Pope says charism of consecrated virgins can help all people

Published: 2008-05-15

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- While the rest of the world may think chastity is something "unintelligible and useless," the order of consecrated virgins is a charism that can be fruitful and beneficial to all people, Pope Benedict XVI said. "With your righteous life, you can be the stars that guide the journey of the world," he said in a May 15 private audience with about 500 consecrated virgins from across the globe. He said he wished to encourage them in their vocations and hoped they would grow daily in their awareness that this charism is "as bright and fertile in the eyes of faith as it is unintelligible and useless (in the eyes) of the world." The women were in Rome as part of a May 14-17 international congress of consecrated virgins discussing how to foster the order and how it is lived in the world. Consecrated by her local bishop, a consecrated virgin makes a promise of perpetual virginity, prayer and service to the church while living independently in society.

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