"Mystery of Love for the Single" - By Dominic Unger, CAP, d. 1982

Father Dominic J. Unger, O.F.M. Cap., was born at Herndon, Kansas in 1907. He entered the capuchin order as a novitiate in 1928, and was ordained a priest six years later. Subsequently he studied at Rome, receiving his licentiates in theology and literature. He taught theology and Sacred Scripture until 1950, and devoted many years to research and writing thereafter. Father Unger is the author of Handbook for Forty Hours Adoration, The Mystery of Love for the Single, Our Lady’s Daily Hours, and The First Gospel: Genesis 3:15. He died in 1982 and was buried in Hays, Kansas.

A book written by Fr. Dominic J. Unger, O.F.M. Cap. “The Mystery of Love for the Single” was written as “A Guide for Those Who Follow The Single Vocation in the World”. Published by Tan Books and Publishers, it summarizes, Pope Pius XII’s Encyclical, On Holy Virginity.

The author uses pre-Vatican II language in this book that was originally published April 2, 1958.

 

Key text from the book: 

“Virginal love (or perpetual celibacy), is not an impediment to the full realization of one’s personality. It is not only no hinderance to the fullest attainment of one’s final end, but it promotes that attainment as nothing else can. It not only does not hinder the realization of a perfect personality; it is, very positively, the completion, the sublimation, the perfection of human personality. The reason is this: perfect chastity makes it possible for a man and women to possess most fully and completely in this world the God who alone can be the fully satisfying object of man’s essential faculties, which otherwise is possible only in the heavenly life. God and Christ must be loved above all else, and everyone and everything must be loved in and through Christ and God. Precisely in perfect chastity is this twofold love possible to the highest degree in this world. In perfect chastity man and woman can love God with an undivided love. They are, then, not single men* and single women* because they love so little; they are virginal spouses of Christ because they love so much, so ardently, that no creature can fully satisfy their longing for loving and being loved. They are, in short, on fire with love for God.** This is the essence of the mystery of love for the single in the world.” (See page 38).

*updated terms from the original text of “bachelors” and “spinsters”. **my emphasis added 

The book can be purchased on Amazon.