Dear friends and family,
I am very happy to announce that I have been approved by the Youth Apostles Council to make Lifetime Consecrated promises to Christ, His Church, and to Youth Apostles. The promises will take place at St. Agnes Catholic Church in Arlington, VA on June 12th, 2021 at 11 in the morning. This will be a very important day for me. It will be a finalization of my calling to Celibacy—a lifetime of living the Evangelical Counsels of Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience.
For those who do not know what the Consecrated Life is, let me quickly explain: The Catholic Church has long had the tradition of promoting celibacy, in imitation of Christ’s life, in those who God has called to live such a life. It is so that the celibate man or woman has an “undivided heart” that can totally be in service to the concerns of God’s kingdom. Priests and religious brothers and sisters (such as nuns and monks) are examples of vocational celibacy in the Church. These people do not get married because they have foregone the goods of marriage in exchange for the goods of celibacy.
Religious persons, in particular, are in a state of “consecrated” life—meaning a life set apart from the world. My community of brothers, Youth Apostles, is unique within the Catholic Church. It is formally categorized as a Mixed Association of the Faithful. We have brothers who are married, single brothers, and Consecrated brothers. I am in that third category. I serve the community as a brother who has dedicated his whole life to young people and to the Catholic Church. I made temporary promises to the Consecrated Life back in August 2017. Now, after four years of discernment, I have decided (and been affirmed by the community) to make a Lifetime commitment, ratifying the promises I made originally.
To be clear, this is not an ordination to the priesthood. God-willing, that big day is many years down the road. Regardless, it is a permanent vocational choice for me, priesthood or no.
I would love to celebrate with any of you who are available to attend the mass and reception afterwards. Official invitations will be going out soon!
Bishop Michael Burbidge of the Arlington Diocese will also be there to celebrate with us. I feel very blessed that he has agreed to come be the main celebrant of the mass. Furthermore, I am especially thankful to all my brothers in Youth Apostles. In large part, it is for you that I am laying my life down.
If you have additional questions about these upcoming Lifetime Consecrated promises, I would be very happy to answer them!
With care,
-Jim