Terrified Virgins: Criticizing the Church for Permitting People Who Have Sex to Consecrate – 07/16/2018

Catholic women who offered their eternal virginity as "Bride of Christ" are in a state of shock after the Vatican suggested in a document that literal virginity is not a prerequisite for their consecration.

of the Vatican on the question of consecrated virginity, Ecclesiae Sponsae Imago, was published at the beginning of the month following the request of several bishops to a growing number of female vocations.

It is estimated that there are 5,000 virgins in less than 42 countries, with the majority in France, Italy and Argentina.

The consecrated virgins are single women who offer their virginity as a gift to Christ and dedicate time to penance, community work and prayer. Unlike nuns, they do not live in closed communities and do not wear special clothing. Most of them have jobs and they keep up.

The Vatican's 39-page document provides detailed instructions on this vocation, such as the council's preparation for two years before devoting itself to consecration.

Maintains that consecrated virgins "are consecrated to the Lord Jesus in virginity … They experience the spiritual fertility of an intimate relationship with him. "

But the clause that surprised was one that states that true virginity is not essential for a woman to become a consecrated virgin. .

"The call to give testimony The virginal, conjugal and fruitful love of the church for Christ is not reduced to the symbol of physical integrity, "he says.