
A celebration of consecration for Crystal Hampson was held June 9, 2021 at the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Saskatoon, with Bishop Mark Hagemoen presiding. (Photo by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)
By Crystal Hampson
My journey of vocation discernment was a long one. I am a candidate for “consecration to a life of virginity lived in the world.” A special Rite will be celebrated June 9, at the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Saskatoon, at which I will be formally consecrated and admitted to this vocation.
This special Mass at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 9 is open to everyone to attend (register here to attend in person or view the live-streamed video at saskatoonmass.com).
Consecrated virgins are women who live their life in the spirit of the evangelical counsels of chastity, poverty and obedience.
They make a resolution of chastity in the hands of the bishop at the Rite of Consecration.
They don’t explicitly take vows of poverty or obedience, but they live in that same spirit. They spend considerable time in prayer each day. They typically pray the Liturgy of the Hours, particularly Morning and Evening Prayer, and attend daily Mass as they are able, plus other personal prayer.
They are not members of a religious community, and are not called “sister.” They do not wear a habit, but they wear a ring, which is the insignia of their consecration. They may receive a veil at their consecration, also as insignia. It is not part of their daily attire but worn on appropriate occasions.
They live in the ordinary circumstances of life, like most lay people, They earn their own living by having a job or a business. They contribute, usually in small ways, in service to the faith community or the wider community, based on their particular gifts, circumstances and way of life.
This way of life arose in the very early centuries of the Church, pre-dating most forms of religious life. It is in some ways a simpler version of the same general type of call: to live in celibate chastity, for the sake of the Kingdom. It originally applied to men as well as women.
Over time, it evolved and was generally absorbed into religious life. A particular Rite and prayer of consecration for women was developed in the early Church. Over time, it fell into disuse, though some monasteries of women used it.
Vatican II revived its use for women living in the world. The Rite was revised in 1970 and made available once again to women like me. According to a statement from the CCCB in 2018, there are about 60 consecrated virgins in Canada and an estimated 5,000 around the world.
The life of consecrated virgins places a special focus on celibacy or chastity. One of the requirements of candidates is “that they have never married, or lived in public or open violation of chastity.” Of course, if for example someone had been subjected to sexual violence or abuse, that would not exclude her from the possibility of this vocation. The vocation is then both fruit of a life of chastity and a commitment to it going forward.
The heart of this vocation is its spirituality, which is spousal spirituality. The vocation is a sign of God’s great, personal and intimate love for each of us, which we all experience to some degree now and will experience fully in the life to come.
This vocation is a complement to marriage. Both vocations show us the love between Christ and the Church. In Christian marriage, the spouses are this sign in their love for each other. In a complementary way, the love between the consecrated virgin and Christ is also a witness of the love between Christ and the Church. This is why the insignia, as well as many elements in the liturgy of the Rite, are nuptial references. The ring and the veil, for example, are bridal imagery and are signs of that the candidate has been dedicated to Christ, the Bridegroom of the Church.
I had not heard of this vocation until I had already been discerning for many years.
The thought of some form of religious vocation initially came to me in my early teens. Through my late teens and beyond, I continued to seek God, or more accurately, to respond to God who is already drawing us to himself. I explored the possibility of religious life, particularly contemplative or monastic community, but was not finding my place.
At one point, I came across a reference to consecrated virgins and looked up more about them. I read writings describing this vocation, sometimes quite beautifully. As I read, I felt within myself, “I think this might be it.”
A long period of continued discernment followed. I am cautious by nature and didn’t want to head in a wrong direction on such a big decision. I didn’t know much about this life or the women who lived it. Until you understand it well, it can even sound odd. I met or spoke with some of the women who live this life. I continued to search, pray and discern both this vocation and others.
Over time, I began to feel settled regarding this vocation. I stopped searching. It wasn’t that I had made a decision to live this life and then, having made a decision, I stopped searching. It was like whatever within me was impelling me to keep searching, for so many years, stopped here. Then as I began to take concrete steps towards this vocation, contacting specific people locally to talk about it, things kept working out positively. The effect on me seemed good, increasing in the fruit of the Spirit.
I approached the diocese and inquired. A period of assessment and preparation followed for a few years and ultimately Bishop Mark Hagemoen decided to admit me to this vocation through the upcoming celebration on June 9.
The experience of living this vocation is really quite beautiful. It is difficult to do it justice as I try to explain it here. To centre my life on God, and to live increasingly deeply in his awe-inspiring love for us, in this particular way, is an incredible gift and a great joy.
It is truly amazing how the Spirit inspires in the Church a variety of vocations, yet they all form a harmony, with each one being beautiful in a different way.
Let us celebrate these varied signs of the goodness and creativity of God.
Celebration held June 9, 2021 at the Cathedral of the Holy Family in Saskatoon:
(Photos by Kiply Lukan Yaworski, Catholic Saskatoon News)
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