The chaste single life, also known as the consecrated single life, is a vocation whereby God calls a particular person to remain single for their entire life. These single people live out their vocation by representing Christ wherever they are at and in whatever profession they are in. The Catholic Church recognizes that single people do a great deal of good for the Church in a way that a religious or a married person cannot. Since they are not bound to particular commitments, vows, or various obligations as a religious or married person are, single people have a certain flexibility and freedom to serve the Church and proclaim the Gospel in accord with their state of life. 

​

For instance, since a single person do not have a spouse or children of their own, they may have more time to care for their aging parents or family members who needs special assistance. They also have more time to assist others who are in need. They can be great mentors and teachers for those within their parish community. Their spiritual life consists of more time in study, prayer, and worship. 

 

There are some single people who take a public vow of chastity, these are single women who are consecrated as virgins. Sometimes they enter secular institutes or particular Catholic associations in order to live our their single life in a particular way or manner, i.e. charity work, life of prayer, fulfilling various services for the church, etc. 

​

There are some people who are in this single vocation for a short time and is eventually called to the vocation of married life or religious life. This may be due to the fact that one's state of life, as a single person, is because of one's age, lack of social interaction, work life, and various external factors. That is why this state of life can be considered as an "anticipatory" state in which all Christians are called to at one point in their life. 

​

​