There are many people in the world who work to grab our attention. They are all working to make a change, but sometimes you need to stop and notice the quieter ones, the ones who are working behind the scenes. Over the summer, I met one, a consecrated virgin, who has dedicated her life to saving the family life. She has asked that her real name remains anonymous, but she did choose to go by Ms. Catherine. 

A consecrated virgin is a woman who has been consecrated by the Church to live a life of virginity, as a bride of Christ. That sounds very similar to a sister or a nun, but a consecrated virgin does not belong to a particular group or convent. They allow the Holy Spirit to  choose what they are supposed to work on and set the rules for how they are going to do it. 

During my interview with Ms. Catherine, there were many highlights, but below are the answers that stood out to me the most.  

What led you to become a consecrated virgin? 

Ms. Catherine: “I fell madly and passionately in love with Jesus Christ as my bridegroom.” 

Why become a consecrated virgin and not a nun or a sister, where you would be working in a convent? 

Ms. Catherine: “Being a consecrated virgin is a beautiful vocation because you aren’t working with a certain convent. You’re on your own so you have to rely radically on the Holy Spirit.” 

Can you tell me about your ministry? 

Ms. Catherine: “I take care of mothers and their children who need help. I meet moms who are pregnant and feel completely alone. They are under a lot of pressure and want to keep their babies. I help them do it and I will get them anything. I will give them housing, medicine, dental care, and more. But I want to make it clear. It’s not me. By nature, I’m a big chicken, but when the Holy Spirit takes ahold of me, I feel like I can do anything. There’s nothing like holding those babies and seeing the smile on those mother’s faces. That’s my ministry.” 

What is your favorite thing about being a consecrated virgin? 

Ms. Catherine: “I’m available to these mothers twenty-four hours a day, every day. I would drop everything in a heartbeat and run to help them.” 

Did you always want to be a consecrated virgin? 

Ms. Catherine: “I kind of had a sense that I had a mission. From the time I was little, I was a ‘rescuer’. Whenever I saw bullying going on, I would run into harm’s way to save the person who was being bullied. Yes, I wanted to get married and have a family, but God pulled me towards Him instead.” 

Do you have any goals for the future? 

Ms. Catherine: “The world is changing, and so is the Church. We need to be prepared for those changes and fight back if need be.”  

Is there anything you would like to say to the girls at NDP? 

Ms. Catherine: “You need to listen to the Lord and He will talk to you little by little. Happiness cannot be promised by Mary, but joy can be, and joy is so much deeper. Don’t put the Holy Spirit in a box and don’t put limits on the amount of holiness you have because He’s choosing you for others.”  

I think that Ms. Catherine is inspiring because she works behind the scenes to change the world. She is not standing on a podium giving speeches, but working quietly, changing people’s minds little by little. She reminds me that you do not need to be the loudest or the biggest or the strongest to make change. She reminds me that you need to trust in the Holy Spirit and it will give you courage to do what God has planned for you. 

Ms. Catherine is an inspiring woman who will not stop fighting for what she believes in. Thank you, Ms. Catherine, for allowing me to interview you.