Caribbean visitation of Magnificat International

By Bernadette Patrick

Caribbean Regional Representative

We are preparing to experience an extraordinary moment of grace and fellowship as Magnificat International Leadership visits the Caribbean for a historic celebration titled ‘An Explosion of Grace.’ This unique gathering will unite international leaders, local Chapter members, clergy, and the faithful in a joyful encounter centred on the Holy Eucharist.

The visitation is being jointly hosted by Magnificat International and the Trinidad and Tobago Chapters, under the leadership of International Coordinator Donna Ross, Caribbean Representative Bernadette Patrick, and Chapter Coordinators Beverly Sambrano (Trinidad) and Catherine George (Tobago).

The highlight of the visit will be the celebration of Holy Mass on Sunday, February 8 at 10.30 a.m. at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Independence Square, Port of Spain. The principal celebrant will be Archbishop Charles Jason Gordon, concelebrating will be the spiritual advisors of Magnificat.

Magnificat, a ministry for Catholic women rooted in the power of the Holy Spirit and devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, has long been a source of renewal, evangelisation, and encouragement for women across the globe. This Caribbean visitation marks an important milestone, strengthening the bond between local chapters and the international body.

Magnificat takes its inspiration from the Visitation in St Luke’s gospel. After Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and Jesus was conceived within her, she goes in haste (92 miles) to her cousin, Elizabeth, who was also with child.

Scripture tells us that at the moment Mary’s greeting reached Elizabeth’s ears, the child in her womb (St John the Baptist) leaped for joy and Elizabeth was also filled with the Holy Spirit.

At that moment, there was an explosion of grace and Mary sang the Magnificat. “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord, my spirit rejoices in God my savior…The Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name” (Lk 1:46–47, 49).

Adding to the uniqueness of the event, Magnificat International Leadership and visiting chapter members will be arriving aboard the Princess Cruise Line, transforming their Caribbean journey into a pilgrimage of mission and encounter. Their presence represents a living testimony to the universality of the Church and the unifying power of the Eucharist.

Immediately following the Mass, attendees are invited to a Mix and Mingle Fellowship at the Central Bank Auditorium Foyer (St Vincent Street entrance, Port of Spain). This time of fellowship will provide an opportunity for local members and the wider Catholic community to meet and interact with the visiting international leaders, share testimonies, and celebrate the unity of faith that transcends borders.

The beginning

Magnificat Ministry to Catholic women began on October 7, 1981, with the encouragement of the late Bishop Stanley Ott, and the late Archbishop Philip Hannan of the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

It is canonically rooted in the Church as a Private Association of the Christian Faithful. What started as a prayer meal for 200 Catholic women has become an International Ministry spread across the world with chapters currently located in the US, Canada, the Caribbean, Malta, Poland, and Africa.

Its primary purpose is to inspire spiritual growth in holiness for women and to evangelise them to the fullness of faith. We believe it to be a response to the Second Vatican Council message to women. December 8, 1965: “But the hour is coming, in fact has come, when the vocation of woman is being achieved in its fullness, the hour in which woman acquires in the world an influence, an effect, and a power never hitherto achieved. That is why, at this moment when the human race is undergoing so deep a transformation, women impregnated with the spirit of the Gospel can do much to aid mankind in not falling…”

This vibrant women’s ministry was pioneered in the Caribbean by our beloved Ursula ‘Babsie’ Bleasdell (deceased) in 1983. The Arima Chapter was one of the first five Chapters, which included in New Orleans; Metairie, West Bank, Sidell, and in Mississippi; Biloxi. Bleasdell was therefore the first Caribbean Representative, a position she passed on to Bernadette Patrick in 2004, who also became the founding Coordinator of the Port of Spain Chapter. The Chapters in the Caribbean, including Trinidad and Tobago, are in Aruba, Barbados, Dominica and the US Virgin Islands.

This visitation promises not only to be a joyful gathering, but a profound spiritual encounter—an outpouring of grace that will strengthen Magnificat’s mission in Trinidad & Tobago, and throughout the Caribbean. This special event was planned by the Chapter Service and Ministry teams, headed by Event Coordinator Patricia Gomez and Assistant Coordinator Lucy Regis.

All are warmly invited to participate in this historic Eucharistic celebration and fellowship as Magnificat International brings an authentic explosion of grace to the shores of Trinidad & Tobago.

A special invitation to all Magnificat past and current members, women who love Magnificat and those interested in experiencing this dynamic women’s ministry serving women across the globe for 44 years.

For more information, call 757-7907 or 688-5110, follow us on Facebook at Magnificat Caribbean Region and visit our website at Magnificat-Ministry.org