.01

Celibacy and marriage are both vocations to love in specific ways, and both must be carefully considered and discerned. Each vocation has distinct gifts for nurturing love in the pattern of Christ. Married members will discern the ongoing invitations of God and the formational work within the vocation of marriage. Single members will reflect on the gifts of singleness and the formational work within their singleness. Single members will discern motivations and/or desires related to singleness and marriage as part of a discernment towards a vocation of celibacy or marriage.

.02

Throughout the history of the Church, some have chosen and some have been called to be free from the responsibilities associated with marriage and family, that they might be singularly dedicated to their vocation and specially available to the service of others.

Celibacy is a prophetic witness and embodiment of our ultimate destiny of intimate union with God when no one will be married. It is a total and complete self-gift to God that forms one’s love in a particular way.

Single individuals, whether widowed, divorced or never married, are invited to seriously consider both celibacy and marriage and discern (within spiritual friendship and spiritual direction) their vocation carefully.

.03

We’re committed to nurturing marriages as a gift both to each partner and to the Church. Marriage is a prophetic witness and embodiment of Christ's union with the Church. It is a total and complete self-gift to God, present in your spouse, that forms one’s love in a particular way. 

While the choice of vocation has already been made by those who are currently married they are still invited to carefully discern the initial motivations which led them to choose marriage as this will guide their formation in the consecration of their love.

.04

Each person, within their vocation of celibacy or marriage, is responsible for the stewardship of their sexual desires towards “chastity.” We’re committed to affirming the sexual life and to nurturing its physical expression exclusively in the context of lifelong commitment to a partner of the opposite biological sex.

For single members, chastity means sexual abstinence. 

For married members, chastity means sexual and emotional faithfulness to one’s life-long partner.

.05

Both celibacy and marriage are intense forms of asceticism.

Members will be encouraged to explore the ascetic nature of each vocation and embrace the constraints within each vocation as a gift of God’s formational invitation.