The Vatican Issues New Document on Consecrated Virgins

The Vatican has released a new document on the life of consecrated virgins. Ecclesiae Sponsae Imago is the first Vatican document to deal with the life of consecrated virgins who are not associated with religious orders. The document explains the tradition of consecrated life within the Church and offers a detailed presentation of the norms and principles governing the life of consecrated virgins. In 1970, a new ritual for the consecration of virgins allowed for the inclusion of “women who remain in their own ordinary life context” as well as members of religious orders. Since that time, the number of such consecrated virgins has steadily grown, so that today there are more than 5,000. “Consecrated virgins are present in all the continents, in many dioceses, and offer their own witness of life in every area of society and of the Church,” the Vatican document says. Ecclesiae Sponsae Imago was prepared in response to queries from many bishops around the world, who sought guidance from the Holy See in providing pastoral care for consecrated virgins. The document, “Is intended to help discover the beauty of this vocation, and to help show the beauty of the Lord Who transfigures the life of so many women who experience it every day.”