Author Topic: Why isnt consecrated virginity a sacrament? (Read 1908 times)

Geremia · « **on:** November 11, 2016, 09:54:50 AM »

Why isn't consecrated virginity a sacrament?

Ladislaus · « **Reply #1 on:** November 11, 2016, 10:04:17 AM »

Ask Our Lord. He chose not to institute a Sacrament for that. Would seem to me that something like that involves a need for actual graces (which would be plentiful) but not necessarily some ex opere operato effect.

MyrnaM · « **Reply #2 on:** November 11, 2016, 10:52:01 AM »

Because SEVEN means perfection, and there are seven sacraments = the Will of God

Seven days in the week
Seven colors in the rainbow
God rested on the seventh day
In the book of Apocalypse, there are seven churches,
seven angels to the seven churches,
seven seals, seven trumpet plagues,
seven thunders and the seven last plagues.

And many more mentions of the number seven.

Geremia · « **Reply #3 on:** November 11, 2016, 11:17:43 AM »

Quote from: Ladislaus

Would seem to me that something like that involves a need for actual graces (which would be plentiful) but not necessarily some ex opere operato effect.

What you say here seems to be what Pope Pius XII is saying in his 1954 encyclical Sacra Virginitas:

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37. We have recently with sorrow censured the opinion of those who contend that marriage is the only means of assuring the natural development and perfection of the human personality.?? For there are those who maintain that the grace of the sacrament, conferred ex opere operato, renders the use of marriage so holy as to be a fitter instrument than virginity for uniting souls with God; for marriage is a sacrament, but not virginity. We denounce this doctrine as a dangerous error. Certainly, the sacrament grants the married couple the grace to accomplish holily the duties of their married state, and it strengthens the bonds of mutual affection that unite them; but the purpose of its institution was not to make the employment of marriage the means, most suitable in itself, for uniting the souls of the husband and wife with God by the bonds of charity.?¹

It's a beautiful passage because it clears up misconceptions about both virginity and marriage. It seems virginity and marriage can only be properly and fully understood in reference to each other.

Fr. Hardon, S.J., defines "ex opere operato" as:

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A term defined by the Council of Trent to describe how the sacraments confer the grace they signify. Trent condemned the following proposition: "That grace is not conferred 'ex opere operato' by the sacraments of the New Law" (Denzinger 1608). Literally the expression means "from the work performed," stating that grace is always conferred by a sacrament, in virtue of the rite performed and not as a mere sign that grace has already been given, or that the sacrament stimulates the faith of the recipient and thus occasions the obtaining of grace, or that what determines the grace is the virtue of either the minister or recipient of a sacrament. Provided no obstacle (obex) is placed in the way, every sacrament properly administered confers the grace intended by the sacrament. In a true sense the sacraments are instrumental causes of grace.

AMDGJMJ · « **Reply #4 on:** November 11, 2016, 05:19:47 PM »

A good question... Why do monks, nuns, third order religious, and hermits not get an extra Sacrament for them?

Marriage is obviously one of the hardest vocations to live properly. One is responsible for one's own soul and also one's children; all the while living amidst the world.

Being a priest is a sacred but heavy responsibility. A priest is in charge of SO MANY souls that he would certainly need extra graces to help him through the difficulties in his life.

As for the religious life or single life, one might have trials and struggles, but one is usually not as directly responsible for a number of other souls' salvation.

Also... I think that perhaps the vocation of being a virgin carries with it enough graces that it does not need to be a Sacrament...

Hope this helps!

Keep fighting and may God bless you! :-)