Gulf Pine Catholic • June 19, 2026 11 Lingenfelder prepares for Consecration as a Virgin Living in the World BY TERRY DICKSON BILOXI -- For most of her life, the call was there -- quiet at first, then impossible to ignore. “I first felt a call to be Bride of Christ when I was in the second grade,” said Katherine Lingenfelder, a Diocese of Biloxi woman preparing to be consecrated this summer as a Consecrated Virgin Living in the World. Her journey toward consecrated virginity has taken years of prayer, discernment and surrender to God’s will. On July 25 at 10:30 a.m. at Nativity BVMCathedral in Biloxi, Bishop Louis F. Kihneman III will consecrate Lingenfelder publicly during a Mass attended by clergy, religious and faithful from across the diocese. It will be the first consecration of its kind in the Diocese of Biloxi. “The day of my Consecration, it will be my wedding day,” Lingenfelder said. “On that day, I will be consecrated to God and mystically espoused to Jesus.” Born on a military base in England to a military family, Lingenfelder moved to Washington state as a small child before settling on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Her Catholic faith was rooted early through parish life at St. John Parish in Gulfport and later St. Mary Parish in Woolmarket. As a young girl, she was active in parish life, assisting with CCD classes, singing in the choir and helping clean the church alongside her father. “I wanted to be a teacher,” she recalled of her childhood dreams. That desire to help others later led her to study social work in college before changing directions to speech communication after a professor encouraged her to pursue the field. “It was one of the best decisions that I have ever made,” she said. “I am an introvert and was extremely shy. It caused me to stretch and to find my voice.” Though she remained deeply involved in ministry through high school and college, the deeper call to belong completely to Christ continued growing stronger. She taught CCD, served as a lector and extraordinary minister of Holy Communion, sang in the choir and participated in youth ministry and diocesan events. During her years as a youth minister at St. Mary in Woolmarket, she said the desire “to become a Bride of Christ” intensified. Eventually, she left her job and entered a discernment home in Wisconsin to explore religious life. It was there she first encountered the vocation of consecrated virginity. After returning home, she quietly continued discerning while praying for clarity. “I wanted Jesus to make it clear between myself and Him if He was inviting me into this vocation,” Lingenfelder said. A turning point came during a 2022 pilgrimage to the Holy Land. While visiting the site of the Annunciation, she experienced what she described as an overwhelming peace. “I told God that I was completely surrendering to Him and that I would do whatever He asked,” she said. “I told Jesus that I was His and that I loved Him. In that moment -- the bells for the Angelus rang.” Throughout the pilgrimage, she said she repeatedly sensed God speaking to her heart. “I kept hearing, ‘The time has come. I love you. The time has come for you to be my Bride,’” she said. Later, after attending a consecration ceremony herself, she knew with certainty that this was the vocation God intended for her. “As the Candidate for Consecrated Virginity walked down the aisle -- I could see myself as her,” Lingenfelder said. “I sobbed and wept the whole time as the Rite was beautiful, intricate and was my very own heart.” She later contacted Father Braxton Necaise, diocesan vocations director, to begin the formal application process. Consecrated virginity is one of the oldest vocations in the Catholic Church, dating back to the early Church. Unlike religious sisters, consecrated virgins live and work in the world while dedicating their lives entirely to Christ and the Church. “Consecrated Virgins Living in the World do just that -- they live in the world but not of the world,” she explained. Lingenfelder currently works for the Diocese of Biloxi and will soon begin serving full-time in the Vocations Office as an administrative assistant. Her vocation centers on prayer for the Church, clergy and the salvation of souls. “Because Consecrated Virgins are Brides of Christ, Jesus is their Bridegroom,” she said. “So for me, that means going to Mass as often as possible, spending time with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.” She acknowledged that the vocation remains unfamiliar to many Catholics and has required education and understanding even within the diocese itself. “This vocation is literally counter cultural,” she said. Her advice to young women discerning a vocation is simple: do not be afraid. “Whatever vocation you are called to, you will find your greatest joy,” Lingenfelder said. “Do not be afraid.” For more information, visit https://cana.wedding/ katherineconsecration. Katherine Lingenfelder Prayer for Protection against Storms and Hurricanes Our Father in Heaven through the intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, spare us during this Hurricane season from all harm. Protect us and our homes from all disasters of nature. Our Lady of Prompt Succor, hasten to help us. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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