A 38-year-old joined an elite band of ‘consecratedvirgins’ when she
‘got married’ to the son of God in downtown Fort Wayne at the weekend.
The consecrated virgins are similar to nuns in that they live caste
lives. But they do not live in convents and they are not obliged to take
on any particular work for the Catholic Church. However, most volunteer
for their local diocese or Church associations.
Hayes, who is a theology teacher at Bishop Dwenger High School in Fort
Wayne, said she decided to become an consecrated virgin after years of
prayer and soul-searching.
She says she will continue to live her normal life at
home – only now she will not be able to get married to anyone else or
to have sex for the rest of her life.
‘My students asked if they should call me Mrs. Hayes when I come back to
school next week, and no, I’m still Ms,’ she said.’But I am married to
Jesus.’
As a consecrated virgin, Hayes may not have ‘knowing and deliberately’ engaged in sexual relations in the past.
‘I think that in some sense, we’re all called to be married. It’s just a
matter of discerning how. So, my marriage is to Christ and someone
else’s marriage is to their spouse,
Saturday’s ceremony was conducted by Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades at the
Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. He said: ‘It seems most
appropriate that Jessica gives herself totally to Jesus, is consecrated
to a life of virginity.’
Hundreds of people attended the service – most of whom were strangers to
the bride. She said most turned up because they were ‘interested’ – and
she was pleased with the turnout.
‘Now that I’ve made a public commitment, that’s really an encouragement
to me to live up to that because people know that this is who I am and
my life needs to be lived in conformity with that,’ she explained.‘So, it’s one more step in that direction that others expect this way of
life from me and I need to live consistently in my words and actions
that love for Jesus.‘I’m so happy to have had so many witnesses (at the wedding) because
there may be others that the Lord is calling in this way that have now
heard of this life and can consider it in their prayer.’
During the service of consecration, the virgins must resolve to
‘persevere to the end of their days in the holy state of virginity and
in the service of God and his Church’.
They must also accept ‘solemn consecration as a bride of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God
Culled from Mailonline