Virgin consecration in Salzburg: When Jesus becomes the bridegroom
Ancient rite is rare today
The rite of consecrating virgins is nothing new in the Catholic Church, but it is rare, as Auxiliary Bishop Hansjörg Hofer emphasized in the sermon. “Today we are experiencing profound fears of commitment.” Many would not be able to imagine that a fulfilled life is possible in virginity. Important are “distinctive signals against forgetfulness of God” such as Bernadette’s path. A lifestyle that is controversial.
Even when a child screams loudly, some wince a little: Won’t she miss family life? Will you ever fall in love?
Bernadette Lang emphasized in advance that she was aware of polarizing things: “Why do people who otherwise advocate general freedom in sexual orientation judge so quickly? Sex is often confused with intimacy.” She is happy to live in our time, not being “thrown to the lions to eat” as she used to be. She never shies away from discussions about her step and wants to stimulate thought.
At the consecration, upbeat interpretations of church music can be heard again and again. And then it gets dead quiet again in the cathedral, which is rarely overcrowded: Bernadette Lang speaks three times in a slow but firm voice, “I’m ready.” Her expression: relaxed and at peace. After all, she had been preparing for the big moment for years.