1 00:00:07,440 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 1: From a cocoa puncheon. I heart radio. This is the 2 00:00:09,800 --> 00:00:16,360 Speaker 1: turning I am Erica Lance. Today we have a bonus episode. 3 00:00:17,079 --> 00:00:20,080 Speaker 1: Maybe you remember Sister Kathleen Hughes. She was the former 4 00:00:20,200 --> 00:00:23,360 Speaker 1: MC sister who became a consecrated virgin after she left, 5 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:26,960 Speaker 1: and I wanted to learn more about that. If your 6 00:00:26,960 --> 00:00:29,200 Speaker 1: ears also perked up when you first heard that Sister 7 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:32,919 Speaker 1: Kathleen was a consecrated virgin, then this is an episode 8 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:35,840 Speaker 1: for you. We are called to live a simple life. 9 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: We don't marry, we're chased, we don't you know, I 10 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:44,160 Speaker 1: have intimate relations with a man. I'm sorry for sounding 11 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:47,839 Speaker 1: like a victorian there. This is Jenna Cooper, and she 12 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:50,519 Speaker 1: knows a lot about consecrated virgins because she is one. 13 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:53,640 Speaker 1: Jenna is thirty six years old and lives in Minnesota. 14 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:56,960 Speaker 1: I explain it to people in a practical kind of way, 15 00:00:57,040 --> 00:01:01,600 Speaker 1: as all the love I would have given to I say, 16 00:01:01,680 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: a mortal husband. That's the only way I can really 17 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: describe it. All the love I would have given to 18 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:10,840 Speaker 1: a mortal spouse and natural children. I offer that to 19 00:01:11,800 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 1: to Jesus and to his children, which is really everyone 20 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: in the church or all humanity. So this episode of 21 00:01:19,800 --> 00:01:22,480 Speaker 1: the turning is a little different than most. I'm just 22 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:25,640 Speaker 1: going to have a conversation with one person, Jenna Cooper, 23 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,120 Speaker 1: to hear about her experience as a consecrated virgin, what 24 00:01:29,160 --> 00:01:32,480 Speaker 1: it is and what it means to her personally. Jenna 25 00:01:32,520 --> 00:01:35,680 Speaker 1: became a consecrated virgin thirteen years ago. She's a cannon 26 00:01:35,720 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: lawyer in Monona, Minnesota. She also writes a blog called 27 00:01:38,760 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: sponsor Christie where she talks about her life is a 28 00:01:41,080 --> 00:01:47,920 Speaker 1: consecrated virgin. So, Jenna, could you just explain, first of all, 29 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: what is consecrated virginity. So there are kinds of vocations 30 00:01:52,600 --> 00:01:55,320 Speaker 1: in the church. We call them consecrated life collectively, and 31 00:01:55,360 --> 00:01:58,040 Speaker 1: that's in the same category as like nuns and sisters. 32 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:01,680 Speaker 1: The spirituality of being a created virgin, it's all centered 33 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:05,680 Speaker 1: around being a bride of Christ and that sometimes people 34 00:02:05,680 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: say that sounds antiquated or it might sound a little weird, 35 00:02:09,400 --> 00:02:12,799 Speaker 1: but it actually there's a lot of very profound theology, 36 00:02:12,840 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 1: and it's being available for others but being available to 37 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:18,840 Speaker 1: the Lord in a more, much more radical way. And 38 00:02:19,760 --> 00:02:22,440 Speaker 1: it is hard to explain, but that spousal to mention 39 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:24,680 Speaker 1: it is really real. I mean, you really do open 40 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,920 Speaker 1: your heart to the Lord, and he he makes himself 41 00:02:27,919 --> 00:02:31,480 Speaker 1: present to you. So you know, again it's not like, Okay, 42 00:02:31,520 --> 00:02:34,440 Speaker 1: well Jesus is my husband and I'm watching his socks 43 00:02:34,480 --> 00:02:36,840 Speaker 1: like I would for a normal husband. But you know, 44 00:02:36,880 --> 00:02:40,120 Speaker 1: there really is a presence there and a sense, you know, 45 00:02:40,160 --> 00:02:43,799 Speaker 1: that you are walking through life with another person. Now 46 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 1: content created virginity actually existed in the early Church. So 47 00:02:47,760 --> 00:02:49,639 Speaker 1: what was it like back then or what was the 48 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:53,040 Speaker 1: role back then? So their main role seems to have 49 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:56,600 Speaker 1: been prayer, and we talked today about prayer and witness, 50 00:02:56,639 --> 00:02:57,920 Speaker 1: and it seems like they would have had a very 51 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:00,880 Speaker 1: similar role that way, so you know that witness also 52 00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:04,240 Speaker 1: it extended beyond just the household of the family of 53 00:03:04,240 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 1: the church too. You know, there is some evidence they 54 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:11,000 Speaker 1: would have done active works of charity, like taking care 55 00:03:11,040 --> 00:03:14,640 Speaker 1: of the sick and the poor. So they probably would 56 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: have had a role very very similar to nons and 57 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:22,080 Speaker 1: sisters today. Do you feel connected to some of these women, 58 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:28,520 Speaker 1: you know, from early early Christianity. It's it's crazy to 59 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 1: me to think about this ancient tradition that is continuing today. 60 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:36,839 Speaker 1: Actually I really do, and that's part of what made 61 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:41,160 Speaker 1: me follow this path instead of becoming a sister is 62 00:03:42,200 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 1: Remember when I was younger, I used to love reading 63 00:03:45,600 --> 00:03:48,040 Speaker 1: stories of the saints, and the ones who really spoke 64 00:03:48,080 --> 00:03:50,240 Speaker 1: to me the most were these early Virgin martyr saints 65 00:03:50,280 --> 00:03:53,800 Speaker 1: like St. Agnes or St. Lucy. But I really admired 66 00:03:53,840 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 1: their courage and just their singleness of purpose, and those 67 00:03:58,680 --> 00:04:00,960 Speaker 1: were the women who were most inspiring to me. And 68 00:04:01,680 --> 00:04:04,040 Speaker 1: when you join a religious community, like if you become 69 00:04:04,080 --> 00:04:07,200 Speaker 1: an on or a sister, you know, part of joining 70 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 1: a community is you're following the first steps of a 71 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:11,760 Speaker 1: founder or a foundress, and a lot of times that's 72 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:15,680 Speaker 1: a saint. And I remember, you know, thinking like, Okay, St. 73 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:18,760 Speaker 1: Francis is great, wonderful saint. I don't really see myself 74 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:22,160 Speaker 1: as a Franciscan. St. Dominic's great wonderful St. Just really 75 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 1: don't see myself as a daughter or St. Dominic. And 76 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:28,239 Speaker 1: this was actually when I first started thinking about my vocation, 77 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 1: when I was a teenager, and this was before I 78 00:04:31,040 --> 00:04:33,719 Speaker 1: knew that being a consecrated vision was still a thing. 79 00:04:33,760 --> 00:04:36,039 Speaker 1: But I remember thinking like, wow, you know, those early 80 00:04:36,520 --> 00:04:39,240 Speaker 1: Virgin martyr saints, those are the ones I really feel 81 00:04:39,320 --> 00:04:42,039 Speaker 1: like I want as my sisters. But it's too bad 82 00:04:42,080 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 1: you can't do that anymore. So that connection to the 83 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:48,279 Speaker 1: early Church is very important to me my own life 84 00:04:48,279 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 1: and spirituality. Jenna says consecrated virginity started to become less 85 00:04:53,000 --> 00:04:56,040 Speaker 1: popular in the Middle Ages. Women who wanted to dedicate 86 00:04:56,080 --> 00:04:59,159 Speaker 1: their lives to God started entering monasteries, and being a 87 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:02,799 Speaker 1: single woman not living in a cloistered convent became less common. 88 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:07,240 Speaker 1: Some religious communities continued to consecrate virgins so that ritual 89 00:05:07,360 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: was preserved, but it wasn't until the late twentieth century 90 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:13,880 Speaker 1: that the vocation really had a resurgence. Today there are 91 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: an estimated five thousand consecrated virgins. This boom came after 92 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:21,919 Speaker 1: an update to Canon law Canon six O four. It 93 00:05:22,000 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 1: officially included consecrated virginity in the same category of religious 94 00:05:25,480 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: life as religious sisters and nuns, but there are some 95 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:33,640 Speaker 1: distinct differences. For one, consecrated virgins aren't in an order 96 00:05:33,760 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: or community based around a founder. They're associated with the diocese, 97 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:41,080 Speaker 1: which is basically a religious district. And although Jenna says 98 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:43,560 Speaker 1: she's called to live a simple life, she doesn't take 99 00:05:43,560 --> 00:05:46,000 Speaker 1: the same vows of poverty and obedience that nuns and 100 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: religious sisters do so for religious they don't own anything personally. 101 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:53,719 Speaker 1: I I can own my own property. You know, their 102 00:05:53,920 --> 00:05:56,559 Speaker 1: way of living out obedience is different, and it's different 103 00:05:56,600 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 1: for every community, but it's much more an emphasis on 104 00:06:00,240 --> 00:06:02,120 Speaker 1: you see the will of God and the superior as 105 00:06:02,120 --> 00:06:06,480 Speaker 1: will for you and whereas you know for us it's 106 00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:09,919 Speaker 1: a little more open ended. So that that's one difference 107 00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:14,040 Speaker 1: as well. What was your path to choosing this vocation? 108 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:18,360 Speaker 1: So for me, I well, I knew well. I grew 109 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:23,200 Speaker 1: up in a Catholic family, and you know, we we 110 00:06:23,240 --> 00:06:26,200 Speaker 1: went to Mass every Sunday. We weren't unusually devout, but 111 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:29,680 Speaker 1: I always really loved God and really loved prayer. Even 112 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:32,440 Speaker 1: when I was very very young. I remember I used 113 00:06:32,440 --> 00:06:35,480 Speaker 1: to draw like pictures of angels and I put them 114 00:06:35,480 --> 00:06:37,320 Speaker 1: in the collection basket at church because I thought that 115 00:06:37,360 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 1: went straight to God and I thought he'd liked my tiyes. 116 00:06:40,720 --> 00:06:45,160 Speaker 1: So I was really very pious as a very little girl. 117 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:49,360 Speaker 1: And when I was twelve, I just started having experiences 118 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:51,279 Speaker 1: in prayer where I really felt like the Lord was 119 00:06:51,320 --> 00:06:55,159 Speaker 1: asking me to, you know, to give him more, or 120 00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:57,080 Speaker 1: be closer to him, or give my life to him 121 00:06:57,080 --> 00:07:01,039 Speaker 1: in a more radical way. Wow, that's really young. Yeah, well, 122 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:04,120 Speaker 1: you know, young vocations actually aren't that uncommon. But you know, 123 00:07:04,160 --> 00:07:06,839 Speaker 1: and when you're twelve, that's you know, you're starting to 124 00:07:06,880 --> 00:07:09,039 Speaker 1: get older. You're seeing the world in a different way. 125 00:07:09,040 --> 00:07:12,000 Speaker 1: There's a lot of you know, identity developmental things that 126 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:15,400 Speaker 1: are happening. Even even at that age, though, I really 127 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: did see myself relating to God in very spousal terms. 128 00:07:19,600 --> 00:07:23,440 Speaker 1: That's obviously deepened as I've gotten older, and it's you know, 129 00:07:24,240 --> 00:07:25,600 Speaker 1: live us out in a much more ture way than 130 00:07:25,640 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 1: I did when I was twelve. But I really did 131 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: feel a call to that, and I was in sixth grade. 132 00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:32,720 Speaker 1: And when you're in sixth grade, you're not gonna do 133 00:07:32,760 --> 00:07:37,640 Speaker 1: anything about that kind of call. So did you tell anyone? Well, 134 00:07:37,640 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 1: I think I well, at that point, I assumed, oh, 135 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,400 Speaker 1: this means I'm called to be a nun, and that's 136 00:07:42,560 --> 00:07:44,240 Speaker 1: what I knew was out there. And I think I 137 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 1: told my parents, and they are good Catholics, so they'd 138 00:07:48,320 --> 00:07:51,640 Speaker 1: probably be a little embarrassed about this, but they, um, 139 00:07:51,680 --> 00:07:53,840 Speaker 1: I don't think they were thrilled with that idea. And 140 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:55,880 Speaker 1: but you know, I was twelve, so I think they 141 00:07:55,920 --> 00:07:58,360 Speaker 1: might have assumed Okay, well she might grow out of it. 142 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: And um, I was Catholic school to I was in 143 00:08:01,080 --> 00:08:03,360 Speaker 1: eighth grade, and then I went to a public high school. 144 00:08:03,480 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 1: And you know, obviously nobody's going to talk to you 145 00:08:07,040 --> 00:08:09,600 Speaker 1: about being an in a public high school. So this 146 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,280 Speaker 1: is really just this deeply personal thing for you know, 147 00:08:13,320 --> 00:08:17,200 Speaker 1: I did try telling people about it, but nobody's really 148 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 1: going to engage a teenager seriously about that kind of thing. 149 00:08:20,640 --> 00:08:23,280 Speaker 1: So it was really just between me and the Lord 150 00:08:23,360 --> 00:08:26,880 Speaker 1: and for yeah, all my teen years. Then when I 151 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:31,880 Speaker 1: was eighteen, I went to college. And most dioceses have 152 00:08:32,240 --> 00:08:35,200 Speaker 1: like a vocation office or priest you can call and 153 00:08:35,200 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: get put in touch with different communities. So sin as 154 00:08:37,800 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 1: I got to college, I did that, and I got 155 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 1: put in touch with a few different groups of sisters, 156 00:08:42,920 --> 00:08:45,200 Speaker 1: and I went to visit what you do when you're 157 00:08:45,440 --> 00:08:48,959 Speaker 1: thinking you might have this kind of call, And so 158 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:51,120 Speaker 1: I remember feeling like it was a very weird cross 159 00:08:51,160 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 1: between dating and looking at colleges to go do so 160 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:59,000 Speaker 1: oh my gosh, interesting, Yeah, you would go and stay 161 00:08:59,040 --> 00:09:02,200 Speaker 1: overnight at these different rent convince. Oh. Sometimes sometimes they 162 00:09:02,240 --> 00:09:05,040 Speaker 1: have like little retreats, you know, for like a weekend 163 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:08,080 Speaker 1: for women who are discerning. Sometimes you just call and 164 00:09:08,200 --> 00:09:11,000 Speaker 1: visit and go for launch or pray with the sisters. 165 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:13,400 Speaker 1: So I did you know a few different things like that, 166 00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:16,640 Speaker 1: and some communities, you know, we're really great, and some 167 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:20,600 Speaker 1: you know, maybe I didn't feel as interested in right 168 00:09:20,640 --> 00:09:25,040 Speaker 1: away and went away. I was with these sisters and 169 00:09:25,120 --> 00:09:29,719 Speaker 1: it just kind of this one group in particular. You know, 170 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 1: they seemed like a healthy community, and they seemed like 171 00:09:33,440 --> 00:09:36,120 Speaker 1: they love Jesus, and you know, they were very nice. 172 00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:38,920 Speaker 1: But and I felt like I could have lived their life, 173 00:09:38,920 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 1: but it just really wasn't matching the way I felt 174 00:09:41,160 --> 00:10:03,040 Speaker 1: called in my heart. How did you end up deciding 175 00:10:03,080 --> 00:10:08,800 Speaker 1: to become a consecrated Virgin? Well, I was nineteen actually, 176 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,880 Speaker 1: and I visited several communities and I just realized it 177 00:10:12,920 --> 00:10:15,360 Speaker 1: wasn't clicking, and I wasn't sure. Have I just not 178 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:18,160 Speaker 1: found the right community yet? Um, this is something else. 179 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:22,760 Speaker 1: And then um, I met a priest who was a 180 00:10:22,760 --> 00:10:25,800 Speaker 1: younger priest and he was really excited to give me 181 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,600 Speaker 1: literature on vocations and stuff. And I was really excited 182 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:31,680 Speaker 1: to get it because this was actually I'm only thirty six, 183 00:10:31,679 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 1: so I'm not that old, but this was actually kind 184 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:37,040 Speaker 1: of pre the Internet getting really really big, And at 185 00:10:37,080 --> 00:10:39,840 Speaker 1: one point he said, oh, well, would you be interested 186 00:10:39,880 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: in the part of Cannon Law on consecrated life to 187 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:46,200 Speaker 1: read just for your own edification And and okay, you 188 00:10:46,240 --> 00:10:48,960 Speaker 1: can see how cool I was when I was a teenager. 189 00:10:50,240 --> 00:10:53,040 Speaker 1: You're reading about consecrated life. Oh yeah, yeah. So I 190 00:10:53,080 --> 00:10:55,319 Speaker 1: was very excited to read Cannon Law when I was 191 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:59,600 Speaker 1: nineteen so um and that's when I stumbled across Cannon 192 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:02,640 Speaker 1: six so four and I remember thinking, huh, that's interesting. 193 00:11:02,800 --> 00:11:04,760 Speaker 1: You can still it sounds like you can still do 194 00:11:04,800 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 1: what st Agnes did back in ancient Rome. And you know, 195 00:11:08,160 --> 00:11:10,760 Speaker 1: but I didn't know any consecrated virgins. I never really 196 00:11:10,800 --> 00:11:13,439 Speaker 1: heard of this. So then I told the priest that, oh, 197 00:11:13,480 --> 00:11:15,520 Speaker 1: this is interesting, and he gave me a copy of 198 00:11:15,559 --> 00:11:18,199 Speaker 1: the ritual so the Right of Consecration to Life of Virginity, 199 00:11:18,240 --> 00:11:22,280 Speaker 1: which is the prayer for actually consecrating somebody, and I 200 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:25,320 Speaker 1: read it and instantly I even remember the day. It 201 00:11:25,440 --> 00:11:29,120 Speaker 1: was November one, two thousand four, and I read it 202 00:11:29,160 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 1: and I just knew. I'm like, okay, this is it. 203 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:32,880 Speaker 1: It just was so clear to me in that moment. 204 00:11:34,280 --> 00:11:37,360 Speaker 1: It's just everything in the prayers. It just it was 205 00:11:37,400 --> 00:11:39,760 Speaker 1: like a key in a lock. Just it fit perfectly 206 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:42,679 Speaker 1: for the way I felt called, like every little aspect. 207 00:11:43,480 --> 00:11:47,280 Speaker 1: So I was nineteen and we went to the archdiocese 208 00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:50,760 Speaker 1: at the time and we were basically I'm I was 209 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:55,200 Speaker 1: told you're nineteen, You're way too young, so no way. 210 00:11:55,920 --> 00:11:58,920 Speaker 1: And there was a thought going around that there was 211 00:11:58,960 --> 00:12:01,960 Speaker 1: a minimum age limit was thirty five, and it wasn't 212 00:12:02,280 --> 00:12:05,440 Speaker 1: really the law. It was one bishop had an opinion 213 00:12:05,480 --> 00:12:06,880 Speaker 1: that it should be thirty five of them in a 214 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,800 Speaker 1: magor limit, and that kind of just you know, got 215 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:11,720 Speaker 1: around and people sort of assumed it was law, but 216 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:14,480 Speaker 1: it actually wasn't. But I was told, okay, well, you know, 217 00:12:14,520 --> 00:12:18,319 Speaker 1: you come back when you're thirty five, and when you're nineteen, 218 00:12:18,320 --> 00:12:20,600 Speaker 1: that is absolutely not what you want to hear. That's 219 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:23,920 Speaker 1: a long time. So I assumed when I was nineteen, okay, 220 00:12:23,920 --> 00:12:28,079 Speaker 1: well it sounds like the churches said no. So I assumed, okay, 221 00:12:28,559 --> 00:12:30,839 Speaker 1: I didn't discern this correctly, Let me see what God 222 00:12:30,880 --> 00:12:34,880 Speaker 1: actually wants. So I spent two more years visiting more communities, 223 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:37,959 Speaker 1: and actually this second round, I was much more focused 224 00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 1: and really like not just going where a priest told 225 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 1: me to check out, but like really reading their materials, 226 00:12:44,559 --> 00:12:47,280 Speaker 1: seeing okay, is this something I can see myself being 227 00:12:47,320 --> 00:12:50,240 Speaker 1: called to? And so I was more focused that way, 228 00:12:50,440 --> 00:12:54,200 Speaker 1: and being more focused, I encountered a few more communities 229 00:12:54,200 --> 00:12:56,840 Speaker 1: that I could have really seen myself joining, But there 230 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:00,120 Speaker 1: was always the sense that I it wasn't quite it, 231 00:13:00,240 --> 00:13:03,720 Speaker 1: that God wanted something different, and it's it's hard to explain, 232 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:06,520 Speaker 1: but it was just very clear. So when I was 233 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:10,079 Speaker 1: twenty two, I I was thinking, Okay, well, if this 234 00:13:10,160 --> 00:13:13,040 Speaker 1: is really going to be a no, I need this 235 00:13:13,160 --> 00:13:15,840 Speaker 1: to be a very, very very clear no, so I 236 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:18,200 Speaker 1: can set this sense that I'm called this aside and 237 00:13:18,240 --> 00:13:20,880 Speaker 1: then and maybe join one of these communities with a 238 00:13:20,880 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 1: clear conscience or not conscience, but with a more a 239 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:26,719 Speaker 1: greater sense of peace in my heart and not constantly 240 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 1: having this other thing in the back of my mind 241 00:13:28,280 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 1: nagging at me. So when I was twenty two, I 242 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:32,920 Speaker 1: had a meeting with the Vicar for religious in the 243 00:13:33,040 --> 00:13:36,800 Speaker 1: archdioces at the time, and I remember starting the meeting 244 00:13:37,360 --> 00:13:41,040 Speaker 1: with him saying, there was a priest, oh, well, you 245 00:13:41,040 --> 00:13:43,240 Speaker 1: know you are kind of young. But at the end 246 00:13:43,240 --> 00:13:45,440 Speaker 1: of the conversation he's like, you know what, I think 247 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 1: you have a vocation. If we need a dispensation, we 248 00:13:47,760 --> 00:13:49,360 Speaker 1: can talk about that. And of course we didn't need 249 00:13:49,360 --> 00:13:52,680 Speaker 1: a dispensation. So Jenna started the process to become a 250 00:13:52,679 --> 00:13:55,920 Speaker 1: consecrated virgin. She says it was a surprise to her parents, 251 00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 1: but eventually they were supportive. The day I was consecrated 252 00:13:59,320 --> 00:14:02,439 Speaker 1: was January third, and my parents wedding anniversaries January seven, 253 00:14:03,040 --> 00:14:04,920 Speaker 1: and my mom was twenty one when she got married. 254 00:14:04,920 --> 00:14:06,840 Speaker 1: I was twenty three and I got consecrated. So it 255 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 1: wound up working out that I could wear my mother's 256 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:12,679 Speaker 1: wedding dress. Um, and that was really, um, just just 257 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:16,040 Speaker 1: a special detail, you know, an unimportant detail in the 258 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,200 Speaker 1: big picture, but that was kind of a nice symbol 259 00:14:19,240 --> 00:14:22,800 Speaker 1: to have that day. And they've yeah, they've just I 260 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:25,600 Speaker 1: think gotten more and more supportive as the years go on. 261 00:14:25,680 --> 00:14:27,840 Speaker 1: So at one point I think he still does this. 262 00:14:28,000 --> 00:14:31,960 Speaker 1: My dad had like little business cards like printed up 263 00:14:32,000 --> 00:14:34,320 Speaker 1: with Kennon six o four on it on the one 264 00:14:34,360 --> 00:14:37,240 Speaker 1: side on the back that pray for consecrated virgins, and 265 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:39,400 Speaker 1: he keeps them on him when he travels and every 266 00:14:39,400 --> 00:14:41,160 Speaker 1: time he sees a priest, like if he's traveling and 267 00:14:41,160 --> 00:14:43,600 Speaker 1: goes to a different like traveling for work and he 268 00:14:43,640 --> 00:14:45,480 Speaker 1: goes to different paris, he like hands a priest of 269 00:14:45,520 --> 00:14:48,680 Speaker 1: card and it's like really embarrassing, but I can't really 270 00:14:48,720 --> 00:14:52,960 Speaker 1: be upset, so I tell people my parents are like 271 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:58,120 Speaker 1: embarrassingly supportive. Now. Jenny was consecrated in two thousand nine 272 00:14:58,520 --> 00:15:00,840 Speaker 1: at a church near where she grew up, just north 273 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:03,240 Speaker 1: of New York City. You know, a lot of people 274 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:07,200 Speaker 1: were very just warm and supportive that day, and of 275 00:15:07,240 --> 00:15:08,520 Speaker 1: course it was a big day for me, but I 276 00:15:08,520 --> 00:15:11,600 Speaker 1: was very touched by that. The ceremony feels like this 277 00:15:11,680 --> 00:15:15,560 Speaker 1: interesting combination of a Catholic wedding and the way religious 278 00:15:15,560 --> 00:15:19,000 Speaker 1: sisters professed their vows. At one point in the ceremony. 279 00:15:19,200 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 1: Consecrated virgins often lie on the floor, belly down at 280 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:24,840 Speaker 1: the front of the church. Sometimes they wear a white 281 00:15:24,880 --> 00:15:27,880 Speaker 1: wedding dress. They even wear a wedding ring. You know, 282 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:30,760 Speaker 1: your procession kind of with all the priests. You know, 283 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:35,120 Speaker 1: they come in and it's really one really beautiful thing 284 00:15:35,120 --> 00:15:37,480 Speaker 1: about the ceremony of a consecration of virgins. And actually 285 00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:40,560 Speaker 1: the ceremony is very different from a noun making vows, 286 00:15:41,200 --> 00:15:45,280 Speaker 1: and actually you have two women with you among consecrated virgins. 287 00:15:45,280 --> 00:15:48,960 Speaker 1: We kind of informally called them bridesmaids, but they're attendants, 288 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:51,120 Speaker 1: so there. I think they're kind of there to make 289 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 1: sure you're standing in the right place because like it's 290 00:15:53,440 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 1: kind of an overwhelming day. And yeah, so you're sitting 291 00:15:56,960 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: with them in the main part of the church and 292 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:02,760 Speaker 1: a certain point in the mass when you're called forward 293 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 1: and then you enter into the sanctuary, like the part 294 00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:09,480 Speaker 1: close to the altar. So that's a really neat some 295 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:11,800 Speaker 1: neat isn't the right word. It's really it's a really 296 00:16:11,840 --> 00:16:17,040 Speaker 1: neat symbol of you know, you're being called to belong 297 00:16:17,120 --> 00:16:20,800 Speaker 1: to God's exclusively and you're demonstrating that by your moving 298 00:16:21,120 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 1: to this more sacred part of the church. Do you 299 00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:26,480 Speaker 1: remember what you were feeling when that happened? You know 300 00:16:26,520 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 1: when that happened. I remember in the whole ceremony around 301 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:35,760 Speaker 1: right before you're entering into the sanctuary, you know, the 302 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:39,880 Speaker 1: bishop and the ceremony asks you basically asking you to 303 00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:42,800 Speaker 1: state your resolve and you promised to do these things, 304 00:16:43,280 --> 00:16:46,360 Speaker 1: and I remember saying I do. And church had good acoustics. 305 00:16:46,360 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 1: I remember hearing it, and I remember I had wanted 306 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:51,320 Speaker 1: to give my life to God since I was twelve, 307 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:53,360 Speaker 1: so this has been almost half my life at this point, 308 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:56,560 Speaker 1: and there was a sense of like, I can't there's 309 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:00,080 Speaker 1: no going back from this now, and knowing that I 310 00:17:00,160 --> 00:17:03,200 Speaker 1: was closing the store, but feeling very happy to do it. 311 00:17:03,880 --> 00:17:06,880 Speaker 1: So I knowing that I couldn't go back and choose 312 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:12,600 Speaker 1: a different path, but doing that very joyfully. And you know, I, 313 00:17:13,040 --> 00:17:15,439 Speaker 1: even though I wanted to do this, it not marrying 314 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:18,760 Speaker 1: was a sacrifice. I did experience it that way. But 315 00:17:18,800 --> 00:17:22,880 Speaker 1: I was really very happy to give this gift to God. 316 00:17:23,600 --> 00:17:25,320 Speaker 1: It was just a joy to be able to give it. 317 00:17:25,480 --> 00:17:28,760 Speaker 1: And they always say God can't be out on in generosity, 318 00:17:28,840 --> 00:17:31,600 Speaker 1: So it wasn't as one side as I'm making it sound, 319 00:17:31,600 --> 00:17:33,199 Speaker 1: but that was what was going through my mind at 320 00:17:33,240 --> 00:17:37,520 Speaker 1: that moment. That's interesting, you know that it did feel 321 00:17:38,119 --> 00:17:40,760 Speaker 1: you felt it sounds like you felt so clearly called 322 00:17:40,800 --> 00:17:44,080 Speaker 1: to this, but it was still a decision to make 323 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:48,800 Speaker 1: to give something up like a part of life. Oh 324 00:17:48,920 --> 00:17:53,280 Speaker 1: absolutely it was. And I and I talked to a 325 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:55,800 Speaker 1: lot of women who are considering this vocation a lot 326 00:17:55,840 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 1: of times, even just through informal channels like a priest 327 00:17:58,240 --> 00:18:01,160 Speaker 1: I know knows somebody, And again, everyone has their own 328 00:18:01,160 --> 00:18:03,199 Speaker 1: walk with the Lord, and that can look different for 329 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 1: different people. You know, God speaks in the circumstances of 330 00:18:06,800 --> 00:18:10,479 Speaker 1: our lives. But if a woman doesn't feel that this 331 00:18:10,520 --> 00:18:13,600 Speaker 1: is a sacrifice, I would really discourage her from doing this. 332 00:18:13,880 --> 00:18:16,920 Speaker 1: You know, obviously, if it's a really gut wrenching sacrifice 333 00:18:16,920 --> 00:18:19,080 Speaker 1: that you absolutely can't get over or get peace with it. Okay, 334 00:18:19,080 --> 00:18:21,520 Speaker 1: God's probably not calling you to this, But if you 335 00:18:21,560 --> 00:18:24,159 Speaker 1: don't have a sense that you're giving anything up. You know, 336 00:18:24,320 --> 00:18:27,199 Speaker 1: the joy of this vocation and the sacrifice, they're not 337 00:18:27,240 --> 00:18:29,399 Speaker 1: two different things. There two sides of the same coin. 338 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:33,720 Speaker 1: So if that's not something that really a woman feels 339 00:18:33,720 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 1: like applies to her, like, if she can't, if it's 340 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:39,600 Speaker 1: all sacrifice and no joy, or even all joy no sacrifice, 341 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:42,040 Speaker 1: then I either she doesn't have a call to this, 342 00:18:42,240 --> 00:18:44,680 Speaker 1: which is which is fine because not everybody's called to this. 343 00:18:44,800 --> 00:18:48,359 Speaker 1: This is a relatively unusual call. But you know, I 344 00:18:48,400 --> 00:18:51,439 Speaker 1: even wonder, okay, she even doesn't even maybe just need 345 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:54,200 Speaker 1: to come to a better understanding of this. So yeah, 346 00:18:54,440 --> 00:18:57,200 Speaker 1: it was a very deliberate choice and it was a sacrifice, 347 00:18:57,960 --> 00:19:01,800 Speaker 1: but again, no regrets. What are some of the challenges 348 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:05,360 Speaker 1: of being a consecrated virgin. You know, there's a lot 349 00:19:05,359 --> 00:19:09,040 Speaker 1: of challenges that are I think Jenna specific just for 350 00:19:09,119 --> 00:19:13,760 Speaker 1: my life circumstances, and there are challenges in general. And 351 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:17,320 Speaker 1: one challenge I think as a church, as consecrated virgins, 352 00:19:17,359 --> 00:19:19,720 Speaker 1: were collectively discerning this is how do you live a 353 00:19:19,760 --> 00:19:24,440 Speaker 1: life that's healthy and balanced but sufficiently radical that your 354 00:19:24,440 --> 00:19:28,719 Speaker 1: sacrifices makes sense, because it doesn't make sense to sacrifice 355 00:19:28,720 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: the husband and children and family life, which is a 356 00:19:30,960 --> 00:19:35,119 Speaker 1: tremendous sacrifice. And then when you sacrifice this, you have 357 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:37,199 Speaker 1: this empty space in your heart, which the idea is 358 00:19:37,240 --> 00:19:39,800 Speaker 1: you fill it with God. But if you're not filling 359 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:43,880 Speaker 1: it with God, you're going to fill it with stupid things. So, um, 360 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:47,240 Speaker 1: like what I will kind of a joke. I have 361 00:19:47,320 --> 00:19:50,920 Speaker 1: a cat, I kind of a rescue cat I recently adopted, 362 00:19:50,960 --> 00:19:53,000 Speaker 1: and I was a little worried that I'd become like 363 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:56,040 Speaker 1: a lady with fifty cats and that would be unhealthy. 364 00:19:56,400 --> 00:19:58,320 Speaker 1: My mom said, well, if you have only one cat 365 00:19:58,400 --> 00:20:00,440 Speaker 1: and you don't put her in your Chris his cards, 366 00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: you should be Okay. That's the that's the border line. 367 00:20:04,680 --> 00:20:06,560 Speaker 1: I mean, there's a lot of different things. I mean, 368 00:20:06,640 --> 00:20:10,080 Speaker 1: you can fill it with really stupid things like not 369 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:16,240 Speaker 1: that hobbies are bad, but hobbies or even like you know, pettiness, 370 00:20:16,359 --> 00:20:19,560 Speaker 1: or you get just too into your job or something. 371 00:20:19,840 --> 00:20:22,400 Speaker 1: I feel like my version of that would be binging television. Yes, 372 00:20:22,520 --> 00:20:26,399 Speaker 1: perfect example, That's what I was looking for without looking 373 00:20:26,400 --> 00:20:28,080 Speaker 1: for it. Do you are you? Are You? Do you ever? 374 00:20:28,200 --> 00:20:35,560 Speaker 1: Binge TV? Is that? Yeah? Sometimes not? Um. I used 375 00:20:35,600 --> 00:20:37,240 Speaker 1: to when I was in Rome. I couldn't watch down 376 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:38,840 Speaker 1: to Nabby and I used to binge watch that when 377 00:20:38,880 --> 00:20:41,920 Speaker 1: I come home for the summers. So yeah, I'm familiar 378 00:20:41,960 --> 00:21:05,400 Speaker 1: with that concept. I'm human. Jennet Cooper's day to day 379 00:21:05,400 --> 00:21:08,840 Speaker 1: life is pretty similar to any other professionals. She works 380 00:21:08,840 --> 00:21:11,000 Speaker 1: at nine to five as a cannon lawyer at the 381 00:21:11,000 --> 00:21:14,520 Speaker 1: marriage tribunal of her local diocese. Part of her job 382 00:21:14,600 --> 00:21:18,119 Speaker 1: is attacked to couples. She examines marriages to determine if 383 00:21:18,119 --> 00:21:21,760 Speaker 1: a marriage can or should be annulled. She also answers 384 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:24,199 Speaker 1: any cannon law questions that come from the parish or 385 00:21:24,240 --> 00:21:28,439 Speaker 1: from local schools. So that's her job. But one of 386 00:21:28,440 --> 00:21:30,399 Speaker 1: the things that really sets her life apart as a 387 00:21:30,440 --> 00:21:34,240 Speaker 1: consecrated virgin is prayer and how often she does it. 388 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:38,520 Speaker 1: We are obligated to pray a certain amount, and then 389 00:21:38,359 --> 00:21:40,760 Speaker 1: you even have extra times for private prayer. And that's 390 00:21:41,560 --> 00:21:44,119 Speaker 1: you know, that's to me the most important thing I 391 00:21:44,160 --> 00:21:48,040 Speaker 1: do all day. So that's an absolute priority. So for me, 392 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:51,200 Speaker 1: that looks like I I go to Mass every day 393 00:21:51,720 --> 00:21:55,480 Speaker 1: and unless there's some extraordinary circumstance, I mean, I book 394 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:57,520 Speaker 1: my flights when I travel around, Okay, can I get 395 00:21:57,560 --> 00:22:01,240 Speaker 1: to Mass on either end? That's very, very big priority 396 00:22:01,320 --> 00:22:04,480 Speaker 1: for me. Jenna also praised the liturgy of the hours, 397 00:22:04,680 --> 00:22:08,640 Speaker 1: their prayers from morning, daytime, evening, and night. And so 398 00:22:08,680 --> 00:22:10,639 Speaker 1: that's a series of psalms, different ones that have at 399 00:22:10,680 --> 00:22:13,320 Speaker 1: at different times of the day on like a rotating 400 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:15,879 Speaker 1: four week schedule, so you wound up praying all a 401 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:19,359 Speaker 1: hundred fifty psalms every month. Jenna says that as she 402 00:22:19,400 --> 00:22:22,720 Speaker 1: gets older, she's experiencing a type of joy she didn't 403 00:22:22,760 --> 00:22:25,880 Speaker 1: expect when she was younger in her consecrated life. I mean, 404 00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:29,040 Speaker 1: part of this vocation even if you're not you know, 405 00:22:29,119 --> 00:22:33,440 Speaker 1: obviously we don't have natural children, we don't give birth physically, 406 00:22:33,520 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 1: but spiritual motherhood is a big component. I don't know, 407 00:22:37,320 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 1: maybe it sounds like a hokey concept. But the idea is, 408 00:22:40,119 --> 00:22:43,960 Speaker 1: even if you're you're still nurturing people, you know on 409 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:46,240 Speaker 1: a level of their soul, you're you're reading a real mother, 410 00:22:46,320 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 1: even if you're not, you know, somebody who's given birth. 411 00:22:51,320 --> 00:22:54,399 Speaker 1: And now that I'm I'm not old, but older not 412 00:22:54,440 --> 00:22:57,119 Speaker 1: in my twenties anymore. Um. There's been a couple of 413 00:22:57,119 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 1: times when, like one of our localminarians asked me for prayer, 414 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:04,919 Speaker 1: just wanted to talk to me about something, and almost 415 00:23:04,920 --> 00:23:07,160 Speaker 1: feeling like they were approaching me in this motherly role 416 00:23:07,280 --> 00:23:10,720 Speaker 1: and very very small little moments and not something I 417 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:13,560 Speaker 1: sought out. But it's a gift to be able to 418 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:17,199 Speaker 1: relate to people that way. Mm hmm. What is it 419 00:23:17,240 --> 00:23:21,320 Speaker 1: about the concept of virginity that is worth preserving in 420 00:23:21,359 --> 00:23:25,480 Speaker 1: this way? So for consecrated virgins, it's you're resolving to 421 00:23:25,560 --> 00:23:29,359 Speaker 1: persevere in this virtuous state that you've already been persevering in. 422 00:23:30,359 --> 00:23:36,720 Speaker 1: For Catholics, virginity it's it's not just like, oh I'm spotless, 423 00:23:36,840 --> 00:23:40,640 Speaker 1: I've I haven't made any mistakes. Virginity it's a much 424 00:23:40,680 --> 00:23:45,480 Speaker 1: more profound concept. It's a much richer concept. It's full 425 00:23:45,520 --> 00:23:50,919 Speaker 1: of deep theological meaning. On a more practical level, I mean, 426 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:54,560 Speaker 1: there's healthy and unhealthy ways to understand virginity. Like I 427 00:23:54,560 --> 00:23:57,399 Speaker 1: I cringe like with everyone else when there's high school 428 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 1: chassis talks and they compare losing your virginity become used 429 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:03,200 Speaker 1: gum or something like. Nobody likes that. That's not healthy. 430 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:08,679 Speaker 1: That certainly wouldn't be the church's presentation of virginity. You know, 431 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:12,399 Speaker 1: on a theological level, virginity reflects the nature of the Church, 432 00:24:12,480 --> 00:24:16,240 Speaker 1: and the Church is Christ's bride. So Jesus died on 433 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:18,760 Speaker 1: the cross for the sake of his bride, the Church. 434 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:21,320 Speaker 1: So again it's all this this mutual love. But we 435 00:24:21,359 --> 00:24:23,800 Speaker 1: talked about the Church is being a virgin, and the 436 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:27,920 Speaker 1: Old Testament and scriptures, the people of God were talked 437 00:24:27,920 --> 00:24:31,320 Speaker 1: about as a virgin bride to God her spouse. So 438 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:34,359 Speaker 1: there's a lot of imagery with that. But what I 439 00:24:34,400 --> 00:24:37,720 Speaker 1: think is especially relevant today is one of my biggest 440 00:24:37,800 --> 00:24:40,680 Speaker 1: pet peeves ever in life is when people talk about 441 00:24:40,680 --> 00:24:44,080 Speaker 1: early virgin martyrs like, oh, it's the patriarchy. So this 442 00:24:44,160 --> 00:24:48,720 Speaker 1: is the exact opposite of patriarchy, and the ancient world, 443 00:24:48,720 --> 00:24:51,280 Speaker 1: women were only valued by the relationship to a man, 444 00:24:51,400 --> 00:24:54,480 Speaker 1: so you were really only valued as as like if 445 00:24:54,520 --> 00:24:56,240 Speaker 1: you could be a wife to somebody or you know, 446 00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 1: or God forbid, like a slave, being a virgin and 447 00:25:00,480 --> 00:25:04,200 Speaker 1: relating to God directly, not I mean married women really 448 00:25:04,200 --> 00:25:06,240 Speaker 1: to God directly, but you know, your you could really 449 00:25:06,320 --> 00:25:08,440 Speaker 1: to God directly. You have this human dignity where you 450 00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:10,879 Speaker 1: could make choices about your destiny. You could respond to 451 00:25:10,920 --> 00:25:13,560 Speaker 1: a call freely, and no man had the right to 452 00:25:13,600 --> 00:25:17,040 Speaker 1: tell you otherwise. When you grow up in a society 453 00:25:17,080 --> 00:25:18,960 Speaker 1: where women have dignity, that might not be the first 454 00:25:18,960 --> 00:25:21,960 Speaker 1: thing on your mind when you're choosing virginity as a spirituality, 455 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:25,440 Speaker 1: but that that is, you know, a very important and 456 00:25:25,840 --> 00:25:30,360 Speaker 1: relevant point. I think one thing that is really interesting 457 00:25:30,400 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 1: to me too these days is in the Catholic Church, 458 00:25:33,119 --> 00:25:35,920 Speaker 1: the priesthood is is male only, and it's always been 459 00:25:35,920 --> 00:25:38,920 Speaker 1: that way and it's not going to change. I'm actually 460 00:25:38,920 --> 00:25:41,400 Speaker 1: fine without on a theological level, because the priest suit 461 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:44,280 Speaker 1: it's really supposed to be about service, not about power. 462 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:48,679 Speaker 1: And even when there is authority, true authority is you know, 463 00:25:48,720 --> 00:25:53,720 Speaker 1: always about service, not just self aggrandizement or something. You know, 464 00:25:53,760 --> 00:25:56,199 Speaker 1: but the priestoos all male, And then when I was 465 00:25:56,200 --> 00:25:58,920 Speaker 1: growing up was always oh, but girls can become nuns 466 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:01,960 Speaker 1: and sisters. But you know that's not exactly the same 467 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:04,280 Speaker 1: thing because there were male religious too, like men can 468 00:26:04,320 --> 00:26:07,320 Speaker 1: become monks, that's basically the equivalent of a nun, but 469 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:11,920 Speaker 1: consecrated virginity, this vocation, this is actually the only state 470 00:26:11,960 --> 00:26:14,200 Speaker 1: of life in the church that's reserved to women, So 471 00:26:14,800 --> 00:26:19,119 Speaker 1: men categorically can't do this. So I think it speaks 472 00:26:19,119 --> 00:26:22,440 Speaker 1: a lot to you know, the unique dimity of women 473 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:26,240 Speaker 1: that we have this role as being an icon or 474 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:28,119 Speaker 1: an image of the church or reflection of the Church 475 00:26:28,680 --> 00:26:32,320 Speaker 1: and relating to Christ in this very privileged way that's 476 00:26:32,359 --> 00:26:35,840 Speaker 1: that's unique to us. So I do find that very 477 00:26:35,880 --> 00:26:46,040 Speaker 1: meaningful for me in my own life. Thanks to Jenna 478 00:26:46,119 --> 00:26:48,840 Speaker 1: Cooper for sharing her story with us. You can learn 479 00:26:48,840 --> 00:26:52,840 Speaker 1: more about her on her blog, Sponsa Christie, What do 480 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:55,639 Speaker 1: you think? Drop us a note at the turning at 481 00:26:55,680 --> 00:26:59,000 Speaker 1: for Cocoa Punch dot com. That's r O c O 482 00:26:59,160 --> 00:27:02,919 Speaker 1: c O pun. This episode was written and produced by 483 00:27:02,960 --> 00:27:06,840 Speaker 1: Andrea A. Sway. Our executive producers are Jessica Albert and 484 00:27:06,920 --> 00:27:10,720 Speaker 1: John Parratti at Rococo Punch and Getrina Norville at iHeart Radio. 485 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:14,840 Speaker 1: To see a photo from Jenna Cooper's consecration ceremony and 486 00:27:14,960 --> 00:27:17,600 Speaker 1: for more details on this series, follow us on Instagram 487 00:27:17,640 --> 00:27:21,119 Speaker 1: at Rococo Punch. I'm America Lands. Thanks for listening.