St. Ambrose of Milan, Synodal Letter to Pope Siricius 42, 3 (389 AD)
“They pretend to honor marriage; but what praise can be given marriage if
there is no glory in virginity? Neither do we deny that marriage has been
sanctified by Christ, since the divine word says: ‘The two shall become one
flesh’ and one spirit. But we are born before we are brought to our goal,
and the mystery of the divine operation is much more excellent than the
remedy for human weakness. It is quite right that a good wife be praised,
but even better that a pious virgin be preferred.”
St. John Chrysostom, Virginity 10 (c. 392 AD)
“That virginity is good I do agree. But that it is even better than marriage,
this I do confess and if you wish, I will add that it is as much better than
marriage as heaven is better than earth, as much better as the angels are
better than men. And if there were any other way in which I could say it
even more emphatically, I would do so.”
St. Augustine of Hippo, Heresies 82 (428 AD)
“He (Jovinian) destroyed the virginity of Mary, saying that it was lost by
her parturition. He equated the merits of chaste spouses and of the faithful
with the virginity of consecrated women and the continence of the male sex
in holy persons choosing a celibate life.”
Catechism of the Council of Trent (1566)
Pt. II, Ch. VIII: The words increase and multiply, which were uttered
by the Lord, do not impose on every individual an obligation to marry, but
only declare the purpose of the institution of marriage. Now that the human
race is widely diffused, not only is there no law rendering marriage
obligatory, but, on the contrary, virginity is highly exalted and strongly
recommended in Scripture as superior to marriage, and as a state of greater
perfection and holiness.
Catechism of the Catholic Church (1992)
No. 1618:
Christ is the center of all Christian life. The bond with him
takes precedence over all other bonds, familial or social. From the very
beginning of the Church there have been men and women who have
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