Catholic Single Vocation celebrates and supports the Catholic who has chosen the single vocation as the best and most joyful and fulfilling way to know and love God. We explore what that means, and work to provide resources, including books, websites, reflections, and articles, that support your effort to live and celebrate your Catholic Single Vocation. Our efforts are guided by six objectives:
- To become a comprehensive source of information and support for men and women who have chosen to live a single vocation in the Catholic Church.
- To work on behalf of Christ and the Catholic Church’s mission in the world.
- To foster the single person’s baptismal mission in the Catholic Church and the world.
- To support the single person’s effort to live a whole and holy life.
- To foster a sense of community among men and women who choose to live a single vocation.
- To raise awareness and celebration of the single vocation in the Catholic Church as a joyful and fulfilling way to know, love and serve the Lord.
Your comments and suggestions are always welcome!
I am so glad I found this group. I am 42 and yep still single. I have always felt a lot of pressure from society to marry and my aunt and I are the oddballs who decided not to marry. There’s nothing wrong with me and I didn’t choose to remain single. I have had relationships but they haven’t turned to marriage because I felt God was leading me down a different path. I have thought about the religious life but I haven’t felt a tug to down that direction either. I really feel I can serve the Lord where I am at now. In my church community, it’s very hard because they only have groups for young people. Once you hit 40 where do you go. I have felt invisible for a long time, like I was less than married couples but now I know that’s not for me right now. I don’t like to say I will never do this because God’s Will for me may be different in the future but for now, I feel like He fills me up and I am happy. I would like to join a spiritualy community for people who have a vocation to be single so I don’t feel alone. Any recommendations would help.
I am so happy and excited about your website. Am glad i chanced upon you. You are doing much needed work. Congratulations and may the Spirit who led you to do this sustain you . I would be happy to receive updates from you.
By the way, I am 49 and A Catholic and I feel God has called me to live the single life.
This coming week I am giving a talk on the single life. Thanks a lot for all the support you give this state and calling. God bless !
Melchizedek
I am happy for this website. I want to know whather this vocation applies to individuals who have no children only. Forexample I am a catholic and I have a kid and have decided not to marry any woman in my life. I want to look after my child and serve God in that state. Can I Join the catholic single Vocation.
Thanks
I must say, I am very lucky to find this website! I am now 27 and have been thinking about what to do with my life for the past two years; honestly, the only thing that kept coming in my head is living as a missionary single woman, in the first days, I was doubting about this because I know all people have to choose between being married or joining a religious congregation, I did not feel belonging anywhere between the two! Now, I am happy knowing that being single is normal, I am going to look for ways to becoming a missionary… Thanks for this page, it’s so inspiring!
Yay! Praying for you. I felt the same for many years and felt I had to marry or be a religious.
So glad to have found this website. I also was “called” to my single vocation, not because I lost in the game of romance or refused to consider religious life, but because that has been God’s plan all along. I made a vow to be the handmaid of the Lord, to be His spouse, to love, honor and obey every moment of my life. Ever since I surrendered my life to Him I have known joy, peace, and a daily, burning desire to demonstrate His love to everyone I meet. I, along with a local priest, have started a monthly meeting for single people who want to give their lives to Christ in their current single state no matter whether they are never-married, divorced or widowed. I will forward this site to them. Thanks and God Bless your ministry! —Kathy
I am so glad I found this page too. I thought I was alone in wanting to do this. I’m 32 years old, single, never been in a relationship. Have always believed and kept to the motto no sex before marriage and I think that’s why I’ve never found anyone. Well to everyone else i’m odd or different. I’ve always been “different” to everyone else anyway, even in Secondary school I never kept up to the norms. Never smoke, never drank, went to daily Mass all my teenage years and only stopped when our Church stopped evening Masses. I don’t know how to go about being a Consecrated single so if any of you would like to help me I’d be delighted. I’m Irish so I’m not even sure if they do it in Ireland or not. God bless you all. Laura
Welcome Laura! You are not alone. In answer to your question about being a Consecrated single, you might ask the Lord if he is calling you to be a Consecrated Virgin. This is an ancient order (before there were nuns) and has been re-introduced as a valid consecration. Just do an internet search for Catholic Consecrated Virgin and I’m sure you’ll find information. I thought I was called to this public, formal life for several years. However, the Lord has made it plain to me that He wants my vow to remain private. I hope you discover his plan for you. Peace. —Kathy
If what I have gathered from my research is correct, for a single person to embrace being single as a vocation, one must take a vow to live for God for the rest of one’s life in the single state. One can do this through consecrated virginity or by joining a secular institute or other Catholic association. I have also found some information about the life of a “dedicated single”… does “dedicated single” count as a vocation too, and if so, how does one go about doing this?
Also, is there some way to test such a commitment, in a temporary commitment, such as one might date a future spouse or enter a novitiate before taking final vows? One might say that as a 41-year old single person I should already know what the single life entails, but the reality is that there is a totally different mind set in knowing I would be single for the rest of my life. Otherwise, I suppose I could take a personal vow this afternoon, and I guess that would be it for the rest of my life (?!)
Hi Christine,
There is such a thing as temporary vows. For example, I am beginning formation in a secular institute and will make a temporary vow for a five year period. If I decide to stay with it, then I will make a permanent or perpetual vow. The Daughters of Charity (I think….someone correct me if I’m wrong) never make permanent vows. They make temporary vows and then renew them every year or two as long as they feel called to remain.
Also, the diocese of Manchester NH has an outstanding website on vocations and gives info on living the single life. You might want to check it out.
Peace. Kathy
Christine,
I forgot to answer your question about the “dedicated single.” Check out this link to the diocese of La Cross about the dedicated single: http://www.dioceseoflacrosse.com/vocations/singlelife.htm
Peace on your journey. Kathy
Thank you so much for your response and for the link to the LaCrosse Diocese. I found the Manchester link too: http://www.catholicnh.org/vocations/single/ God bless!
I am a Catholic Priest, who has been thinking about this since before my vocation was confirmed. I am interested in convening a number of people who are Catholic Singles, Single again (Divorced), or not able to fit into one of the Consecrated Life Categories which have canonical statuses. I am proposing a possible way to consecrated life for those who have discovered that their vocation is to a public life of consecration which includes the evangelical counsels as a life-long vocation. It will take a long time, but I think that we who 1) have ended up single again and sense God is calling us to a life parallel to that of widows and virgins, or,
2) those who have experimented and want to live a consecrated life from now on,
can exemplify for others the eschatological message of the evangelical counsels showing forth our spiritual offering of our lives to Christ for us who have this vocation.
If you are interested, I would be glad to speak with you or to exchange correspondence regarding creating a formation program, and a community of like-focused individuals in God’s Kingdom. My email address is below
Fr. Malin, PLEASE CONTACT ME! This is a ministry that the Holy Spirit has called me to (helping singles not called to priesthood, religious life figure out how to live this vocation.). We are in desperate need of a shepherd. I look forward to talking with you. Live+Jesus
Please let me know how I can help. Please send me information.
Fr Malin,
I did not see your email address below, nor did mine appear at the end of my message. Could you let me know what parish you work out of so I can contact you directly? My full name is Kathleen Tierney and I live in Indianapolis, IN and am 47 years old. I’m in the Internet white pages. Live+Jesus
My personal email address is frdonmalin@fmail.com. email me directly and I will send you my phone number. my parish is Immaculate Heart of Mary/John Paul II Church in Pagosa Springs. physical address is 515 S Pagosa Blvd., Pagosa Springs, CO 81147.
Oops. My email is frdonmalin@gmail.com, not fmail.
is this site still in operation? the last post seems to be about a year ago?
Good question. I always receive new posts to my email and try to respond. I think I’m the only one who does it seems.
Please join me in prayer for Carol on August 15, who will be making her first private temporary promises as a single consecrated person in the world
I will do that Father! God bless you for guiding all those who feel called to this life! Kathy
Yeah, thank him for ruining your sex life. You know you’re a slut. You’ll crack soon.
I am 39 and I have embraced the single life as my vocation. I have found that it has brought me closer to Shrek. I have found that it has given me the time to really focus on my devotion to him to the point that I receive his grace on a daily basis. I beg you all to consider the single vocation. Think. What would Shrek want you to do?
I’m 45 never been married happy and serve the lord in the church by teaching the youth and part of a beautiful community covenant of love. I pray that I find peace in the attitude that marriage is better and the only way to serve God. I wish people soul stop judging you on your status. I’m tired.
How do I join this group?
I’ve been on this blog for a few years. I don’t think it’s a group to join. It’s just to share thoughts, resources, etc about this path
Thank you! Sounds good.
Thank you for this article. Some say being single and dedication to church and our Lord is not a vocation. That so upsets me. I pray for peace and understanding.
Thank you Lord for my single vocation.
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