the_rev Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 Woman joins small club of ‘consecrated virgins’ 43-year-old in New York turns down sex for Jesus in rare Catholic ceremony The Associated Press Updated: 3:48 a.m. ET Oct 8, 2006 EAST AURORA, N.Y. - She stood at the altar in a white gown and veil, but she was there for no earthly man. Lori Rose Cannizzaro was dedicating her virginity to Jesus. Saturday's rare Catholic ceremony, one her own pastor didn't know existed, turned the 42-year-old into a "consecrated virgin." Fewer than 200 women in the United States and 2,000 worldwide have declared their perpetual virginity this way, according to U.S. Association of Consecrated Virgins. "There are people who think I'm nuts," Cannizzaro said. The ceremony was a revival of one of the church's oldest rituals. Mystical marriage The rite is available only to virgins, who agree to abstain from sex so they can dedicate their lives to Jesus Christ in what the association describes as a mystical marriage and a profound spiritual blessing. Each woman wears a band on her left ring finger as a symbol, much like a wedding band. Cannizzaro, who is not a nun, will continue to live on her own and work as a cook at Christ the King Seminary in a Buffalo suburb. She said she has plenty of support from family and friends. "It is a good and holy thing to want to be in a virginal state," she said. The ceremony was just the second of its kind performed in the Diocese of Buffalo. ‘Dating wasn’t working’ The idea of consecrated virgins faded in the Middle Ages, but Pope Paul VI restored the rite in 1970. Only a bishop can perform the special Mass. Bishop Edward Kmiec led Cannizzaro's ceremony at her home parish, Immaculate Conception. Cannizzaro, who spent the past two years taking seminary classes in preparation, said she knew more than a decade ago she would be better off single. "Dating wasn't working. I wasn't connecting," she said. "Not that I never wanted to be married or never wanted children." © 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brendan1104 Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 That took place in my diocese. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeavenlyCalling Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 Really? Thats pretty cool. I dont know if I could do that, live all alone like that. I'd either want to be married or in a convent ( I hope God leads me to the latter) but good for her Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlterDominicus Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 I think that is a majorly cool idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortnun Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 [quote name='HeavenlyCalling' post='1086671' date='Oct 8 2006, 08:41 AM'] Really? Thats pretty cool. I dont know if I could do that, live all alone like that. I'd either want to be married or in a convent ( I hope God leads me to the latter) but good for her [/quote] I could be wrong, but I think you could still be a consecrated virgin and live with other people (an intentional, informal community of sorts). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All4HIM Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 If you are interested, have a look [url="http://www.consecratedvirgins.org/"]*at this page*.[/url] The consecrated virgins of the USA have formed an association and they have meatings and offer retreats... we don´t have such an organisation in Gemany, but there is an meeting once every year - like a short retreat. In our diocese we meet every three or four month. And once a year there is a meeting with our bishop (but I am only allowed to go to the more "informal" meetings - for the meeting with our bishop I have to wait another 1 1/2 years, until after I am consecrated...). I have been preparing to receive the consecration of virgins since 1999. It resembles solemn profession so they require private vows for more than five years before that... just to give you time to see if this is your vocation... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passionheart Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 I discerned a vocation as a consecrated virgin as well. I received some wonderful resources from the group in the United States. This is a beautiful vocation but if you are interested in this vocation, find out the position of your bishop in regards to CV. The archbishop in my diocese consecrated one lady and that was it. He wouldn't consecrate any more women. So if I had continued on this road, I would have had to move to a different diocese. I am sorry to say, the position of my archbishop is not unique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All4HIM Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 [quote name='passionheart' post='1086731' date='Oct 8 2006, 07:54 PM'] I discerned a vocation as a consecrated virgin as well. I received some wonderful resources from the group in the United States. This is a beautiful vocation but if you are interested in this vocation, find out the position of your bishop in regards to CV. The archbishop in my diocese consecrated one lady and that was it. He wouldn't consecrate any more women. So if I had continued on this road, I would have had to move to a different diocese. I am sorry to say, the position of my archbishop is not unique. [/quote] @ Passionheart I know - there are several bishops in Germany who don´t want to have consecrated virgins (probably they don´t understand the background) so they simply don´t consecrate women. They are free, of course, to do so - but I think, it´s not "fair". Of course I would obay if my bishop said: I don´t want it, but it would be difficult. I believe in God´s will: If he wants me to be consecrated, I will be a consecrated virgin soon... : Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passionheart Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 [quote name='All4HIM' post='1086740' date='Oct 8 2006, 02:45 PM'] @ Passionheart I know - there are several bishops in Germany who don´t want to have consecrated virgins (probably they don´t understand the background) so they simply don´t consecrate women. They are free, of course, to do so - but I think, it´s not "fair". Of course I would obay if my bishop said: I don´t want it, but it would be difficult. I believe in God´s will: If he wants me to be consecrated, I will be a consecrated virgin soon... : [/quote] AMEN dear sister. : If I continued on this path, I was going to move the neighbouring diocese because the bishop there is very opened to CV!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruso Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 Info in USA [url="http://www.consecratedvirgins.org/"]http://www.consecratedvirgins.org/[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 I've heard you don't have to be a virgin to become a CV. There are widows and divorcees in their ranks, if I'm not mistaken. If anything happened to my husband, I'd seriously discern the vocation. Blessings, Gemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All4HIM Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 Gemma, this is definately not possible - of course you have to be a virgin! Have a look at the homepage of the CV of the USA: [url="http://www.consecratedvirgins.org/cv/whatcv.html"]- *klick here*[/url] It says: [quote]Who can be consecrated? A woman living in the world [b]who has never married or lived in open violation of chastity[/b], and who by age, prudence, and good character is deemed suitable for dedicating herself to a life of chastity in the service of the Church and of her neighbor may petition her bishop to receive the Consecration. She must be admitted to this Consecration by her local Bishop; it is he who determines the conditions under which the candidate is to undertake a life of [b]perpetual virginity [/b] lived in the world. Usually, a woman who aspires to the Consecration works with a spiritual director and has lived a private promise of [b]perpetual virginity [/b] for some years before seeking the Consecration of a Virgin. [/quote] You are consecrated as a virgin, you don´t become a virgins druing the ceremony. And "virgo" is a women who did never sleep with a man. How can one give something to Jesus that one don´t have? It´s a very strong eschatological sign: A consecrated virgins shows that she doesn´t "miss" anything in this world! See also [url="http://www.consecratedvirgins.org/q-a/qa-d.html"]*here:* [/url] [quote]Is physical virginity necessary in order to receive the Consecration of a Virgin? Yes. Can someone offer to God what she does not have?[/quote] [quote name='Gemma' post='1087300' date='Oct 9 2006, 02:12 PM'] I've heard you don't have to be a virgin to become a CV. There are widows and divorcees in their ranks, if I'm not mistaken. If anything happened to my husband, I'd seriously discern the vocation. Blessings, Gemma [/quote] Gemma, what you have in opinion is the (Geman) "Witwenweihe" - especially for widows. I don´t know the exact expression in English.... Could somebody help? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemma Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 I seem to recall a lady in the midwest (can't remember exactly where) who said she was a divorcee and taking the "virginal consecration." I'm only going off of what others have said. I see no reason to go ballistic. Blessings, Gemma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passionheart Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 [quote name='Gemma' post='1087348' date='Oct 9 2006, 11:03 AM'] I seem to recall a lady in the midwest (can't remember exactly where) who said she was a divorcee and taking the "virginal consecration." I'm only going off of what others have said. I see no reason to go ballistic. Blessings, Gemma [/quote] I know that the SOLT: The Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity has Consecrated Widows and Widowers. Here is a link for info: [url="http://www.solt3.org/widows.htm"]http://www.solt3.org/widows.htm[/url] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puellapaschalis Posted October 9, 2006 Share Posted October 9, 2006 I believe All4Him's native language is German, rather than English. For this reason I would be extra-charitable in reading non-verbal overtones in her post, just as I expect a little leeway in anything I write in Dutch. Love and prayers, PP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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