The Hidden Beauty of the Ordo Virginum

The Ordo Virginum, a little-known yet ancient vocation, is quietly flourishing worldwide but is not well-known in South Africa. Antoinette Padua explains her vocation as a consecrated virgin and shares her journey of faith, mystery and divine love.

When the editor of The Southern Cross invited me to write this article on the Ordo Virginum (Order of Consecrated Virgins), he suggested that it be “more about practice and experience than theory”. I got the jitters. “No way,” I thought, “not that!” Theory and theology are the safety nets into which I’d rather fall.

Even though I agreed with him, he posed a rather daunting challenge. How do married couples explain their intimate love relationship in the public domain? Could you even? Not many would want to do that. Neither would I. So this is my attempt at telling my story by way of introducing the little-known Ordo Virginum.

What is Ordo Virginum?

The Ordo Virginum is a form of consecrated life in which women dedicate themselves to God through a vow of chastity while living in the world, often engaging in apostolic work and prayer.

The vocation of a woman who has been solemnly consecrated to God according to the approved Pontifical Rite (Canon 604) is a call to live out a spousal relationship with Jesus Christ. She is betrothed to him exclusively and becomes the image of the Church, whose spouse is Christ. Pope Francis titled his 2018 instruction regarding the Ordo Virginum “Ecclesiae Sponsae Imago”, which means “The Image of the Church as the Bride”.

Although this document, and several others over the centuries, explain in detail what the Ordo Virginum is, with instructions on every aspect, they still do not encapsulate the essence and mystery of the vocation. That is because it is a mystery and thus not understood. Sadly, when something is not understood, it is often dismissed as not relevant to Catholic culture. But the essence, the movement of the Holy Spirit, the love of God and how he works in every individual soul can never be explained by theoretical terms and reasoning.

God is not boring. He is most exciting and surprising. Every call is unique and miraculous. He is a God of love and wants people to love him. How can he not be inviting, calling, knocking at souls to bring them to himself? It goes against the very nature of God to close the door to his heart and a true, happy and peaceful life with him.

To hear God calling, there needs to be an openness to the Holy Spirit, a genuine searching for what he wants to do with your life. After all, he gave us life for his purpose.

The first point in the old Penny Catechism was this: “Why did God make you? God made me to love him, to serve him and be happy with him!”

A long spiritual search

The Ordo Virginum is flourishing in many countries; however, in Cape Town, I have not heard of more vocations to it.

In my search since the age of 19, I was led into many nightmarish cul-de-sacs. Things that kept me sane were my family, my Catholic faith and my teaching career in primary schools that led me to Catholic and non-Catholic schools in Lesotho and Zimbabwe, the old Bophuthatswana, Mossel Bay and Cape Town. Throughout this time, I experienced God’s providential protection, guidance and unbelievable love.

I searched for a star that was completely hidden and obscure, but I always knew that it was there. It made an appearance and peeped through the darkness during a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, Rome and Assisi. I was deeply touched by the San Damiano crucifix in Assisi, which once spoke to St Francis.

On my return to Cape Town, that crucifix popped up everywhere I looked. It eventually led me to a secular Franciscan order, the Confraternity of Penitents (CFP) in Rhode Island in the United States, where I stayed with a family and helped with work in an online repository and home for women at risk.

The local parish priest introduced me to a seasoned consecrated virgin, Elizabeth Lee. During conversations with her, I realised that the Ordo Virginum was the star that would lead me to my ultimate destiny. Only four years later, I applied to the archbishop of Cape Town for solemn consecration to the Ordo Virginum.

As a member of the CFP, I was obliged to have a spiritual director. I was blessed to have had the same spiritual director for eight years prior to consecration and nine years after.

Mary, a consecrated virgin

Comments and questions I received convinced me that many priests, religious, or even staunch lay Catholics in South Africa were unaware of the Ordo Virginum or did not understand that it is a theological, canonical, and recognised order within the Catholic Church.

It started in the time of Jesus himself. His mother, Mary, was the first consecrated virgin, as she was presented in the temple by her parents, Anne and Joachim. This was why Mary asked the Archangel Gabriel how she could possibly conceive and be a mother since she was a virgin, implying her consecration.

Jesus was followed by several women — married, widowed, sinners, lay, and consecrated virgins. Later, many consecrated virgins were martyred for their witness. Of these, we find Cecilia, Agnes, Lucia and Agatha being named in the Eucharistic prayer of the Holy Mass.

Over time, a need arose for groups of dedicated, consecrated women to establish schools, hospitals, and so on, and thus religious orders, societies and institutes were established.

Today’s reality of declining vocations to these, especially in the westernised world, is seeing the rise of the Ordo Virginum in many countries, as many women seek an alternative to the consecrated life in religious orders and congregations, preferring to live in the world.

Questions people ask

This year, I mark the 10th anniversary of my consecration at St Bernard’s church in Newlands, Cape Town, my current parish. Normally, the consecration takes place in the cathedral, but since I had already been baptised in there, I chose my parish church, as it was nearer for family and friends.

A married woman asked me why it had taken me so long to “take this step”. The sad fact is that I heard about the Ordo Virginum only when I was in the US.

It is interesting to note, however, that in the 4th century, the minimum age for making vows as a consecrated virgin was 60 years. After the Council of Chalcedon in 451 AD, it was lowered to 40 years, and today it is 25 years.

I am often asked about the Ordo Virginum and my life as a consecrated virgin.

A nun once asked me if I had made “private vows”. In fact, I did not make vows. My consecration is public; the resolution of perpetual virginity is presupposed. It is called the propositum.

A young person challenged me: “In today’s world, why would anyone be interested in whether you are a virgin or not? It’s a bit outdated, isn’t it?” In a nutshell, I explained: “That’s just the problem of today’s world. The vocation itself is not to arouse obsessive curiosity about the physical virginity of a consecrated virgin and be bogged down in tangible concepts.”

And the big question: Why didn’t I just join a religious order? The fact is that the order to which I belong is an order in itself. I do not need or want to join something else. The Church does not support me with anything but my spiritual needs. I live on my pension, have my own accommodation, and see to my own medical needs.

If you are called to be a consecrated virgin, you will know when you hear about it. God does not twist your arm and force you to do anything. He provides you with all the graces you need, even without you knowing.

Antoinette Padua is a retired teacher living in Cape Town. If you hear the call to the vocation of a consecrated virgin, contact your local bishop for guidance.

Published in the May 2025 issue of The Southern Cross