Woman becomes a consecrated virgin
to serve God and the Church

By Brandon A. Evans

Lisette Shattuck speaks of how she at once felt drawn to the religious life but at the same time could not find a home in the convent.

Her years of searching and discerning came to fruition as she sealed her vocation to virginity for the sake of the kingdom of God with a special Mass of Solemn Consecration of a Virgin on May 7. (To read about what the Catechism says about the value of virginity, click here)

The Mass, celebrated by Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein and three priests, took place in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel of SS. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis.

Shattuck is a member of Cathedral Parish, and her pastor, Father Rick Ginther, served as the emcee.

The Mass included her promise to live in perpetual virginity for God a litany of the saints and the presentation from the archbishop of the insignia of her consecration—a ring and the Liturgy of the Hours.

The archbishop told her in his homily that she has “renounced marriage for the sake of Christ” and “to follow the Lamb of God wherever he leads you.”

The consecration of a virgin is one of the oldest sacramentals in the Church and one of the oldest forms of consecrated life. A consecrated virgin is not a quasi-religious, but lives a life dedicated to serving the Church that is a definitive vocation in itself. As a consecrated virgin, Shattuck will attend Mass daily, pray the Liturgy of the Hours daily and spend much of her private time in prayer. She is responsible for her own financial needs.

“I feel like my vocation comes from the Church and it belongs to the Church,” she said.

Shattuck receives inspiration for her vocation from the Blessed Virgin and the Church—both of which are images of a bride, a virgin and a mother.

The consecration of a virgin was last celebrated in the archdiocese for Anchoress Sister Mary Ann Schumann—who helped Shattuck discern her vocation.

Sister Mary Ann coordinates the Divine Mercy adoration chapel adjacent to St. Michael the Archangel Church in Indianapolis.

Unlike Sister Mary Ann, who took the additional step of being an anchoress, Shattuck will live out her calling in the world.

“Her ministry in the Church is basically to minister to whomever she meets,” Father Ginther said.

She will go into the marketplace—literally, as it were, because she works for a telephone marketing company—and spread the Word of God.

“Consecrated virginity centers on becoming a woman in the world but not of the world,” Sister Mary Ann said.

“I try to live in Jesus and allow him to work through me,” Shattuck said. That means witnessing to Christ, in word and deed, with all whom she meets.

Among those family, friends and supporters who attended the Mass on May 7 were several of Shattuck’s co-workers, who are not even Catholic.

And her witness of chastity is important as well.

“I think it’s very important because of the whole context of our view of human sexuality and how that can play into our relationship with God,” Sister Mary Ann said.

The witness brings out “the fact that God is our bridegroom” and the Church is his bride, she said.

Since her ministry is an amplified and concentrated model of the lay apostolate in general, she can provide an example to Catholics as well.

“It’s one way that an individual can lead to remind others that all lay people are called to that kind of ministry,” Father Ginther said.

“[People] also need the example of a woman ... committed to the Church—willing to support the Church, Sister Mary Ann said. She added that it is Shattuck’s prayer for the Church that will be particularly important.

Shattuck’s discernment process involved spiritual direction for years, and included the final step of receiving the approval of the archbishop.

She received support from the yearly retreats of the United States Association of Consecrated Virgins, whose episcopal moderator is Archbishop Raymond Burke of St. Louis. †