“Father, receive my resolution to follow Christ in a life of perfect chastity which, with God's help, I here profess before you and God's holy people.”

With these words, the woman to be consecrated gives her firm and definite resolve to lay down her life completely for Christ and his Church.

Can a person ever be ready to make such a solemn resolution? Is such a resolution a flight from relationship? Does it require a superhuman force? In this Easter episode, Karen, Hannah, Simi and Dawn talk about placing their hands into their Bishop’s and making this resolution.

“Celibacy is … presented as a free choice that takes place in the relational space that is the body. With this choice the person responds to the God of love who calls and reveals himself in the face of Christ. This is not a flight from relationship, nor is it the fruit of superhuman force, but a gift that belongs to the dynamism of the transfiguration of relationality that distinguishes the style begun by Jesus: evangelical fraternity, the basis of reconciled humanity and the foundation of koinonía on which the life of the Church is based.” Ecclesiae Sponsae Imago, 15

Find us here: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/wildflowerreunion Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wildflowerreunion/ Linktree https://www.linktr.ee/wildflowerreunion

What does it feel like to resolve to “persevere to the end of your days in the holy state of virginity”? And to “accept solemn consecration as a bride of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God”?

These are two of the three questions to which a virgin gives her free consent during the Bishop’s examination leading up to the rite of her consecration.

In this Holy Week episode, Karen, Hannah, Simi and Dawn talk about their experiences of giving their free consent to their Bishops.

“The charism of virginity, accepted by the woman and confirmed by the Church through consecration, is a gift that derives from the Father, by means of the Son, in the Spirit.”

Ecclesiae Sponsae Imago, 23

The four wildflowers also discuss the graces they have received during Lent.

Find us here: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/wildflowerreunion

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wildflowerreunion/

Linktree https://www.linktr.ee/wildflowerreunion

What does it mean to receive the Liturgy of the Hours as a duty and an obligation? Is there a risk of it becoming a burden, lessening the personal nature of prayer?

Karen, Hannah, Dawn and Simi share about the experience of taking on the responsibility of praying the Divine Office.

They talk about how they schedule it into their days, what they do on unexpectedly chaotic days, and how they balance it with silent, contemplative prayer.

“Celebrating the Liturgy of the Hours, in particular Morning and Evening Prayer, [consecrated virgins] let the sentiments of Christ echo through them, absorbing them. They unite their voices to those of the entire Church, presenting to the Father the often unconscious cries of joy and sorrow that rise from humanity and from the whole of creation.” Ecclesiae Sponsae Imago, 34

The four wildflowers also share the most fruitful fast they have undertaken.

Find us here: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/wildflowerreunion

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wildflowerreunion/

Linktree https://www.linktr.ee/wildflowerreunion

How does the consecrated virgin experience receiving the Liturgy of the Hours at her consecration as a gift? Karen, Hannah, Dawn and Simi talk about their experiences of receiving the breviary from the hands of their bishops, with their promise to, “Pray without ceasing for the salvation of the whole world.”

"The Mass is the ‘jewel’ that Christ has given to his Spouse, the Church; the Liturgy of the Hours reflects and extends its beauty through the hours of the day” (Fr Timothy Gallagher)

The four wildflowers also share the spiritual commitments they have taken up for Lent.

Find us here: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/wildflowerreunion

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wildflowerreunion/

Linktree https://www.linktr.ee/wildflowerreunion

Isn’t it outdated for a woman to cover her head during worship? Why is veiling part of the consecration rite?

In this episode, Karen, Hannah, Simi and Dawn discuss the rich scriptural and theological significance of the second insignia of the consecration rite: the veil.

Unlike ordinary marriage, a consecrated virgin enters the church unveiled but, during the ceremony, is veiled by her Bishop as a sign of her protection and concealment by Christ her Spouse.

Karen, Hannah, Simi and Dawn talk about their own experiences of receiving the veil and what this has meant to them spiritually in their consecrated lives.

Scripture for this episode:

“My heart overflows with noble words.

To the king I must speak the song I have made,

my tongue as nimble as the pen of a scribe.

You are the fairest of the children of men

and graciousness is poured upon your lips:

because God has blessed you for evermore.

… Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words:

forget your own people and your father’s house.

So will the king desire your beauty:

He is your Lord, pay homage to him.”

Psalm 45:1-2, 10-11

Find us here: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/wildflowerreunion

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wildflowerreunion/

Linktree https://www.linktr.ee/wildflowerreunion

How can an ordinary woman be “mystically espoused” to Jesus Christ? Season 3 will discuss elements in the Rite of Consecration.

In this episode, Karen, Hannah, Simi and Dawn discuss the first of the insignia of the Rite: the ring.

What does the ring mean as a tangible sign of a consecrated virgin’s mystical espousal and covenant with Christ? What is it like to wear the ring for the first time? And how do we choose our rings?

Scripture for this episode:

“You shall no more be termed Forsaken,

and your land shall no more be termed Desolate;

but you shall be called My delight is in her,

and your land Married;

for the Lord delights in you,

and your land shall be married.

For as a young man marries a virgin,

so shall your sons marry you,

and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride,

so shall your God rejoice over you.

Isaiah 62: 4 - 5

What have been the blessings and the areas of growth as we come to the end of the year? In the final episode of 2025, Karen, Simi, Hannah and Dawn talk about the movements of the past year that they are pondering in their hearts. They share their joys, sorrows, and hopes of their lives embedded in a world of much turbulence and change over the past year. This is the last episode of season 2. (And we love our Bride of Christ hoodies sent by a listener!!) We will return on February 1, 2026 with season 3.

Find us here: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/wildflowerreunion

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wildflowerreunion/

Linktree https://www.linktr.ee/wildflowerreunion

Is it possible for consecrated virgins to live obedience if they do not have a religious superior? What does obedience look like when you are not in a convent with bells ringing?! Karen, Simi, Hannah and Dawn talk about how obedience is “holding onto every least intimation of the will of God” (Mother Mary Francis). It is important that we have concrete ways to live in obedience: following our plan of life and being attentive to the magisterium of our bishops and the Pope. But there are also more delicate calls to obedience: through those we live amongst in the world, through friendship, and through the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

This is the last episode of our book study of “My Beloved Is Mine and I Am His: Meditations on Brideship” - by Mother Mary Francis PCC, particularly the section on the Vow of Chastity.

Buy the book here: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/Beloved-Mine-His-Meditations-Brideship/dp/1685951597⁠ or download here: ⁠https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hAdD_WW1xNglsgWHR90HDlUme2Rs4H1y/view?usp=share_link⁠

Key quote: “It is obedience to the Father that all good is accomplished. It is in knowing how to bow one’s head in suffering obedience that alone renders one radiant. Willfulness, worldliness, immaturity, infantilism all pretend to be strong because these characteristics are so weak. The truly strong never have to proclaim their strength.”

Find us here: Facebook https://www.facebook.com/wildflowerreunion

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/wildflowerreunion/

Linktree https://www.linktr.ee/wildflowerreunion