Magnificat is a ministry to Catholic women. Its purpose is to help Catholic women open more and more to the Holy Spirit through a deeper commitment of their lives to Jesus as Lord and to impart the Holy Spirit to one another by their love, service, and sharing the good news of Jesus Christ. It thus provides opportunities which will foster a desire to grow in holiness. Magnificat ministers to women in and out of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal whose faith in the person of Jesus Christ has allowed them to believe in the activity of God's Spirit in their lives. It also has great appeal to those women who may be struggling with faith or who have lost touch with the Church. It can be a valuable evangelistic tool.



Objectives

By living out the mystery of Mary's visit to Elizabeth, Catholic women open more and more to the Holy Spirit through a deeper commitment of their lives to Jesus as Lord.

We beg the Holy Spirit to help us love one another by our service and sharing the Good News of salvation in Jesus.

Magnificat provides opportunities which foster growth in holiness.

We sponsor the Magnificat Meal, the essential function of Magnificat.

Magnificat encourages Catholic women to grow in holiness through the following means:

Daily personal prayer*** Realization of the personal love of God the Father*** Personal knowledge of and love for Jesus Christ and commitment to Him as our Lord*** Experience of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit and openness to all His gifts*** Frequent participation in the sacraments of the Holy Eucharist and Reconciliation*** Study and daily reading of the Sacred Scriptures, the Word of God*** Deep love for and loyalty to the Catholic Church, as expressed through the Church's teaching authority -our Pope Benedict and the bishops in communion with Him who serve as guides in matters of faith and morals*** Sensitivity to the needs of the Church and willingness to address these needs through the corporal and spiritual works of mercy*** Deep love for and devotion to Mary as mother and model of all Christians, especially women*** Appreciation of the vocation of Christian women***Reverence for the sanctity of life from its conception to natural death as God wills***Fostering the work of intercessory prayer*** Promoting unity as expressed in Ephesians 4:3: "Make every effort to preserve the unity which has the Spirit as its origin and peace as its binding force."


Background

Magnificat was begun by a group of Catholic women from the Archdiocese of New Orleans who observed a need among Catholic women for a faith-sharing experience in a relaxed social setting. With the encouragement of Archbishop Philip M. Hannan and Bishop Stanley J. Ott, then Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans, its first function, a prayer breakfast, took place on October 7, 1981. Magnificat is a private association of the Christian faithful, whose statutes were originally approved by the Archdiocese of New Orleans and are in accord with the norm of Canon 305.2 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law. While Magnificat began under the auspices of the Archdiocese of New Orleans and was first incorporated in the State of Louisiana, each local chapter functions with permission of the local ordinary and is incorporated in its respective state. It was born out of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and has been nurtured by it. Magnificat is the verb in the Latin phrase, "Magnificat anima mea Dominum" - "My soul magnifies the Lord." These words recorded in Luke 1:46 are the beginning of Mary's response to Elizabeth's joyful greeting. The entire scene of the Visitation is the inspiration for this ministry, which adopts the name of Mary's hymn of praise and the spirit of this biblical encounter as its own. Following the example of Mary and Elizabeth, this woman-to-woman ministry within the Roman Catholic Church attempts to generate a lively faith in God and His action in our lives along with a love for Mary and the Church.


Magnificat Meal

The Magnificat Meal is the essential function of Magnificat. This two-to-three hour gathering takes place at least four times a year, providing the opportunity for:
***A Shared Meal: breakfast, lunch, or dinner.
***Fellowship: Offering women a chance to share and enjoy one another in the atmosphere of God's presence and love.
***Praise: A period of time in communal praise and worship centers the all on the Lord; it remains open to the Charismatic gifts while being sensitive to the varied background of all present.
***Personal Testimony: One woman's personal expression of God's action in her life. This highlight is, in fact, the reason people come.
***Intercessory Prayer: A time of prayer for the needs of the Church and of those present.


Magnificat Prayer

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour for He has looked with favor on His lowly servant. From this day all generations will call me blessed; the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is His Name. He has mercy on those who fear Him in every generation. He has shown the strength of His arm; He has scattered the proud in their conceit. He has cast down the mighty from their thrones, and has lifted up the lowly. He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty. He has come to the help of His servant Israel for He has remembered His promise of mercy, the promise He made to our fathers, to Abraham and His children for ever." (Luke 1:46-55)


Membership Information

Membership is of a spiritual nature, conferred for life, and open to all women who:
Strive to incorporate in their lives the purposes and objectives of Magnificat and
Agree to pray for Magnificat and its members, then
Complete the contact membership form as a sign of your commitment to Magnificat and its ideals

There are no dues. We depend upon free-will donations to subsidize our activities.

Members share the joy of serving the Church by ministering to their sisters through prayer, fellowship, and loving service. Members share in the prayers of all the members. They are provided opportunities to meet with other women who have the same spiritual values. They encourage each other in their desire to grow in holiness. They are invited to attend and serve in other functions of Magnificat.


























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