all the implications of what this means, especially in trying to describe some of the spiritual aspects of such a distinction. But basically, in making a private vow of virginity, your vocation remains essentially between you and God. When you become a consecrated virgin through reception of a public rite, your vocation “belongs” in some sense to all of God’s faithful people who make up the Church.

While living in a public state of consecrated life presents one with a greater opportunity for serving the Church and witnessing to the Gospel, it also comes with more challenges, obligations, and responsibility.

“How was it possible for you to be consecrated at so young an age?”

I was permitted to receive consecration at age twenty-three because the people who were directly involved with my formation determined that I was mature enough to be capable of making a lifetime commitment and that I had a sufficient understanding of what a life of virginity entailed. And on my part, this was an age when I felt “ready.”

I think that right now in my archdiocese, the age for consecration is determined on a case-by-case basis. But when I first began discerning this vocation in 2004, there was a local policy that all candidates had to be at least thirty-five years old! Although now I would assume that the Archdiocese of New York is generally open to younger vocations for consecrated virginity.

In the early Church, the age for consecration varied from place to place and in different time periods. But since the promulgation of the revised Rite of Consecration in 1970, the universal Church has set neither an upper nor a lower canonical age limit.

“Does the bishop check up on a consecrated virgin regularly?”

When I’m away at school, I usually write to the Vicar for Religious (who acts as the bishop’s delegate in situations like mine) in my archdiocese once every month or two, or whenever I have a question or concern that I feel needs to be addressed. We also try to meet in person whenever I’m home on a break, and also right before I leave to start a new semester.

In terms of meeting with the Ordinary himself, in New York we really don’t have a “system” in place yet, since our new Archbishop was appointed fairly recently.

“Does the bishop have certain expectations of a consecrated virgin besides faithful and joyful service in whatever job she possesses?”

All consecrated virgins are ordinarily required to pray the Liturgy of the Hours. In New York, consecrated virgins are also asked to attend daily Mass. Consecrated virgins are generally expected to spend time in private prayer as well, but exactly how much or what kind is left to the discretion of the individual consecrated virgin, in conversation with her confessor or spiritual director. I always try to take a personal spiritual retreat every year (making my own individual arrangements and plans about where I’ll go), and as far as I know the other consecrated virgins in New York do this as well. But I’m actually not sure that this is strictly required of us, since it’s something I would have done anyway.

In the Archdiocese of New York, the Vocation Office also asks the local consecrated virgins to pray especially for our seminarians. But I don’t think that this will ever be made into a formally binding request, because the New York consecrated virgins are already more than happy to do this.

“What does it mean—practically speaking—when in the Rite of Consecration the young woman promises to ‘serve God and the Church?’”

Right now in New York, this is another thing that’s decided on a case-by-case basis, in the context of an on-going dialogue with the Vicar for Religious. Since there are presently only four consecrated virgins, including myself, who are actively associated with the Archdiocese of New York, this allows for a lot of one-on-one discernment as to how an individual consecrated virgin can best manifest her vocation to be “dedicated to the service of the Church.” (Sometimes I’m tempted to joke that consecrated virginity is the vocation you continue to discern after you discern!)

But speaking for myself and about my own consecrated life, I do hope to work for the Church in some direct and full-time capacity after I finish my theological studies. Although at this moment I don’t know exactly what form this will take—right now, my future is in the hands of Providence.

*The exact phrase I’m thinking of is: “It is for the bishop to decide on the conditions under which women living in the world are to undertake a life of perpetual virginity.” It can be found in the general introduction (i.e., the introduction before the two specific rites for nuns and for women living in the world) to the Rite of Consecration to a Life of Virginity, on page 158 of my copy of vol. II of the “Rites” book. But it’s not in the link I provide to the Rite of Consecration, because this link only gives you the Rite of Consecration specific to women living in the world, which unfortunatly doesn’t include the “general” introduction. However, I do think that many phrases in the Rite of Consecration for Women Living in the World express the same idea, though perhaps not in quite as explicit and unambiguous a manner.

Back to School

(About the photo: Self-portrait with a palm tree. It’s not the best picture, because I took it with a cell phone. My mom says I look like some sort of missionary here—which inspires me to remember all the generous sacrifices made by the (real!) missionaries in the Church’s history whenever I’m tempted to complain about the Floridian heat and humidity.)

Sorry for the slow posting. I’ve been busy traveling and studying since the beginning of the Fall semester two weeks ago. For readers who don’t know me in real life, I’m presently in my second year of the two-year Master of Arts in Theology program at Ave Maria University near Naples, Florida.

It looks like it should be a good year, with interesting studies and classmates who are great people. But I admit that I do get homesick (although a few people back home have joked that Florida does have its fair share of seasonal residents who are native New Yorkers—so I wonder if this makes me the country’s youngest “snowbird?”). And I’m not altogether fond of this sub-tropical climate, thought I’m sure I’ll appreciate it in November.

In case you’re curious about the practical details of studying out of state while being a consecrated virgin: I’m still a consecrated virgin of the Archdiocese of New York, despite the fact that as I write this I don’t plan to be physically present within the archdiocese again until Christmas break. While every year I write to the local bishop or his Delegate for Consecrated Life to inform him about my presence here in the Diocese of Venice, I still officially “answer to” the Archbishop of New York, and I continue to keep in touch regularly with the New York Vicar for Religious’ Office.*

And of course, in accord with my vocation I continue to pray for the needs of the Archdiocese of New York daily. This includes praying for our Archbishop, our auxiliary bishops, the clergy, seminarians (the NY Vocation Office makes very sure that I remember them—they even send me a list of their names so that I can pray for them specifically), people discerning vocations, and all the “people in the pews.”**

Also, I try to keep in mind that my studying now will someday help people in my Archdiocese whom I may not have met yet—something important to remember when you’re a full-time student, since the fruits of your efforts at this particular period in your life aren’t always readily apparent. As happy as I am to be studying Theology, this can make it seem somewhat frustrating at times. Seminarian readers will know what I’m talking about! ;-)

About the photo: I had a chance—providentially—to meet Bishop Dewane of the Diocese of Venice, FL (the Ordinary for Ave Maria) after he celebrated the Mass for the opening of the academic year. This photo actually made it into the Naples Daily News!

*Although if a consecrated virgin moved to another diocese permanently—something which I personally don’t intend to do—then it would be a different situation.
** But keep in mind that even though I take special care to pray for New Yorkers, they certainly aren’t the only ones for whom I pray!

September 11

“Seven-and-a-half years ago, on September 11, 2001, New Yorkers gave a lesson of extraordinarily generous courage to the world. Selfless police officers, fire fighters, and emergency medical personnel, saved lives, and many gave theirs. Their sacrifice was an ecumenical, inter-religious civic testimony to the worth of every human person. You did us all proud, and now how proud I am now to partner with all of you in that same spirit…”

— from Archbishop Dolan’s homily at his Mass of Installation
April 15, 2009
St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City

Celebrating the Year For Priests: New Vocation Video From the Archdiocese of New York

Here is the latest priesthood vocation video from my archdiocese. As consecrated virgins are called to serve and pray for the needs of their local Church, encouraging vocations—and spiritually supporting those who are called—is a cause very near to my heart.



Now if after viewing this video, any of my young, single, practicing Catholic, male readers are interested in becoming a New York priest, you can find our Vocation Director’s contact information here, on NYPriest.com. ;-)

(Sorry, I just had to sneak that in!)

The Pope Reflects on the Feast of the Assumption

I thought this article would be especially helpful for consecrated virgins, since they also anticipate life in Heaven in a particularly radical way through their commitment to life-long virginity.

(From Zenit.org. Emphases, in bold, are mine)

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Pope: Heaven's Joys Can Start on Earth
...Says Faithful Are Called to Imitate Mary

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy, AUG. 17, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Heavenly joy can begin on earth by answering God’s call to share in a relationship similar to the mysterious interchange that occurred between Christ and Mary, says Benedict XVI.

The Pope spoke of the parallel between Jesus and his mother—“Mary has been ‘elevated’ to the place from which the Son had ‘come down’”—in his Angelus address Sunday at Castel Gandolfo. The Holy Father noted how Saturday was the feast of the Assumption of Our Lady, while the Gospel reading for Sunday spoke of Jesus, the living bread that came down from heaven.

“We cannot remain indifferent to this parallel, which revolves around the symbol of ‘heaven,’” he said. “Naturally this biblical language expresses with figurative terminology something that does not entirely enter into the world of our concepts and images. But, let us pause for a moment to reflect.”

The Pontiff went on to note how Jesus is the living bread, “the true nourishment that gives life,” but that his earthly body was received from the Virgin Mary.

“God took from her a human body to enter into our mortal human condition,” the Bishop of Rome explained. “In turn, at the end of an earthly existence, the body of the Virgin was taken to heaven by God and brought to enter into the celestial condition.”

“Dear brothers and sisters,” he continued, “what happened to Mary is also valid, though in a different but real way, for every man and woman, because God asks each of us to welcome him, to place at his disposal our hearts and our bodies, the whole of our existence, our flesh—as the Bible says—so that he can dwell in the world.”

“He calls us to unite ourselves with him in the sacrament of the Eucharist, Bread broken for the life of the world, to together form the Church, his Body in history,” the Pope added. “And if we say ‘yes,’ like Mary, in the same measure of this our ‘yes,’ this mysterious interchange will also happen for us and in us: We will be assumed into the dignity of the One who has assumed our humanity.”

Benedict XVI affirmed that the Eucharist is the “instrument of this reciprocal transformation.”

“He is the Head and we are the members. He is the Vine and we the branches,” he said. “Whoever eats of this Bread and lives in communion with Jesus, allowing himself to be transformed by him and in him, is saved from eternal death: Certainly this person will die as everyone does, participating as well in the mystery of the passion and the cross of Christ, but he is no longer a slave of death and he will be raised up on the last day to enjoy the eternal feast with Mary and all the saints.”

Finally, the Holy Father assured, this “feast of God” begins on earth.

“It is a mystery of faith, hope and love, which is celebrated in the liturgy, especially the Eucharistic [liturgy], and is expressed in fraternal communion and service to our neighbor. Let us,” he concluded, “ask the holy Virgin to help us to always with faith nourish ourselves on the Bread of eternal life to experience already on earth the joy of heaven.”

Is Consecrated Life Compatible With Studying Theology?

In response to my call for questions in June, here is a thoughtful one I received:

Interesting to read your story. I noticed you are studying theology. So it seems like you are thinking of teaching and contemplating the faith. Is it possible that what is needed here is an order of nuns that will study theology and then do ministry using their higher education? Did you find such an order and it just still was not a good fit? Or did you look and not find anything like that? Would one of you hopes or dreams be to start such an order?

I do wonder because I have a daughter who seems to have a disposition for religious life. It is hard to tell at 13 but it would not surprise anyone who knows her. But she has a great academic mind. I say “but” because most orders don't seem to focus on having their members possibly earn a post-graduate degree. So it seems like you can't have both religious life and high education. But you are doing it, sort of. –Randy

Dear Randy,

I think that you raise some great points, and ones which may not receive as much attention as they merit.

First of all, I would like to point out that the vast majority of women’s religious communities in the United State do take their Sisters’ general education very seriously. For instance, if a young woman hasn’t completed her college education upon entering the convent, the vast majority of the apostolic (a.k.a. “active”) congregations will send her to earn at least a bachelor’s degree.

But based on my own experience discerning religious life—which included researching various communities, visiting convents, and meeting a number of Sisters—it doesn’t seem to me that advanced graduate study is usually much of a possibility in most American women’s religious congregations. And in some communities, time constraints and certain applications of the vow of poverty (such as the inability to own one’s own books or lack of easy access to computers) would seem to make even personal, individually-motivated scholarship prohibitively difficult.

I think the reason for this is has to do primarily with the nature and structure of religious life. One of the most important things to understand when discussing these sorts of issues is that every religious community strives to be a faithful manifestation of their own particular “charism,” a word which refers to their foundational, identifying spiritual gifts and mission. Often (at least in the United States) the charism of an active congregation is closely tied to a particular apostolic work. And broadly speaking, the charisms and associated apostolates of most women’s religious communities are not such as would require that the Sisters achieve a distinguished level of academic accomplishment.

One example of this could be the Little Sisters of the Poor, who were founded in the seventeenth century France to serve Christ in the impoverished elderly. For hundreds of years, the Little Sisters have concretely lived out this charism by running free nursing homes for the poor. But while this is certainly a beautiful life and mission, it is clearly not one in which it is strictly necessary to study the Summa Theologica in-depth, or to learn Biblical Greek!

Of course, you could rightly argue that knowledge of academic theology is enriching in and of itself. Yet at the same time, the reality of the situation is that most religious congregations simply do not have the resources to send their Sisters for several years of advanced study which would not directly serve the needs of their community (though in most novitiates they do take some basic classes in theology, especially as it pertains to the spiritual life and the evangelical councils). More significantly, my impression is that most Sisters in active orders would much prefer to spend their time in the apostolic works reflective of their community’s proper charism, as opposed to in a lecture hall or at the library.

This lack of an academic focus doesn’t apply quite so much to men’s religious communities, since many male Orders—most notably the Jesuits and Dominicans, but others as well—do have scholarship as a part of their charism. Also, very often in men’s communities a large portion of their members are eventually ordained priests, and the universally required program of studies for priesthood encompasses a considerable amount of graduate work.

But this is not to say that American women’s religious life is totally incompatible with an interest in scholarship. One community, the Religious Sisters of Mercy of Alma, Michigan, considers professional excellence as a major facet of their charism. Their community includes medical doctors, canon lawyers, and seminary professors. So in this community the Sisters are regularly sent for post-graduate degrees.

And although I don’t think they have the same focus on theological scholarship, the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist in Meriden, Connecticut also encourage a high degree of professional achievement for their members. Among other things, I think that Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist are responsible for the creation and maintenance of the Vatican’s website.

Although the Dominican Sisters of St. Cecilia (Nashville, Tennessee) and the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist (Ann Arbor, Michigan) have elementary and high school education, and not theological research or university professorships, as their primary apostolic work, I believe that these communities encourage serious reading and on-going intellectual formation among their Sisters. Similarly, the semi-cloistered, contemplative nuns of the Georgetown Visitation Monastery run a top-notch girls’ high school, which demands a deep interest in education in general.

Cloistered Dominican nuns (such as the “blogging nuns” of Summit, New Jersey) observe strict enclosure and therefore have no other apostolate besides prayer; but as members of the Dominican Order they hold study and the persist of truth as an integral part of their life and charism. In Dominican monasteries time is set aside especially for study, and there are several scholarly works which have been written or edited by a Dominican nuns.

Likewise, the Brothers, Contemplative Sisters, and Apostolic Sisters of the Congregation of St. John consider study an important part of their spirituality (they’re the ONLY people I know who regularly use St. Thomas Aquinas' technical works as spiritual reading!). Although they generally don’t earn advanced academic degrees, all of the Brothers and Sisters of St. John take years of in-house philosophy and theology classes as part of their initial formation—so I think someone which a scholarly inclination would likely fit in well with them.

I do think it might be a good thing for the Church if there was a women’s religious community whose charism and primary apostolate focused on academic scholarship. However, I personally don’t have any ambition of founding such a congregation. Pioneering a “new” form of consecrated life is more than enough for one lifetime!

Also, I didn’t become a consecrated virgin because I couldn’t find a suitable community; I knew of several where I thought I could have been quite happy (and that I assume would have been willing to accept me). And although one community that I very seriously considered joining did not really encourage intellectual pursuits, I would have gladly sacrificed my interest in academic theology if I had felt that God wanted me in that congregation.

Instead, I became a consecrated virgin because I felt that God was calling to this vocation in particular. Specifcally, I was drawn to the spirituality inherent in the Rite of Consecration itself; to the solemnity and the spousal emphasis of this form of consecrated life; and to its connection with the early Church. I also sensed a particular call to dedicate my life to prayer for, and service to, my archdiocese. (Where women religious must in a sense “leave” their home diocese in order to join their community, consecrated virgins take on a deep spiritual bond with their local Church, and live their consecrated lives under the direct authority of their bishop.)

Likewise, even though right now I’m planning on and actively preparing for an intellectually-oriented apostolate, my first priority will always be serving the Church. So while I’m certainly glad to be studying academic theology, and while it’s very reasonable to suppose that I’ll eventually have a job that reflects my educational experience, I don’t think I would really be living my vocation fully if I based my career decisions primarily on my own personal fulfillment (no matter how pious a form my sense of fulfillment may take!). Speaking hypothetically, I would be much happier to spend my life teaching CCD to second-graders because my bishop asked me to, than I would be in accepting a prestigious university position across the country solely on my own initiative.

Yet with all this being said, I do think that studying theology is highly appropriate and should be encouraged for consecrated virgins. First of all, who better to take on the important work of theological scholarship and education than those who have married the Incarnate Word? :)

But even for consecrated virgins who aren’t called to academic work, I still believe at theological study on at least some level should have a place in their consecrated lives. Since consecrated virgins are called to a fairly intense life of prayer, theology can be a great help in understanding, and thus in prayerfully contemplating, the Church’s doctrines. And because consecrated virgins are public representatives of the Church who live “in the world,” it’s very important that they be able to explain, correctly and articulately, what it is that the Church teaches.

Also, I think a sufficient grasp of theology can help keep one’s spirituality healthy and “balanced.” I think this is a particularly vital concern for consecrated virgins, since they don’t automatically have in their lives the moderating influences that a religious community provides its members. (As anyone who attends daily Mass can readily observe, eccentricity can sometimes be an occupational hazard of a devote lifestyle, especially for unmarried women)

And if you were going to make an argument from history, it seems that study was a part of lives of the early consecrated virgins. Many Church Fathers, such as Sts. Ambrose and Jerome, directly recommend that consecrated virgins spend their time reading and pondering the sacred Scriptures—which I think is quite remarkable, since women’s literacy wasn’t exactly a high priority in the ancient world. Further, St. Jerome writes several letters to a consecrated virgin where he discusses, as though with an equal, some of his scholarly projects.

So although theological study for its own sake can never be the defining aspect of my vocation, I definitely feel that it’s compatible with, and beneficial to, my consecrated life.

(P.S.: Prayers for you and your daughter!)

St. Ambrose on Mary, the Model for Consecrated Virgins

Continuing in my discussion of St. Ambrose’s treatise on virginity, De Virginibus, we are now moving on to Book II of this three-part work!

For new readers, De Virginibus is St. Ambrose’s treatise on virginity, which he wrote addressed to his sister who was herself a consecrated virgin. St. Ambrose was Bishop of Milan during the fourth century A.D., a time when the “original” (i.e., pre-Vatican II) Order of Virgins was flourishing. By reading St. Ambrose, we not only get a brilliant Patristic commentary specific to the vocation of consecrated virginity lived “in the world,” but we also find some valuable insight as to the concrete lives of the ancient consecrated virgins.

Whereas in Book I St. Ambrose focused primarily on the theology of consecrated virginity, in the first chapter of Book II he indicates that this coming book will focus more on the formation of consecrated virgins. Though instead of giving us a step-by-step manual on formation (which actually, I sort of wish he had done!), St. Ambrose decides that the best way to treat the subject of formation of consecrated virgins is to present some of the most illustrious examples. And, quite appropriately, in Book II, chapter 2, he begins by discussing the life of Our Lady, the “virgin of virgins.”

You can read De Virginibus in its entirety in the NewAdvent.org “Fathers” section. For more of this blog’s commentary on De Virginibus, see my previous posts: “St. Ambrose on Consecrated Virginity”; “St. Ambrose Writes on Marriage and Virginity”; “Easter Bees”; and “St. Ambrose on Parents and Discernment.”

I have made some very slight grammatical changes in the interest of clarity. Emphases, in bold, and commentary, in red, are mine.

***

The life of Mary is set before virgins as an example, and her many virtues are dwelt upon, her chastity, humility, hard life, love of retirement, and the like; then her kindness to others, her zeal in learning, and love of frequenting the temple. St. Ambrose then sets forth how she, adorned with all these virtues, will come to meet the numberless bands of virgins and lead them with great triumph to the bridal chamber of the Spouse.

6. Let, then, the life of Mary be as it were virginity itself, set forth in a likeness, from which, as from a mirror, the appearance of chastity and the form of virtue is reflected. From this you may take your pattern of life, showing, as an example, the clear rules of virtue: what you have to correct, to effect, and to hold fast.

7. The first thing which kindles ardor in learning is the greatness of the teacher. What is greater than the Mother of God? What more glorious than she whom Glory Itself chose? What more chaste than she who bore a body without contact with another body? For why should I speak of her other virtues? She was a virgin not only in body but also in mind, who stained the sincerity of its disposition by no guile, who was humble in heart, grave in speech, prudent in mind, sparing of words, studious in reading, (There is some debate over whether or not “the historical Mary” was literate, but it seems that this reference is one of the recurring praises for scholarship or study as a pursuit appropriate to consecrated virgins.) resting her hope not on uncertain riches, but on the prayer of the poor, intent on work, modest in discourse; wont to seek not man but God as the judge of her thoughts, to injure no one, to have goodwill towards all, to rise up before her elders, not to envy her equals, to avoid boastfulness, to follow reason, to love virtue.

When did she pain her parents even by a look? When did she disagree with her neighbors? (I do have somewhat of a hard time believing these last two statements—my thought is that anyone who lives in completely union with God would almost necessarily encounter at least some sort of persecution or misunderstanding. But as Mary would not have been in any way culpable for whatever misunderstanding she might have encountered, perhaps St. Ambrose’s point is that Mary’s kindness would have prevented a lot of the personality conflicts that non-immaculate people often experience.) When did she despise the lowly? When did she avoid the needy? Being wont only to go to such gatherings of men as mercy would not blush at nor modesty pass by, there was nothing gloomy in her eyes, nothing forward in her words, nothing unseemly in her acts, there was not a silly movement, nor unrestrained step, nor was her voice petulant, that the very appearance of her outward being might be the image of her soul, the representation of what is approved. (I think modesty, dignity, and decorum are, in this day and age, much under-rated as specifically feminine virtues. I find it interesting that St. Ambrose would highlight them here.) For a well-ordered house ought to be recognized on the very threshold, and should show at the very first entrance that no darkness is hidden within, as our soul hindered by no restraints of the body may shine abroad like a lamp placed within.

8. Why should I detail her spareness of food, her abundance of services—the one abounding beyond nature, the other almost insufficient for nature? And there were no seasons of slackness, but days of fasting, one upon the other. And if ever the desire for refreshment came, her food was generally what came to hand, taken to keep off death, not to minister to comfort. (Fasting also seems to be mentioned time and time again in Patristic writings as something especially appropriate for consecrated virgins; although, like decorum, fasting is not a popular subject for twenty-first century spiritual reflections. But even while St. Ambrose’s era had its prejudices and “pet” topics just as ours does, I think that the frequency with which fasting is mentioned suggests that we should perhaps give more consideration as to the role of fasting and penance in the spirituality of modern consecrated virgins.) Necessity before inclination caused her to sleep, and yet when her body was sleeping her soul was awake, (I’m sure this is a reference to Song of Songs 5:2) and often in sleep either went again through what had been read, or went on with what had been interrupted by sleep, or carried out what had been designed, or foresaw what was to be carried out. (I think vigil-keeping as a spiritual practice falls into my aforementioned “fasting and penance” category.)

9. She was unaccustomed to go from home, except for divine service, and this with parents or kinsfolk. (Retirement—or, in modern parlance, “not going out much”—is yet another “odd” virtue that the Church Fathers often praise in consecrated virgins. Even though today’s consecrated virgins who live “in the world” are not in any sense cloistered, I still think we should take seriously the attribute of retirement. Basically, my thought is that while modern consecrated virgins should not hesitate to leave home for prayer, for works of charity, or for the sake of their work or apostolate; it might be a good idea to be selective about when, where, and with whom one would go out for purely social or recreational purposes. I think that discretion in this area could help foster a more focused prayer-life.) Busy in private at home, accompanied by others abroad, yet with no better guardian than herself, as she, inspiring respect by her gait and address, progressed not so much by the motion of her feet as by step upon step of virtue. But though the Virgin had other persons who were protectors of her body, she alone guarded her character; she (a consecrated virgin) can learn many points if she (Mary) be her own teacher, who possesses the perfection of all virtues, for whatever she did is a lesson. Mary attended to everything as though she were warned by many, and fulfilled every obligation of virtue as though she were teaching rather than learning. (And so it goes without saying that whenever a consecrated virgin does leave the house, she should behave in a way which befits a public person in the Church!)

10. Such has the Evangelist shown her, such did the angel find her, such did the Holy Spirit choose her. Why delay about details? (Okay, technically, we really don’t know most of the details of Mary’s life, but this might reflect some oral tradition, and I’m willing to suspend disbelief long enough for St. Ambrose to make his point.) How her parents loved her, strangers praised her. How worthy she was that the Son of God should be born of her! She, when the angel entered, was found at home in privacy, without a companion, that no one might interrupt her attention or disturb her; and she did not desire any women as companions, who had the companionship of good thoughts. Moreover, she seemed to herself to be less alone when she was alone. For how should she be alone, who had with her so many books, so many archangels, so many prophets? (Apocryphal details aside, I appreciate the way St. Ambrose describes the spirituality of solitude.)

11. And so, too, when Gabriel visited her (Luke 1:28) did he find her, and Mary trembled, being disturbed, as though at the form of a man, but on hearing his name recognized him as one not unknown to her. And so she was a stranger as to men, but not as to the angel; that we might know that her ears were modest and her eyes bashful. Then when saluted she kept silence, and when addressed she answered, and she whose feelings were first troubled afterwards promised obedience.

12. And holy Scripture points out how modest she was towards her neighbors. For she became more humble when she knew herself to be chosen of God, and went immediately to her kinswoman in the hill country, not in order to gain belief by anything external, for she had believed the word of God. “Blessed,” she (the kinswoman St. Elizabeth) said, “are you who believed.” (Luke 1:56) And she abode with her three months. Now in such an interval of time it is not that faith is being sought for, but kindness which is being shown. And this was after that the child, leaping in his mother's womb, had saluted the mother of the Lord, attaining to reason before birth.

13. And then, in the many subsequent wonders, when the barren bore a son, the virgin conceived, the dumb spoke, the wise men worshipped, Simeon waited, the stars gave notice. Mary, who was moved by the angel’s entrance, was unmoved by the miracles (i.e., because she already had an abundance of faith). Mary, it is said, kept all these things in her heart. (Luke 2:19) Though she was the mother of the Lord, yet she desired to learn the precepts of the Lord, and she who brought forth God, yet desired to know God.

14. And then, how she also went every year to Jerusalem at the solemn day of the Passover, and went with Joseph. Everywhere is modesty the companion of her singular virtues in the Virgin. This, without which virginity cannot exist, must be the inseparable companion of virginity. And so Mary did not go even to the temple without the guardianship of her modesty. (Although I generally think that we should, for the most part, take the Church Fathers “at their word,” I think that this constant need for a chaperone is probably something that was strongly tied to a particular time and culture. That is, I think that a contemporary American woman can live a life of exemplary modesty while regularly traveling or leaving the house by herself. However, common-sense, practical aspect of personal safety should be kept in mind, as well.)

15. This is the likeness of virginity. For Mary was such that her example alone is a lesson for all. If, then, the author displeases us not, let us make trial of the production, that whoever desires its reward for herself may imitate the pattern. How many kinds of virtues shine forth in one Virgin! The secret of modesty, the banner of faith, the service of devotion, the Virgin within the house, the companion for the ministry, the mother at the temple.

16. Oh! How many virgins shall she meet, how many shall she embrace and bring to the Lord, and say: “She has been faithful to her espousal, to my Son; she has kept her bridal couch with spotless modesty.” (My goal is to be one of these virgins!) How shall the Lord Himself commend them to His Father, repeating again those words of His: Holy Father, these are they whom I have kept for You, on whom the Son of Man leant His head and rested; I ask that where I am there they may be with Me. (John 17:24) And if they ought to benefit not themselves only, who lived not for themselves alone, one virgin may redeem her parents, another her brothers. Holy Father, the world has not known Me, but these have known Me, and have willed not to know the world. (John 17:25)

17. What a procession shall that be, what joy of applauding angels when she is found worthy of dwelling in heaven who lived on earth a heavenly life! Then too Mary, taking her timbrel, shall stir up the choirs of virgins, singing to the Lord because they have passed through the sea of this world without suffering from the waves of this world. (Exodus 15:20) Then each shall rejoice, saying: I will go to the altar of God; to God Who makes my youth glad; (I know this is a quotation from the psalms, but I’m wondering if this isn’t also an indication that the Rite of Consecration was bestowed primarily upon younger women in fourth-century Milan.) and, I will offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay my vows unto the Most High.

18. Nor would I hesitate to admit you to the altars of God, whose souls I would without hesitation call altars, on which Christ is daily offered for the redemption of the body. For if the virgin’s body be a temple of God, what is her soul, which, the ashes, as it were, of the body being shaken off, once more uncovered by the hand of the Eternal Priest, exhales the vapor of the divine fire. Blessed virgins, who emit a fragrance through divine grace as gardens do through flowers, temples through religion, altars through the priest.

—St. Ambrose, De Virginibus; Book II, chapter 2