People from across the diocese and beyond gathered in St Mary’s Cathedral to celebrate as I was consecrated to the Ordo Virginum by Bishop Emeritus Terry.
I was particularly grateful for the support of people attending from my current parish of St Paulinus in Guisborough and our wider Coastal Cluster (including the parishes of Blessed Nicolas Postgate in Redcar and Marske and Our Lady of Lourdes, Saltburn), as well as those who joined the celebration from my home parish of Sacred Heart in Northallerton.
The consecrated vocations were well represented too, with the presence of the Benedictine sisters from Stanbrook Abbey, Wass (who have supported the diocese with my formation), and many consecrated virgins and women in formation for this vocation from across the country, and even one from Poland!
I was also deeply moved by and incredibly grateful for the effort the team at St Mary’s Cathedral put into the day: from the flowers, to the catering, to the altar servers and the smoothness of the liturgy itself, I was so humbled by how the diocesan community came together to make the day such a joyful and memorable celebration.
Before Mass, on the morning of the consecration, I felt joyful that we had finally arrived at the day, excited about what graces the consecration was going to bring, but also nervous and a bit daunted by the magnitude of the commitment I was, with God’s help, about to make.
That combination came with me as I processed into the cathedral. However, one of the most poignant moments in the liturgy was during the litany of saints, while I was lying prostrate and the congregation were praying for the intercession of many powerful men and women, I felt a wave of peace come over me and experienced a moment of real intimacy with the Lord.
Many people in the weeks leading up to my consecration, and indeed since, have asked me, “What is consecrated virginity about?”. During his homily, Bishop Terry explained wonderfully who consecrated virgins are, and about the history and meaning of this vocation.
If anyone is curious about consecrated virginity and wants to know more, I would encourage you to listen to the homily from the recording of the Mass on the diocesan YouTube channel.
I was also deeply encouraged by Bishop Terry’s reflections on the prayer of consecration, and on the graces and the strength I would need to continue living out this vocation, and which the Church was about to petition the Lord for on my behalf.
The high point of the consecration Mass is of course the prayer of consecration itself, which ends with the beautiful lines (addressing God the Father): “Be yourself her glory, her joy, her whole desire… She has chosen you above all things; may she find all things in possessing you.” As I have been allowing all the events of the day to settle, and to process everything that took place, the first grace I have noticed is a growth and a deepening for my desire for the Lord – an increase in that “single-heartedness” for the things of God, which we see described in St Paul’s encouragement to virgins in the church in Corinth (see 1 Corinthians 7:34), and exemplified so perfectly in Our Lady’s virginity.
Please pray that I will continue to grow in whatever graces God has in store through this consecration, and that these graces will continue to build up our diocesan community and serve God and the Church.
Please know also that I will be praying for each of you – and if there is any particular way that I can pray for you, or our parishes, please reach out via email or letter to let me know.
Dr Emma Morrison
