Serving the Catholic Community of the Diocese of La Crosse

From the February 6, 2014 issue of The Catholic Times New diocesan book invites consecrated virgins to live out Mary’s ‘Yes’

By JOSEPH O’BRIEN “That’s Bishop Callahan’s Staff Writer vision and my vision – to make something durable – LA CROSSE – Consecrat- something that will last.” ed virgins living in the world have a new tool for enriching Saying “Yes” their vocation. The book begins with the Recently published by Angelus, Swieciak said, the Diocese of La Crosse, because Pope Emeritus “Meditation on Mary” is the Benedict XVI explained the fi rst in a series of books that importance of the Incarnation will help consecrated virgins in a 1988 homily he delivered living in the world live out as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger their vocation in imitation of during a Mass of Consecration Christ and His mother. of Virgins. Its author, herself a “In this homily, Cardinal consecrated virgin, Barbara Ratzinger said that the Incar- Swieciak, has been prepar- nation, where our Lord, the ing to write the book since Word, becomes fl esh in the 1984 – the year she chose to womb of Our Lady, is the be- say “Yes” to God by receiving ginning of the vocation of con- the Consecration to a Life of secrated virginity. The Ange- Virginity for Women Living in lus recalls the Incarnation. the World at the Cathedral of This prayer is at the begin- St. Joseph the Workman, La ning of the book then because Crosse. it is the beginning of the voca- In 2011, Swieciak fi nal- tion which the book seeks to ly began to put pen to paper when Bishop William Patrick address.” Callahan asked her to develop CT/Joseph O’Brien Adding a personal touch to A consecrated virgin living in the world since 1984, Barbara Swieciak recently wrote “Meditations on Mary” as part of a a program for those discerning the book, Swieciak said that formation program she’s been developing at the direction of Bishop William Patrick Callahan. Serving as librarian at the Holy some of the meditations were a call to consecrated virginity Cross Diocesan Center’s curia library and housekeeper at the rectory for St. James Parish, La Crosse, Swieciak said that she and those already consecrated. relied on her experiences as consecrated virgin over the past 30 years to write the book with the hope that both women inspired by her own spiritual considering the vocation and those already living as consecrated virgins would be enriched by the example which Our Lady life as a consecrated virgin. A sturdy hardcover book, sets for them. “Meditations on Mary” com- “Mary’s call and Mary’s bines prayers, meditations and es to Christ, to whom she is vocations, consecrated virgins to develop materials that are response echo through time refl ections on the life of the eternally espoused at her con- imitate the life of Mary. simple, accessible and versa- into eternity,” Swieciak writes Blessed Virgin to help women secration. “One of the main ways tile – so that anyone, including in the book’s closing refl ec- explore this little-known but Recognized by the Sec- to live out this imitation is married couples, priests and tion, “Living the Gospel of powerful vocation. ond Vatican Council as one through the mysteries of the seminarians, can incorporate ‘Yes.’” “She is like the reed While not a sacrament, of the oldest sacramentals in rosary,” she said, “and I’ve them into their prayer life. when the wind blows, gently consecrated virginity offers the Church, this state of life used the Rite of Consecration Swieciak said that the char- swaying, fi rst this way then women a way to serve the was restored by the council in and rosary together as a way acter and aim of the book’s back again, being faithful all Church as a living sacramen- 1970. According to a 2013 re- to mediate on my vocation for format was shaped in part along the way to the move- tal, imitating the life of Christ port in the National Catholic years.” by suggestions from other ments of grace to respond with and of His mother Mary, both Register, there are about 3,000 In March 2011, Bishop consecrated virgins around the loving charity to the lives and of whom lived out their virgin- consecrated virgins world- Callahan asked Swieciak to country. needs of those around her.” ity in the world. wide, and 215 in the United develop a formation program “The print is large enough In the end, Swieciak said, “Meditations on Mary” States. for consecrated virgins. that if someone has problems the book has succeeded if it is part of a larger publish- “So I knew that part of that with their eyesight, they can inspires women to either con- ing project sponsored by the 30 years of preparation program was the importance read it,” she said. “There’s a lit- sider this vocation for the fi rst diocese which will include According to Swieciak, she of the woman discerning the tle color on the pages through- time or, if already consecrated materials that cover other began developing the ideas for gift of virginity and the gift out – and one side of the page virgins, to renew their under- aspects of spirituality for “Meditations on Mary” while of the call to that state in life, is blank if they want to write standing of their vocation. consecrated virgins. preparing for the day she was which was that devotion to Our their own meditations.” “Over the last 30 years,” she A woman consecrated to consecrated by the late Bishop Lady,” she said. “That really is While Swieciak acknowl- said, refl ecting on her own perpetual virginity serves as John Paul, the seventh bishop the essence of consecrated vir- edges that the book seems a bit vocation, “I’ve discovered that a witness to Christ through of the diocese. gins living in world, imitating “pricey,” she said that the cost the rite is always fresh, and the her life; she wears neither During the homily for the the Mother of God in her life of covers printing and neither she more I ponder it, the more I habit nor special clothing to Mass of Consecration – which holiness, in her purity of heart nor the diocese makes a profi t learn from it. distinguish her in the world; consecrated virgins have and intention, and in devoting on the book’s sales. We can never learn enough she works without fi nancial customarily taken as their herself totally to our Lord.” “The virgins who have used about our vocations, and never aid from the diocese, chooses personal marching orders from the book already said they like learn enough about the unity her own way of life to support the Church – Swieciak was Simple and accessible that it’s hardcover and library- that God calls us to, and about herself, and through works of inspired by Bishop Paul’s In developing the program, bound, so it won’t easily fall God’s generous love for each penance and mercy witness- observation that in their Swieciak said that she sought apart over the years,” she said. of us individually.”