Magnificat women ponder the Transfiguration

Magnificat exists to evangelise and to encourage Catholic women to grow in holiness through opening more fully to the power and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Magnificat’s Caribbean Regional Representative, Bernadette Patrick, reports on their recent international conference.

The 2019 International Leadership Conference took place July 18–21 in New Orleans, United States, attracting participants from the United States, Canada, Europe and the Caribbean. A pre-advisory team meeting was held on July 17, to review new methods and expressions to effectively deliver the mission of Magnificat.
Magnificat is committed to transforming the world through evangelisation and our main tool is by hosting a Magnificat meal, where women gather for fellowship, praise and worship, prayer, teaching, testimony, intercession and ministry.
The theme of this year’s conference was The Transfiguration. The Apostolic Nuncio of the United States, Archbishop Christophe Pierre extended warm greetings to the Magnificat gathering and expressed Pope Francis’ spiritual closeness to all who would be participating in the conference.
Archbishop Pierre hoped for the Magnificat gathering “that you may listen to the voice of Jesus and grow in the bonds of communion, as women committed to transforming our world by word and deed, following the example of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose soul proclaimed the greatness of the Lord”.
At the conference were many inspiring speakers, including the founding coordinator, Marilyn Quirk; pioneer in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, Patti Mansfield; professor at the St Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, Florida, Dr Carol Razza; former Pentecostal minister now Catholic evangelist, Barbara Heil; current Coordinator, Donna Ross and spiritual director and Rector/President of the St Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary, Florida, Msgr David Toups.
There are 100 chapters around the world with eight chapters in the Caribbean. The conference was well represented with 19 members from this region. We were all renewed to continue the task of evangelisation through our Chapters.
Our newest chapter is in St John, US Virgin Islands; Trinidad-born Fr Anthony Abraham is its spiritual director.
Energised by the International Conference, the Port of Spain chapter will hold its meal on Sunday, October 6.
Bernadette Patrick, founding Coordinator of this chapter and current Caribbean Regional Representative will share her testimony, “The journey home and beyond”. Bernadette will share her testimony with Fr Ian Taylor who was instrumental in her return to the Catholic faith and the initiation and rapid growth of the Towers of Strength Community.

The meal will be held at the Hyatt Regency and the cost is $200. For further information contact: Marion 767-8641; Mary 774-5982; and Ann 737-8116.