On Saturday, August 22, at 11 a.m., on the Feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted will consecrate Kimberly Zeeman and Claire Halbur as Diocesan Consecrated Virgins Living in the World at Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix, AZ. It is a source of joy and hope for us to witness these two women following Our Lord Jesus Christ in this state of Consecrated Life as Diocesan Consecrated Virgins, part of “The Ancient Order of Virgins,” which began with the virgins of the first centuries of Church history. Like Ss. Agnes, Agatha, and Lucy, Kimberly and Claire are choosing to give their lives completely to God as brides of Christ, to cling only to Him with greater freedom of heart, body and spirit as they make a promise of perpetual virginity to be virgins for their entire lives, “for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven.” Consecrated Virginity is a vocation that is a visible sign to the world of the spotless Bride of Christ, His Church and the reality of Heaven, eternal life.
Set apart for God, Consecrated Virgins are also dedicated to living a life of penance and prayer for the salvation of souls and the sanctification of the Church. Their witness as virgins is counter-cultural and so needed in our culture deeply influenced by desires of the flesh. It shows others that virginity is not only possible with the grace of God, but desirable and noble. Purity is a treasure to be preserved, given by God and offered to God in all its integrity and beauty.
In this state of Consecrated Life, they are choosing to dedicate their lives to solely serving Christ and His Church while living in the world, either working for the Church or in a secular job. St. John Paul II explained in his Apostolic Exhortation, Vita Consecrata,
“Consecrated by the diocesan bishop, these women acquire a particular link with the Church, which they are committed to serve while remaining in the world. Either alone or in association with others, they constitute a special eschatological image of the Heavenly Bride and of the life to come, when the Church will at last fully live her love for Christ the Bridegroom” (VC, 7).
Like Religious vowed life, Consecrated Virginity is “public”, which means that the Consecration of the Diocesan Virgin is recognized by the Church. By virtue of public Consecration, the Consecrated Virgin makes visible Christ and His Church. As one can imagine, there is a great responsibility in this vocation with an expectation for holiness. As the Consecrated Virgin is completely financially independent and not part of a Religious community, she is not accountable to Religious superiors; she is the main agent for her ongoing formation and spiritual growth. The Candidate for Consecrated Virginity must be mature in the spiritual life and exhibit the motivation needed to be a “self-starter” for her ongoing formation. The youngest age a virgin can be Consecrated is 30 years of age. Many are 50 plus years of age.
The Consecration Mass of Kimberly Zeeman and Claire Halbur on Saturday, August 22, will be live-streamed from Ss. Simon and Jude Cathedral in Phoenix at 11 a.m. Seating is available only with tickets, organized by the Office of Worship of the Diocese of Phoenix. Live-streaming will be done by Media Ministry and can be viewed via YouTube and Facebook.
Meet the Candidates for Consecration
Parishioner and Adoration Chapel Coordinator at Blessed Sacrament Parish in Scottsdale, AZ
My name is Kimberly Zeeman and I am a candidate for Consecrated Virginity Lived in the World here in the Diocese of Phoenix. I was born in Pontiac, MI, and moved to Arizona in 1972. I have an older brother who also lives here in Phoenix. I work in the business office of a dermatology practice and have been doing this type of work for 20+ years.
I enjoy reading and learning about the Saints of the Church and especially reading anything by Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI. I am a parishioner at Blessed Sacrament in Scottsdale where I participate in a variety of ministries. I am one of the Co-Facilitators for our Grief and Bereavement Support Group at my parish. We are richly blessed to have a Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel at our parish, and I have been the Coordinator of that ministry for the past two and half years. Eucharistic Adoration has been such an important part of my life for so many years and being able to intercede for others through prayer is truly a gift that I hold most dear. Adoration has played a significant role in my vocation discernment over the years and has generously strengthened my relationship with Christ at each step along the way. I am both humbled and delighted to be a candidate for Consecrated Virginity Lived in the World and look forward to sharing this unique and beautiful vocation with the Church.
Claire Halbur
Parishioner and Director of Sacred Music of St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Gilbert, AZ
I grew up the eldest of four siblings in Joliet, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago), was homeschooled for grade school and high school, and was graced with many faith-filled experiences from my early childhood. Increasing involvement in parish life, especially as a catechist and musician while I was yet a teenager, drew me into the mystery of the Family of God and stirred up within me a thirst to love and serve the Lord via the mission field of parish apostolate. As a young adult, I served at three parishes in the Diocese of Joliet and simultaneously pursued a degree in music from the University of Saint Francis in Joliet.
Now 32 years old, I heard the call to consecrated life at the age of 20 and began discerning the vocation of Consecrated Virginity lived in the world a few years later. The Lord continued to draw me to his heart and affirm my identity as his bride, and called me in Summer 2016 to move to Phoenix to serve as Director of Sacred Music at St. Mary Magdalene Parish in Gilbert. This is the spiritual family where I am currently called to sacrificially invest my time and energy and to nourish souls through the gift of spiritual motherhood.
When I am not making or teaching liturgical music, I also enjoy healthful cooking (making food both delicious and nutritious is a passion for me!), herbal tea, vivid colors, deep discussions, a little bit of photography, and all things creative. I love being surrounded by mountains in the East Valley and, though a native Midwesterner, find the desert a fascinating and beautiful place. I am truly honored and grateful to be called to serve the Lord and receive the gift of Consecration within this Diocese at the hands of Bishop Olmsted.
When I was being lead to move to Phoenix four years ago, one of the Scriptures that my Beloved gave to me is the same First Reading that Bishop has selected for the Consecration Liturgy, and which is also inscribed on the ring which I will receive. “Thus says the LORD: I will allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak to her heart…I will espouse you to me forever: I will espouse you in right and in justice, in love and in mercy; I will espouse you in fidelity, and you shall know the LORD” (Hosea 2). Glory to his Name forever!
