If you knew the way in which Jesus, the Bridegroom, looks at you, what would change?
A new initiative out of RC Dallas, that was born from the seeds of personal mission discovery and has blossomed into a series of monthly evenings of reflection, a weekend retreat, and now a podcast, delves into this intimate relationship that all women, regardless of vocation, are called to cultivate with Christ. Through the lens of women of scripture and the virtues they embody, this new ministry seeks to illuminate for young women the path to a deeper understanding of Jesus as the ultimate lover of their souls.
The idea for the ministry was born of the Regnum Christi Discover Your Personal Mission course, which consists of five weekly sessions guided by the Consecrated Women of Regnum Christi designed to help young women discover the gift and mission that they are, and how they are called to use these to make a difference in their own lives and an impact on the lives around them and in the world. It was through this course and the accompaniment of the Consecrated Women that Cathy Costigan, a member of the Regnum Christi young adult section in Dallas, began to develop her dream of starting a ministry dedicated to Jesus, the Bridegroom. In collaboration with Emma McClure, Cailee Hamblen, and Jillian Lim, the idea of a retreat that explores this intimate relationship with Jesus began to take real shape.
The retreat was originally planned for October of last year, but scheduling logistics required the team to push the event to March of 2024. This postponement turned out to be providential, as it allowed and inspired the team to host monthly “Magdala Nights” leading up to the retreat, during which each of the four team members gave a talk on four key feminine virtues: sensitivity, receptivity, generosity, and maternity. The talks were followed by small groups, and then adoration, which included praise music ministry, prayer teams, and confession. The retreat in March was thus a culmination of this nearly year-long exploration of the theme of Jesus as Bridegroom through the lens of women in scripture, particularly Mary Magdalene, the initiative’s patron saint.
The weekend retreat was held on March 22nd – 24th leading into Holy Week, and was designed to introduce young adult women, regardless of their various vocations and stages of life, to Jesus as their bridegroom in a way that was approachable, accessible, and real. One of the initial and core purposes of the bridegroom ministry that Cathy had envisioned is to spread the good news that no matter what vocation a woman is called to – married, single, or consecrated life – she is invited by Christ into this profound relationship with him as her beloved spouse.
The retreat weekend consisted of talks and small group discussions, as well as testimonies in which different women shared their own experiences with Jesus as Bridegroom, and the great impact this intimate relationship has had on their lives. Live praise music and prayer teams, and many beautiful surprises prepared for the young women in attendance, led into all-night adoration, concluding with benediction early Sunday morning. Consecrated Woman of Regnum Christi, Helen Yalbir, provided support and helped with much of the prep work for the retreat, and Legionary priests, Fr. Ben O’Loughlin and Fr. Greg Usselmann were there to hear confessions and celebrate Masses. Avery Collins provided music ministry.
For the retreat team, who were all living as roommates at the time when the initiative first began to take shape, it was important that this intimate relationship with Jesus as Bridegroom was introduced and fostered first and foremost through the intimacy of female friendship, which they themselves had experienced sharing a home together. “One of our goals was to extend the graces that we have received through our own friendship with each other, and giving the women the time to connect with each other and share the way that Jesus as Bridegroom was moving in their hearts helped to facilitate that,” says Cailee, who is the social media coordinator for the RC Dallas young adult section. “One of the young women who came to the retreat mentioned that it felt like an extension of our living room, and that was exactly what we were hoping for!”
After the retreat, Magdala Nights continued in April and May, and will start up again in the fall. And Cathy have Cailee have released a brand-new weekly podcast where they share Catholic teaching, Scripture, and their own personal experiences of Jesus as their own Bridegroom and lover of their souls. The title of the podcast, “if you knew…,” is derived from Jesus’ words to the Samaritan woman at the well:
“If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water” (cf. John 4:10).
“If we knew the way the bridegroom looks at us, everything would change,” says Cailee. “And it did, for me, in that moment of finally meeting the gaze of Jesus and seeing the total compassion, the total love, the total desire he had for me. This podcast is a fruit of our relationship with God, and a fruit of our ministry that is centered on having a deep relationship with Jesus. We want to dive into that relationship with Jesus, particularly as the bridegroom, because he has changed our lives.” Together, Cathy and Cailee explore topics like what is means to live in the gaze of Jesus the Bridegroom, the importance of having standards, especially in dating, and how these leads to a flourishing femininity, and even how to be mad at the Bridegroom when you’re experiencing the real frustrations of disappointment, distrust, and disbelief while waiting for God to fulfill the desires of your heart. “Regardless of your relationship status, or how well you know the faith already, Jesus the Bridegroom wants you. He is knocking at your heart, and we want to tell you that opening the door to Him is the best thing you could ever do.”
You can check out the “if you knew…” podcast on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
To find out more about what’s happening in Regnum Christi Dallas, including their upcoming events for young adults, visit their website at rcdallas.com.
