Even in childhood and youth as a cradle Catholic, I was taught that "the single life" is a distinct vocation within the Church. But until now, I've never encountered a useful explication of that claim. That is one reason why I've never wanted the vocation for myself. It often seems that the Church doesn't really know what to do with people who are called neither to marriage nor to consecrated life—beyond reminding them to avoid sex with others or ourselves, which we knew already. But now that it seems I've got that vocation, I've been casting about for a way to valorize it theologically, if only so that I can find more meaning in it and thus live more happily with it. I know many people in a similar position; indeed, if present trends continue, we will reach the stage where the majority of adult Catholics at any given time are single willy-nilly. There just has to be something positive and helpful, if not roundly inspiring, to say to the many who have recognized themselves as having that vocation. That includes those of us who temporarily missed it, thus attempting marriage or consecrated life in the past, as well as those who will have always been "just" single.
I've finally found an
article that seems to be on the right track. Please click the link and check it out. I don't know whether it's creative in itself or more a popularization of some theological proposal. Perhaps somebody out there could enlighten me.
