From The Michigan Catholic:
Karen Ervin couldn’t wait to share the good news with her friends and family.
She has the dress all picked out, a church ready to go, a date set — all the makings of a typical Catholic wedding.
On June 24, Ervin, a parishioner at Our Lady of Good Counsel in Plymouth and principal of St. Catherine of Siena Academy in Wixom, will be celebrating one of the most important days of her life.
But the news Ervin shared with her friends seemed to bring up more questions than answers. She, along with Theresa Jordan and Laurie Malashanko, are to be consecrated to a life of perpetual virginity.
Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron will consecrate them at 11 a.m. on June 24 at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.
“Consecrated what?” Ervin’s friends ask as she explains her vocation.
Consecrated virgins are married to Jesus, declaring their intent to the bishop of their diocese to be faithful spouses to Christ.
“People that are in the Church usually ask if I’m becoming a religious sister,” Ervin said in an interview with The Michigan Catholic. “I answer no, I’m not going to become a religious sister, and I’m not going to be living in a community.”
Susan Cummins, regional coordinator of evangelization for the South Region of the Archdiocese of Detroit, is a consecrated virgin currently living in the archdiocese after being consecrated June 24, 2002, at St. Mary Cathedral in the Diocese of Lansing by Bishop Carl Mengeling.
“This particular vocation is for women who are called to live a life consecrated to Jesus and to the service of his Church in the world,” Cummins explained. “They are not called to a particular religious order. There are no vows. The bishop consecrates the virgins using the ancient Rite of Consecration Virgins Living in the World. The women are set aside for perpetual virginity, a publically consecrated life, but living in the world.”
Consecrated virgins have “9-to-5” jobs, supporting themselves. They do not live in a religious community and do not wear habits. On their “big day,” the three women will be wearing traditional wedding dresses and walk up the aisle to Archbishop Allen H. Vigneron to make a lifelong commitment to Jesus.
Photos: The Michigan Catholic
