If you encountered a lay consecrated woman of Regnum Christi, you might not notice anything out of the ordinary—except an extra glimmer of joy. These laywomen took private vows consecrating their lives to Christ. They may wear everyday clothes and look fully immersed in the visible world yet they are set apart.

They have a wedding band, yet no earthly husband; they took Christ as their spouse. They daily dedicate their lives to Jesus, with whom they have a deep personal relationship, because He called them to love Him above all else—a directive He gives to all the baptized, but these consecrated women received and answered a further supernatural call from Christ.

Although they took private vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, their lives differ from habited orders. “Because of our lay consecration, we don’t have external signs of belonging entirely to God and living a life dedicated to Him,” commented Rachel Peach, who took her final vows in 2016 and is part of Regnum Christi’s Cincinnati community. “It’s not obvious to someone that I don’t have my own bank account (poverty), that my heart, mind, and body are exclusively for Christ my spouse (chastity), and that I’m a missionary and can be sent almost anywhere in the world to serve (obedience).”

Their vows impact their lives in unexpected ways. Maria Reinagel dedicated her life to Christ in 1993 and explained that poverty affects more than her physical life, it also touches her spiritual life and her work. Reinagel said that in giving herself to the Lord in poverty, He “meets poverty with providence” and always provides for their needs.

The Regnum Christi Federation is an apostolic body in the Catholic Church whose mission is to make the Kingdom of Christ present today. As a member of this Federation, the Society of Apostolic Life “Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi” defines itself as “a society of pontifical right, approved by the Holy See, with women who live the evangelical counsels within international communities.” The Federation also includes the Legionaries of Christ (priests), lay consecrated men, and single and married lay men and women. Whatever their vocation or work, they are members of this international spiritual family working to bring Christ’s love into the world.

Reinagel explained that being a member of this large movement is like “being a part of an amazing orchestra. I might just be a tiny penny whistle but my community across the world is a great symphony.” We live and work in the world so that we can accompany others on their walk with Christ on a relational level.

Each Consecrated Woman is assigned to a specific apostolate and thus lives out her mission differently. Their daily work varies according to where Christ calls them: some teach, others work in offices or parishes, some provide spiritual direction, vocational and youth ministry, and many serve additional apostolates. Their vow of obedience requires that they heed their director’s decisions regarding their mission and community, but their own prayer, discernment, and talents are usually taken into account.

With every apostolate, however, Regnum Christi’s mission prevails: “It’s not so much what I do, but who I am doing it with. Living with the experience and certainty of Jesus as your spouse, sharing His mission, and following Him as He enters into the lives of the people you encounter every day is what it’s all about,” explained Peach.

The lives of the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi look familiar, yet are curiously distinct from that of an everyday layperson. While they share the same call as all the baptized—to make present the Kingdom of God on Earth—they answer it in their unique way, living in community and fully dedicated to evangelization.

This article appeared in the May 2025 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.