“In the inner cellar of my beloved have I drunk, and when I came forth to wander o’er the wide plain I knew nothing, and lost the flock which before I had followed. There He gave me His caress, there He taught me secret wisdom of sweetest savour, there I gave myself to Him, wholly and without reserve, there I promised to be His bride. My soul is engaged and all that I have in His service; no longer do I keep a flock nor follow any occupation: my sole business is love. If henceforward you never see or meet me on the common pasture, you may say that I have lost myself, that walking the ways of God’s love I have been lost and found.” (St. John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle)
This state of consecrated virginity is the highest because as a state of life it is the expression freely chosen as such of what is essentially the final and supreme vocation of every man.
Marriage and virginity now stand before the eyes of our mind with their profound intrinsic connection, both resplendent with purity, both a mystery of love. If our study of marriage proved that purity by no means implies any depreciation of sex, our study of virginity has penetrated its mystery more deeply still. The more fully a soul possesses the qualities of an earthly bride, the better fitted is it to become a bride of Christ.
But the virgins, like the martyrs, anticipate heaven, and take the kingdom of heaven by force: even on earth they can say: “Behold, what I longed for I already see; what I hoped for I already possess. I am espoused to Him whom the angels serve, at whose beauty sun and moon stand in amaze.”
* * *
1. “It is obvious, nevertheless, that states of life that in themselves open a freer and wider field to love are a standing witness to those who have chosen them that they have committed themselves unreservedly to love God in a higher measure and with a greater fervour than others.” Charles Gay, op. cit.
2. This is the meaning of St. Augustine’s warning (Enarrationes in Psalm. 99): “If they are virgins, of what use is integrity of the body, when the spirit has been corrupted? Better humble marriage than proud virginity.”
Index
acquired virtue, 32n6
apathy, 121
art, attitude of the pure to, 54–57
asceticism, 106, 107, 108, 109, 112, 125, 128
baptism, 100, 103, 139
befogging, 16, 17n2, 21, 22
benevolentia (desire for the good of the beloved), 76, 77, 79, 80
betrothal (desponsatio), 135
bodily pleasure/bodily experience: depths of, 1–3, 4; as gifts from God’s hand, 2; types of, 1
called, 123n6
caress, 79
celibacy, 88, 89, 90, 98, 99
chastity, 46–47, 94, 104, 109, 126, 127, 128, 136
Christ. See JESUS CHRIST
Christian morality, 53–54
Christian virginity, 87, 88, 89, 90, 93, 94
Church: femininity of, 88n5; as virgin, 98–99
concupiscence, 105, 106, 107, 108, 112, 116, 119, 121
consecrated maiden, 87
consecrated virginity, 18, 87–88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 97, 99, 104, 109, 115, 121, 123, 124, 128, 133, 135, 136, 137, 139–42
corporeal nature, 59, 59–60n1, 60
Curé d’Ars, 51
Das Apriori im bürgerlichen Recht (Reinach), 94–95n12
De Habitu Virginum, 132n1
De Laude Virginum, 132n1
death, 60n2, 132n2
defilement, 20, 21, 22, 44
degradation, 20, 22, 82
Der Lieb und sein Recht im Christentum (Walter), 56n8
desecration, 17, 20, 22, 23
desire for the good of the beloved (benevolentia), 76, 77, 79, 80
desponsatio (betrothal), 135
diabolic evil lust, 17, 21, 22, 24, 26, 27, 44. See also EVIL LUST
diabolic seduction, 17n2
disobedience, sin of, 23
“drowning,” use of term, 67, 68
eating, characteristics of, 9–10, 40
evangelical counsels, 104, 109, 111, 114, 126, 127, 128, 129
evil lust, 16, 23n5, 41, 54, 74, 75. See also DIABOLIC EVIL LUST
external freedom, 108
extraordinariness, as quality of sex, 16, 59–60n1
femininity of the Church, 88n5
fides (fidelity), 5, 8, 11
fleischlich (fleshly), 26–27, 36, 74, 109, 112
Flying Dutchman, legend of, 62
Fortunatus, Venantius, 132n1
free spiritual self, 49
Freud, Sigmund, 6–7n1, 23n6
Gay, Charles, 82–83, 100n2
gentleness, true gentleness, 31
German idealism, 101n4
God: anchorage in, 68, 69, 70; bodily pleasure/bodily experience as gifts from, 2; consecrated virginity as representing particular form of appurtenance to, 89; consecration to, 90; contact with high values as leading us to, 117; God’s love as creative principle in universe, 12; love of, 77, 93, 94, 109, 197; marriage as uniting soul with, 114; sex as belonging to, 40, 81, 82; sex as willed by, 16; soul as immediate creation of, 12n7; surrender to, 69–70; virginity as constituting special form of possession by, 128; virginity as special and closer union with, 99–100, 109
grace, 75, 100
habits, 52
holiness, sphere of, 21
humble man, 34, 43
humility, 43, 82
idealist, 52–53
illegitimacy, 23
immoderate desire, 1
impure man, 22, 42
impurity, 19–24, 74
in conspectu Dei (in the sight of God), 13, 57, 66, 81, 125
indivisus est (undividedness), 50n6, 99, 100, 111–14, 125, 127, 128
inferior goods, 115, 118, 120, 122, 123
“insensuality,” purity and, 25–37
intentio unitiva (purpose of uniting; will to unity), 65, 66, 69, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80
Jesus Christ: bride of, 89, 98, 106, 121, 122n3, 129, 134, 135, 140, 141, 142; as heavenly bridegroom, 132, 137, 140; mystical body of, 89, 94, 95, 98, 100, 127, 139; nuptial relationship with, 97–104; wedlock with, 98, 104, 115, 133, 137, 140
just man, 43
kiss, 78, 79
Kostka, Stanislaus, 51
Lamentations of Jeremiah, 2
Liberius (pope), 134n6
Liturgie und Frauenseele (Wintersig), 88n5
love: as actualization of spiritual person, 67; being in love, 66; consecrated virginity as state of, 139–42; danger of disordered love, 113; as ennobling sex, 65, 66, 67, 76, 81, 82; as having power to regard everything in highest significance, 70; as maintaining sovereignty of spirit over body, 68; nature of, 6; nuptial love, 101, 102
Luke 14:1 6–21, 111–12
lust, 6–7n1, 15, 26, 27, 34, 55, 106, 108, 109, 112
The Magic Flute, 51
man: humble man, 34, 43; impure man, 22, 42; just man, 43; pure man, 29, 30, 39–40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48–49, 52, 54, 55, 59, 73, 76, 81, 137; in quantum animal, 8, 9, 10, 11; in quantum homo, 8, 9, 9n4, 10, 11; truthful man, 34
Marmion, Columba, 102–3
marriage: as constituting a life for another, 114; as emancipating the very center of personality, 120; as highest earthly good, 112, 114, 119, 128; as sacrament, 114n2; as term for relationship between Christ and the soul, 100; three ends to, 5; threefold purpose of, 8; as uniting soul with God, 114
married love, as seen by the Church, 7n2
martyrdom, analogy with virginity, 132n1
materia consecranda (material to be consecrated), 50
Mausbach, J., 120n1
means and end, 9n4, 9n5, 10, 67
Meister, Wilhelm, 51
Modernism, 12
modesty, 4n2, 32, 36, 41, 42, 64
mutuum adjutorium (mutual assistance), 5
natural goods, positive mission of, 115–24
nuptial love, as noblest of human relationships, 101, 102
nuptial relationship, between Christ and the Church, 98
obedience, as evangelical counsel, 104, 109, 110, 114,
126, 127, 128, 129, 135
oppressive sexuality, 24
orgasm, 60–61, 63n3, 69
Parsifal (Wagner), 17n2
penance, 106n1
perfection, state of, 104, 115, 122, 125, 126, 127, 128, 137
personality: spiritual structure of, 6, 6–7n1
physical continence, 50
Plato, 116
possession, 117–19
poverty, as evangelical counsel, 104, 109, 110, 114, 126, 127, 128, 129, 135
pride, 7, 24, 34, 105, 106, 107, 108, 112, 116, 119, 121
procreation, 9n4, 10, 11, 82
proles, 5, 8
propagation, 5, 9, 11, 12, 40, 81
propter regnum caelorum, 92
prude/prudery, 19, 41, 42, 54, 56, 57
pseudo-art, 56
psychoanalytic method, 6–7n1
pure, freedom of the, 24
pure man, 29, 30, 39–40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 47, 48–49, 52, 54, 55, 59, 73, 76, 81, 137
purification, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 112, 125, 128
purity: of the angels, 36n9; as characterized by humble sincerity, 42; as compared to chastity, 46–47; connection of to art, 54; connection of to other virtues, 82–83; degrees/types of, 73–75; distinction between purity and absence of sexuality, 25; as human virtue, 19n1; ideal wedded purity, 73–83; indispensable supernatural foundation of, 47–54; and “insensuality,” 25–37; as involving a distinctive attitude to sex, 44; of man and of woman, 87–88; natural purity, 47–48, 49, 50; as natural virtue, 51; negative aspect of, 25; as never a temperament, 30; as positive virtue, 39–57; reverence as fundamental component of, 39–40; ritual purity, 49–50; spiritual riches as characterizing perfect purity, 47; virginity as ideal form of, 46; wedded purity, 73–83, 90, 91
purpose of uniting (intentio unitiva), 65, 66, 69, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80
receptive principle, 88n5
Reinach, Adolf, 94–95n12
religious life, 125, 126
renunciation, 90, 91, 106, 107–8, 109, 112, 115, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 126, 127, 128, 129, 133
repressed sex, 6–7n1, 23n6
reverence, as fundamental component of purity, 39–40
romantic literature, 101n4
Rose of Lima, 51
sacramentum, 5, 8
self-abandonment, 62, 63n3, 69
self-contained sexual fascination, 75
self-containedness, 120, 133n1
self-delivery, 66, 131
self-donation, 16, 19, 69, 81, 131, 132
self-loss, 61, 62
self-possession, giving up of, 61–62, 68, 69
self-revelation, 16, 20
self-surrender, 5, 20, 40, 50, 53, 63, 66, 69, 82, 119, 120, 126, 128, 131, 132, 133, 136n10
Seneca, 53
sensualization, of spirit, 22
sex: abuse of as desecration, 20, 21, 23; as belonging to God, 40, 81, 82; danger of, 51, 56, 59–64; as distinguished from other bodily appetites, 1–4; as domain of evil lust, 16, 17, 21; eating as compared to, 9–10, 40; as essentially deep, 2; as exercised by the pure, 82; as expression and fulfillment of wedded love, 8n3, 11, 67; as extraordinary, 16, 59–60n1; function of as not simply objective fact, 8; as giving of self, 3; as incorporated with experiences of higher order, 3; love as ennobling, 65, 66, 67, 76, 81, 82; as mystery, 12, 13, 17, 21, 40, 131; as occupying central position in personality, 3; poisonous breath of, 21n2; positive and negative values of, 2–3, 19–20, 22,28, 29, 35, 36, 45, 46, 48, 73; profoundest function of, 7; reformation of as effected by wedded love, 65–71; relation of to spiritual life, 5–13; repressed sex, 6–7n1, 23n6; as secret of the individual, 3, 4, 5; seductive magic of, 16–17; as self-surrender, 5; shrinking from brutal aspects of, 64; as sphere of shame, 3; three aspects of, 15–17; value of when attached to divinely ordained function, 45; as willed by God, 16
sex instinct, 6, 25, 26
sexual constraint, 24
sexual desire, 3, 80, 81
sexual insensibility, 29, 30, 35, 37
sexual inviolacy, 50
sexual temperament, absence of, 29
shame, 4n2
sin, abuse of sex as leading to, 13
sinnlich, 26, 27, 28
Sinnlichkeit, 27, 28, 30, 35
siren song, 15, 21, 55, 74
social act, 94–95n12
Socrates, 53
Song of Songs, 101–2
soul: as choosing suffering, 127; as form of the body, 12n7; as God’s immediate creation, 12n7; ideal marriage as mutual indwelling of, 76; as involved in sex, 2, 3
spirit, sensualization of, 22
Sponsa Verbi (The Bride of the World) (Marmion), 102–3
St. Agnes, 87, 93
St. Ambrose, 53, 89n7, 111n1, 122n3, 123, 134n6
St. Anselm, 122n5
St. Athanasius, 89n8
St. Augustine, 5, 90n9, 140n2
St. Benedict, 106n2
St. Bernard, 103n6, 141
St. Catherine of Genoa, 104, 128
St. Catherine of Siena, 104
St. Cyprian, 132n1
St. Cyril, 89n6
St. Elizabeth, 103, 120, 128
St. Frances of Rome, 128
St. Francis, 78, 104, 106n2, 132
St. Jane Frances de Chantal, 120
St. Jerome, 132n3
St. John, 32, 108, 109
St. John of the Cross, 137, 142
St. Louis, 104, 128
St. Paul, 32, 50n6, 53, 99, 123n6, 127, 139–40
St. Teresa, 104
St. Theresa of the Child Jesus, 142
St. Thomas, 8, 95n13
superior goods, 115, 117, 118
supernatural foundation, purity as having, 47–54
supreme unity, as goal of wedded love, 11
sursum corda, 117
“swamped,” use of term, 60, 61, 67, 69
Tamino (character in The Magic Flute), 51
temperament: as compared to virtue, 32, 33, 34, 35, 48; described, 30–31
temptations, 55–56
tenderness, 15, 16, 45, 76, 77–78, 79, 80–81, 103
truthful man, 34
undividedness (indivisus est), 50n6, 99, 100, 111–14, 125, 127, 128
unsinnlich, 28, 30
Unsinnlichkeit (insensuality), 28, 29, 35
value: apprehension of, 31; of consecrated virginity, 89–92; disvalue, 37; perception of and response to, 28–35,42–47; positive and negative values of sex, 2–3, 19–20, 22, 28, 29, 35, 36, 45, 46, 48, 73; of self-devoting love and mysterious union, 73–77
Vestal, 93, 134n5
Virgin Mary, 57, 94
virginity: ascetical significance of, 105–10; Christian virginity, 87, 88, 89, 90, 93, 94; consecrated virginity, 18, 87–88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 97, 99, 104, 109, 115, 121, 123, 124, 128, 133, 135, 136, 137, 139–42; as constituting special form of possession by God, 128; as external form of life and outward sign that all things are forsaken for Jesus’s sake, 125–29; heathen virginity, 94; as ideal form of purity, 46; introductory, 87–95; natural virginity, 94; nature of consecration of, 90–95; as not differing essentially from poverty and obedience, 129; relationship of with asceticism, 108; secret of as wedlock with Christ, 131–37; as special and closer union with God, 99–100, 109; special marriage of consecrated virgin, 97–104; as undividedness, 111–14; vow of, 94–95
virtue: acquired virtue, 32n6; acquisition of, 34–35; characteristics of, 42; as compared to achievement, 32; as compared to temperament, 31, 32–33, 35, 48; as demanding purity as condition of, 42n2; genuine virtue, 31, 32, 33, 37, 52; humility as foundation of, 43; as involving habitual response to some value, 34; natural virtues, 33, 48, 51, 52; purity as positive virtue, 39–57
vital philosophy, 12
vital-corporeal sphere, 59–60n1, 60, 67, 68
vow, as compared to promise, oath, and so on, 94–95n12
Walter, Franz, 56n8
warmheartedness, 21
wedded love: as distinguished by its power to emancipate,
119; as distinguished from other kinds of love, 6, 100; marriage union as presupposing, 9; most perfect form of, 66; reformation of sex as effected by, 65–71; sex as expression and fulfillment of, 8n3
wedded purity, 73–83, 90, 91
will to unity (intentio unitiva), 65, 66, 69, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80
Wintersig, Athanasius., 12n6, 88n5, 92, 135
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