Other forms of Consecrated Life in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis

Can. 603 §1, Code of Canon Law. In addition to institutes of consecrated life, the Church recognizes the eremitic or anchoritic life by which the Christian faithful devote their life to the praise of God and the salvation of the world through a stricter withdrawal from the world, the silence of solitude, and assiduous prayer and penance.
Can. 604 §1, Code of Canon Law. Similar to these forms of consecrated life is the order of virgins who, expressing the holy resolution of following Christ more closely, are consecrated to God by the diocesan bishop according to the approved liturgical rite, are mystically betrothed to Christ, the Son of God, and are dedicated to the service of the Church.

Canonical Hermits:

Canonical hermits are men and women who publicly and perpetually consecrate their lives in a special way ‘to the praise of God and salvation of the world through a stricter separation from the world, the silence of solitude, and assiduous prayer and penance.’ Like other forms of consecrated life, the hermit professes the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity, and obedience.

For a Catholic hermit, withdrawal from the world is not an escape from life or the ills of the world, but rather a special calling to deepening communion with God and others through intense prayer, simple living, and sacrifice. Despite its hidden dimension, eremitical life is an ecclesial vocation, one ordered to fortifying the Mystical Body of Christ, the Church.

The Church does not provide one standardized rule of life for all hermits, because it is recognized that each hermit has unique circumstances. A hermit, therefore, has freedom to order his or her life so as to be available to God in prayer and daily living, always acknowledging the responsibility to remain firm in his or her intention to live the eremitical life. Each canonical hermit writes his or her own plan of life (‘rule’) as a method of nurturing values (prayer, penance, solitude, silence, poverty, chastity, obedience) that open the soul to greater praise of God and communion with all people.

Consecration as a hermit does not confer an office or appointment to a professional service within the Church. Canonical hermits exist in relationship to the local Church, yet they are free to move elsewhere. The local bishop offers spiritual support for the hermit’s vocation, but consecration as a hermit does not establish a claim for maintenance or employment by the Church. A hermit must be self-supporting, and must have appropriate arrangements for health care and retirement income.

Public commitment to eremitical life is usually not conferred before the age of thirty. In addition, an individual desiring consecration as a hermit must have experience at living some aspects of a solitary life, be currently living in ordered circumstances, and possess a mature spiritual life. A valid marriage bond is an impediment to receiving consecration as a hermit.


Consecration to a Life of Virginity for Women Living in the World (the Order of Virgins):

The Rite of Consecration to the Order of Virgins has it origins in the earliest centuries of Christianity, when both men and women dedicated themselves permanently to a life of virginity. Historically, the early virgins constituted a distinct ‘order’ of persons in the Church, but as monastic and religious life developed they were incorporated into these institutes of consecrated life. The consecration of women virgins living in the world virtually disappeared until 1970 when the Church restored the rite to its original significance: consecrating a woman who lives in the world.

The Rite of Consecration is a sacramental through which a woman who has affirmed her resolution of perpetual virginity is set apart as a sacred person who belongs exclusively to Christ. The consecration calls a woman into an ecclesial vocation, into a growing communion with the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ, in all its brokenness and glory. Through the consecration the Church also reveals its love of virginity as embraced by the one who is consecrated for the sake of more fervent love of Christ and for a greater freedom in service to her brothers and sisters.

Living as a consecrated virgin in the world necessitates an intense life of prayer, and the virgin is strongly encouraged to pray the Liturgy of the Hours each day, and to participate frequently in the celebration of the Eucharist and the sacrament of Penance. At the same time, the virgin is not obliged to take on any particular work or apostolate, and must support herself by earning her own living. The consecration does not confer an office or appointment to any definite professional service in the Church, nor does it establish a claim to maintenance or employment by the Church.

The consecration is primarily intended for women who are not members of any order or institute and who desire to make a public promise of perpetual virginity.  A woman living in the world who has never married or lived in open violation of chastity, and who has lived a tranquil, spiritually and emotionally mature life of committed virginity for some years, may petition her local bishop for consecration. Consecration is usually not conferred before the age of thirty.

For more information about consecrated virginity or eremitical life, please contact the Delegate for Religious.