Carmen Briceno, a 35-year-old woman, got married to God in Alexandria, Virginia seven years ago. She joined over 3,500 women all over the world who have chosen to become consecrated virgins, and she has never regretted her decision to do so.
"Growing up, I was what you might call a 'cradle Catholic' — my family went to Mass every Sunday, but we weren't incredibly religious, more culturally Catholic. I didn't have a deeply personal relationship with God in any sense. It wasn't until later, as a young adult, when my faith became my own and I allowed God to change my life," she writes in an article for Cosmopolitan.
Because of her passion for volleyball, Briceno befriended a Christian girl who also loved the same sport. This new friend showed Briceno what a true relationship with God could really be like, and after seeing Jesus come alive through her friend, Briceno made the decision that she wanted that, too.
"She brought to light some of the answers to questions I never knew I had. When she asked me about my relationship with God, I truly had no idea how to answer. When you're not questioned about your faith, you may not know the depth of what you're missing," she explains.
In 2005, Briceno's faith deepened after she went to Cologne, Germany and witnessed people in fellowship with the pope. Seeing people express their love for God without reservations fuelled Briceno's own faith. There, she felt God talk to her: "You've given time to other boyfriends, but have you ever thought about me? How about you give me a chance?"
Giving God a chance did not come easy for Briceno. She studied thoroughly what it meant to be a consecrated virgin, and even her family questioned why she wanted to become one. Still, the young girl persevered.
"I was attracted to becoming a consecrated virgin because of its beautiful, ancient roots — in the early church, women made private vows to belong fully to Christ and not marry," she shares. "They loved the Lord so much they wanted to give all of themselves to Him."
Briceno likes to tell people that she did not give up romantic relationships for an idea. She gave it up because she "fell in love with a person, Jesus Christ." She understood the lifelong commitment it would entail, and she felt confident she was fulfilling God's will for her.
"While the discernment process is key, the truth is that God picks you, makes you His, and then puts you back into the world. You don't just get to become a consecrated virgin. God chose me as much as I chose God. It was a courtship, in a sense," she reflects. "If I'd given other men in my life a chance, why not God? That may sound odd, but it was a logical rationale."
