Just found this story via my Plurk friends … “Woman is first consecrated virgin in Richmond diocese” by Steven G. Vegh (The Virginian-Pilot © July 27, 2008)
Here’s the first section of the article:
Fresh-faced and vivacious, Bernadette Snyder says she grew up in Virginia assuming Catholic girls like her either became nuns or found a man.
At 29, she is still single, and assuredly not a nun.
“I mean, do you see this in a convent?” Snyder said, glancing at her flowered skirt, peasant blouse and jewelry. “It just doesn’t happen. I mean, really!”
Instead, Snyder chose a little-known third path with a long tradition in Catholicism: She became a consecrated, perpetual virgin – the first in the 188-year history of the Richmond diocese, which includes Hampton Roads.
Wearing a white sundress and big pink earrings, Snyder knelt in May as Bishop Francis X. DiLorenzo laid hands on hers in the rite of Consecration to a Life of Virginity of Women Living in the World.
It’s pretty cool that there is interested in this Catholic vocation of consecrated virginity. It most definitely is not widely known which is unfortunate because people like Bernadette might find their life’s calling within that vocation. It’s important that we know more about this vocation and encourage others to consider it. Pope Benedict XVI recently spoke about the beauty of this Catholic vocation of consecrated virginity. The pope noted:
“The choice of virginal life is an allusion to the transitory nature of earthly things and an anticipation of future good. Be witnesses of vigilant and industrious hope, of joy, of the peace that belongs to those who abandon themselves to the love of God. Be present in the world, yet pilgrims on the journey to the kingdom.”
I do beg to differ, however, with the characterization of nuns in this article (I’m very protective of the image of Catholic nuns as A Nun’s Life readers probably know by now!). I know lots of nuns who wear ordinary, modest outfits which may include flowered skirts, peasant blouses, or jewelry. Why, just the other day I was donning my cycling habit — coolmax tank top, cool biker-dude sunglasses, and black spandex shorts (okay, well that’s something that no one should admit to in public, but I’m trying to make a point here 
). There are a variety of styles of dress that Catholic nuns wear, among them are the “traditional” habit, the modified habit with or without veil, and dress that resembles the ordinary, modest clothing of a particular culture.
For whatever reason (intrigue, sensationalism, ignorance, cutesie-ness, etc.) the writer of this article about Bernadette chose to make dress an issue and to play it against stereotypes of nuns as women who only ever wear traditional habits and who lack personal flair. (Note: this is a false stereotype but one which surfaces again and again.)
Okay, i’m done with my nun stereotype crusade, at least for now.
Back to this amazing event … wow, a young woman becoming a consecrated virgin. Way to go, Bernadette! You’ve given many people a glimpse into a wonderful vocation within the Catholic Church. Please be assured of my prayers.
Thoughts, reactions, questions?
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{ 24 comments… read them below or add one }
Sister Julie,
Thank you for this great and timely post on consecrated virgins.
Somehow, I truly hope that parishes/pastors-priests ( and I dont know who else) get the word to young people about their options in life ie religious, married, single and consecrated virgins.
THis is especially so as the culture is so against committed and faithful relationships.
This is so VERY important – now, more than ever.
Please see the article in the following link:
“Sex on TV puts marriage in backseat”
http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080806/ENT03/80806030
What the heck is it with the snark towards orders? It seems like it’s in to snark against religious orders, especially those that don’t wear a habit. Different gifts, different vocations, you know? We (laity and religious) are all supposed to be doing God’s work.
Not you, but I’m speaking of snark in general.
I don’t get the comments about clothing either but when I tell people I want to be a sister I hear the same thing all the time. I tell them that things have changed since Vatican II, but what they see on television and in film isn’t helping. I think the idea of be a consecrated virgin is a wonderful option for those who chose not to be a vowed religious or a married person. I think society places too much value on sex and doesn’t see its true place in God’s plan for us. It wasn’t meant to be something people just gave away freely but something between two married people to be treasured.
I think that if this “third way” were better publicized and better understood, there would be a mini-revival of it here in the US. As the doddering old fogies of my age, the people who want to hippie-fy the Church, move off the scene, the people who grew up with JP2 and B16 will become more prominent, and I think we’ve seen that they love the life of the Church. However, Americans are still Americans, and living a consecrated life while living on your own holds a lot of appeal.
Kazimer and Terry … I couldn’t agree with you more. We (individuals, parishes, parents, teachers, etc.) need to be better versed in Catholic vocations. As fabulous as it is to be a nun or a priest, there are other vocations that people just don’t know about. I recently was asked to write more on Catholic vocations and I think now is exactly the time. More from me soon. Oh, and will check out the article you recommended, Kazimer.
Jen … I know. I don’t understand the snark. Why is it that in order to highlight one thing, we have to put down something else to elevate it? My oft-repeated request is that we celebrate the rich diversity of religious life and of all Catholic vocations.
Melissa … well said. It can be so challenging when exploring religious life to have to deal with everyone else’s ideas, misconceptions, etc. about religious life. Then again, it’s good in the sense that it gives us a chance to grow in articulating what religious life means to us and to the Church; it also helps us to help others along in understanding who God is and how we are all called by God.
Well done to Bernadette, and I agree entirely with the comments re stereotyping.
Here in Ireland we are a quarter of the way through a Year of Vocations and after checking one of the main vocation sites I’ve discovered no direct link to consecrated virgin as vocation, the nearest being Secular Institute but this also involves vows of poverty and obedience.
Please do write more on Catholic Vocations, Sr Julie, and of ‘being present in the world, yet pilgrims on the journey to the Kingdom.’
Cardinal Sean just posted today about attending a consecration last weekend:
http://www.cardinalseansblog.org/2008/08/08/126th-supreme-convention-of-the-knights-of-columbus/
Ironic, I thought — I *never* hear about consecrated virgins, and then I hear about two in one week.
I am twenty-three years old and God willing, I will become a consecrated virgin next year. One major challenge in discerning this vocation—or even in educating people about it—is that there is VERY little written about consecrated virginity in the world as a form of consecrated life.
But for anyone who may be interested, the United States Association of Consecrated Virgins has an excellent website: http://www.consecratedvirgins.org.
And on a much more modest level, I started a blog: http://www.sponsa-christi.blogspot.com.
Sr Julie… Thank you for this post. Can I request you to write on Secular Institutes also? Its also considered something of the ‘third way’. Even though there are vows, it is quite different from nuns. I have been discerning for a while and would mostly join one soon. I have faced stiff opposition because I have been considering secular institutes and not the ‘traditional convent’. If more people knew about it, it would help many more.
Rosemary
Ann and Rosemary — thanks for the encouragement to write more on vocations. I am definitely going to do so … once September comes, I’ll have some more time to research stuff and write. I know religious life best, but will also read up on vocations to consecrated virginity, the hermetical life, and secular institutes. Any other links, books, etc. that you think would be helpful, please send them to me here or via my email at sisterjulie (at) anunslife (dot) org.
Hi, Aspiring Consecrated Virgin — thanks for writing! So glad to hear about your journey and to know of your blog. I will definitely come by and check it out. I know it’s tough enough trying to explain what a nun is, I can’t imagine what it is like to explain consecrated virginity. My prayers are with you. Let’s keep in touch.
The dress of nun ( or for that matter, anyone else ) is a non-issue.
What I’d be interested is this idea of consecrated virginity. My Catholic friends have never heard of such a thing. In Hinduism we have this strong tradition of folks going avowedly solo and chaste.
Cool post. Thanks.
Sr. Julie, I’m so glad you are going to be giving some attention to the less-common vocations. I hope to become a consecrated hermit one of these days, and it is hard to find much information!
Blessings,
Regina
It is a good thing to lead a celibate life for the Lord but without the checks and balances – and the communal life to support it, it would be very difficult for a solitary consecrated person to persevere and grow in a healthy spiritual manner. I presume they would have a spiritual advisor and have some kind of charism otherwise they are just like the rest of us here trying to serve the Lord in our chosen fields and not necessarily ‘consecrated’.
I believe a formal habit is very important as a reminder of one’s vows and of one’s espousal to the Lord. It is also important as an outward sign of humility. I would hope the consecrated life does not devolve into an ego trip.
jm … I don’t know what the community support for a consecrated virgin is, but like you I presume there the person has a spiritual director and is closely connected with the local diocese and a parish.
Sister Julie, I hope you don’t mind if I respond to jm’s question—I do have a good spiritual director who understands the nature and value of consecrated virginity, and I keep in close contact with the Vicar for Religious in my diocese. On a less formal level, there have been several priests and religious in my life who have been like mentors for me. In addition to receiving their prayerful moral support, I have also learned a lot by watching them live their own vocations faithfully. In general, I also try only to cultivate friendships which will foster the commitment I hope to make to God and the Church.
I do think that the consecrated life as an occasion for pride is a very serious concern (and one which several Church fathers discussed in their writings about consecrated virginity). However, I think that if a person’s spiritual life is roughly where it should be, they will find abundant opportunities to grow in humility. As several of the saints have written, the closer you draw to God, the more He shows you your flaws!
Thanks for responding, AACV, and for writing about what it is like to pursue (and be pursued by) this vocation.
An aspiring consecrated virgin.
Amen!
I just found this blog today, as EVERYONE has been sending me links to the ‘Miss Sister’ Beauty Contest… which is another absurd topic in itself…
(
But I was delighted when I started looking through past topics and found this one! I happened to be visiting a friend in Richmond who is a member of this parish, and I attended this very moving ceremony!! It is a shame the writer seemed to focus on the way she was dressed, and failed to mention that Bernadette’s parents were there, and stood beside her with their hands upon her as she knelt pronouncing her vows. That a simple gold band was blessed and placed on her left hand by the Bishop to symbolize those vows.
I wear a modified habit and veil, and I was wearing it while attending this Mass. The parishioners generally had no idea what was going to happen with this ceremony, and neither did I, but they knew Bernadette as she did some work in that parish. Many people came over to me before Mass asking what it was about (the habit attracted them) and many asked why, if she was taking vows, didn’t she just ‘join an Order’. I of course could not answer them, as I didn’t know what to expect either, and I didn’t know the young woman.
But, after this very beautiful and uplifting Mass, the whole congregation flocked to her and stood on line to congratulate her. Many were moved to tears (as was myself) at the simplicity and the feeling of being blessed and honored to having witnessed such a sacred event.
Thanks for writing in, Sister Francis Patrick. I know — I’m getting lots of links too, and a couple threats from friends that they are going to enter me into the contest. No thanks! How cool that you were at this ceremony. I’m glad to know more of the details and what a beautiful event it was.
I work at an Assisted Living facility, and all our Residents were buzzing yesterday when the ‘Miss Sister’ article was in the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch newspaper. They want to enter myself and the other two Sisters missioned here. I’m not sure what our talents would be – either shampooing rugs, or filling weekly medicine boxes! Do you think there’s a talent category for those?
)
It seems odd that you make a point about the reasons/motivations of the writer “intrigue, sensationalism, ignorance, cutsie-ness, etc.” and yet ignore the most obvious reason — the quote from the subject herself: “I mean, do you see this in a convent? It just doesn’t happen, really!”
She was the one who suggested the stereotype — rather strongly, actually. The writer’s story merely reflected this. It’s hardly surprising that the reporter would expect the young woman, who was making a very serious commitment, to be a knowledgeable source on this subject. Why take the writer to task when the young woman herself appears to be ignorant?
You are obviously sensitive about stereotypes as they apply to you; you might want to be more careful about the stereotypes you apply to others. (Those reporters — always trying to sensationalize something!)
An interesting site, though, and I enjoyed coming across it. (And yes, I am a journalist.)
Hi Don, Thanks for writing. Yes, I guess I am a bit sensitive about stereotypes and do not wish to apply stereotypes to others. As a writer, I know that it’s helpful to have a “hook” to grab people’s attention. I just wish that when it came to nuns, that “hook” wouldn’t always play into existing, unhelpful stereotypes. Having been misquoted multiple times by reporters, I take quotes with a grain of salt. It was the writer’s choice to highlight that quote, not the subject who made that choice. But, Don, your point is well taken, and it is something that all reporters, including myself as a blogger, have to be careful of too — that we don’t get so caught up in the “hook” that we am unfaithful to the subject. I have read and quoted many reporters who have done a fantastic job with stories that involve nuns. One of my favorites is this one about Astro Nun Sister Damian by Bill Phillips of Texas Country Reporter.
To All Who Might be Interested:
There is a very good book written about consecrated virginity:
The Mystery of Love for the Single
By: Fr. Dominic J. Unger OFM Cap.
This is the only document I have found that discusses this vocation in depth.