Posted on 07/07/2018 3:43:41 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
An increasing number Catholic women are taking life-long chastity vows in order to “dedicate themselves” to God, according to the Vatican.
Consecrated virgins are unmarried women who pledge to remain celibate for their entire lives, eschewing romantic or sexual relationships to devote themselves exclusively to being mystical “brides of Christ”.
Unlike nuns, they take on no role within the church. Instead of joining a religious order, they continue to live in their own homes and work in conventional jobs.
While rare and little-known even within the church, the lifestyle is considered to be Christianity’s oldest form of total devotion to God, with roots in ancient Rome.
During the Middle Ages, the practice all but disappeared following the emergence of communal forms of consecration, such as convents.
But in the 1960s the Vatican revived the ancient Order of Virgins, which reintroduced the concept of women being betrothed to God while living alone or with families rather than in religious communities.
“Since this form of consecrated life was reintroduced in the church, there has been a real revival of the Ordo virginum [Order of Virgins],” said Archsbishop Jose Rodríguez Carballo, secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
“The phenomenon appears to be very significant, not only for the number of women involved, but also for its diffusion throughout all continents, in many countries and Dioceses and in very diverse geographic areas and cultural contexts.”
Last year three women committed to lifelong chastity at a consecration ceremony at Detroit’s Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament.
“I felt like it was an opportunity to take my relationship with Christ one step further,” said one of them, Theresa Jordan, 40,
(Excerpt) Read more at stluciatimes.com ...
Marriage is God’s will for the majority of people. Scripture celebrates both marriage and celibacy.
Whether one is married or single, it should be to the glory of God.
A celibate man or woman of God who is wedded to the LORD in both body and spirit is qualified to share his or her wisdom to a married couple who are wedded in the earthly sense.
John the Baptist was single but I would trust his marital advice.
Yep - and at least Paul admits it's not a directive from Jesus/God/Spirit, but his own opinions.....so many forget that and ignore it because they have their own opinions which are contrary to what God intended and it ends up in their religions.
Bump
“Then I guess that you think God was wrong in the beginning, eh?”
Please note that the text you cited says “the man” not “all men at all times”.
Adam needed a helper and a mate - or else there would have been no human species. Not all people need to marry. And what you’re doing is intellectually dishonest. You’re trying to set the God of Genesis against Jesus. I’m saying they were both right. Keep up.
“If abstaining from sex is keeping one pure, then having sex makes one impure.”
Your logic failure here is astounding. And then you note it yourself by saying: “And anything that makes one impure is sin.” Yes, and sex outside of marriage is sinful. Sex within marriage is not. Thus, having sex doesn’t make one impure unless its outside of marriage. Learn to think.
Also, if you knew scripture you would know that Jews - and Christians as we see from history - still believed in abstinence even within marriage for certain purposes. Apparently you’re unfamiliar with 1 Samuel 21:5.
With more nuns, priests will let up the pressure on young boys
Not in my house! 31 years
Haha! Your wife and so many wives!
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