We welcome you to the Mother of Mercy Chapter of Magnificat in Fort Myers, Florida. These are exciting times. Magnificat began in 1981 for such as time as this. There are now over 100 chapters throughout the United States and its territories and in many foreign countries. Our Chapter has a website at magnificatfortmyers.com.
Magnificat Meal
Hosted by the Mother of Mercy Chapter
March 9, 2024
Breakfast
9:30 am – 12:30 pm
Doors open at 9:00 a.m. for open seating.
No Reserved Seating
Location:
Crowne Plaza Fort Myers
Gulf Coast
9931 Interstate Commerce Dr
Fort Myers, Florida 33913
Our Guest Speaker, Kim Rodriguez-Torres
“God is love.” 1 John 4:16
Kim Rodriguez-Torres is a wife, mother, grandmother, and woman of God. She has been involved in different areas of Ministry for the past 30 years. She is a Commissioned Lay Ecclesial Minister, Certified Advanced Catechist, Retreat Facilitator, Prayer Group Leader and Evangelist. She has worked as a Catholic School Teacher, a Representative of Family Life, and MOM’s Ministry. Kim assisted on the Board of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal for Orlando and the Archdiocese of Miami. Formerly, she served on the Central Service Team for Magnificat, the governing body for this World Wide International Ministry to Catholic Women. The Magnificat Ministry was born out of the Charismatic Renewal, open to the working of the Holy Spirit in sharing their love, service, and the Good News of salvation.
Kim is the founder of Bella’s Blanket of Blessings, a prayer blanket ministry that was started after her four-year-old niece and goddaughter, Bella, became paralyzed and was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. These prayer blankets are for the sick, suffering, and anyone who needs prayer. These blankets have spread internationally, including Canada, Haiti, India, and the Dominican Republic. They have been sent to hospitals, nursing homes, homeless shelters, and seminaries. Bella’s Blanket of Blessings helps promote vocations to the priesthood through prayer and spiritual adoption of seminarians and priests.
Kim shares the power of prayer, the love of God, and the mission of Christ any chance she gets. Realizing what happened on the Cross was done out of love for you changes your life forever. God is love…and Kim strives to do all in love for the greater glory of God.
Prayer ministry is available after the meal.
Since the day is designed to speak to the hearts of women, free of distractions, it is respectfully requested that young children under the age of 14 not be in attendance.
Tickets & Registration
Online registration will be available for this Meal! Please register online by March 5, 2024.
Tickets for priests, deacons, religious brothers, and sisters are complimentary, but registration is required.
Tickets are $26 and are payable in advance. Registration postmarked by March 1, 2024. Your canceled check is your receipt. No onsite registrations are available.
Email Peg for her address to mail the form: pegmengle@gmail.com
Checks payable to “Magnificat.”
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Upcoming Speakers and Events for our Chapter – 2024
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Fernande Benjamin, May 11, 2024
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Esperanza Liszewski, Date TBA
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Maria Boylan, Date TBA
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NEW! Life in the Spirit Seminar For Magnificat Women
June 7-8, 2024
Friday 5:30- 8:30 pm
Saturday 9:00 am – 4:30 pm
Our Lady of Light Catholic Community, 19680 Cypress View Dr., Fort Myers, Florida 33967
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Past Special Event: Appreciation Tea for Ministry Chairs and those who want to learn more to volunteer held in the Summer of 2023.
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Rosary Blanket of Prayer
Our Chapter is assigned to pray on the 8th of the month.
The Magnificat Ministry sponsors a Rosary Blanket of Prayer in response to our Holy Father’s call to prayer. Each Chapter is assigned one day of the month for concentrated prayer, fasting, Eucharistic Adoration, Rosary, etc. Of course, we are called to pray daily, but this day should be specially designated. It can be done individually and collectively if possible. Magnificat women and others who care to join us are invited to participate in this concerted effort. The general intentions are for a New Pentecost, the Church, Magnificat, the sanctity of life, marriage & family, and world peace.
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God, my savior. Luke 1:46-47
Service Team Members
Felice Gerwitz, Coordinator
Cristina Martinez, Asst. Coordinator
Margaret Mengle, Treasurer
Janice Neyer, Secretary
TBA, Historian
Spiritual Advisor: Rev. Hugh McGuigan, OSFS
Chapter email: magnificatmotherofmercy@gmail.com
Visit our Chapter’s website at magnificatfortmyers.com.
Visit our Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/magnificatfortmyers
If you would like to be an active part of Ft. Myers Magnificat or would like to be added to our mailing list, or if you have questions or comments for our Service Team, please send your contact information to our Chapter’s email address: magnificatmotherofmercy@gmail.com
History of Mother of Mercy Chapter
[Diocese of Venice, FL] Est. December 16, 20042000
Our Lord had a plan for this Chapter before its beginning! He set independent events in motion several years before the Chapter’s founding. Margaret Adams, Fernande Benjamin, Virginia Mc Hugh, and several others in Southwest Florida prayed weekly for a Marian, Charismatic ministry to start in the Diocese. Mary Zitnik, a vocalist and composer from Chicago, had written a praise song version of the Blessed Mother’s Magnificat before moving to the area in 2000. She became the music minister at Bob and Cristina Martinez’s “Jesus is Lord” Prayer Group in Ft. Myers.
2002
Gerry Mader and Marilyn Quirk had served simultaneously on the National Service Committee Advisory Council for several years, where Lois Ann Mader was introduced to Marilyn. Em Weiss, Lay Spiritual Director for the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, had inquired about Magnificat. When Marilyn learned that Lois Ann was moving to Florida in the fall of 2002, she casually said, “I want you to form a Magnificat chapter when you move there.” All this took place as a prelude to the Mother of Mercy Chapter.
2003
After moving to Ft. Myers, the Maders were asked to serve on the Diocese of Venice Charismatic Service Team since both had formal experience serving the Renewal. Lois Ann met with Beryl Kinney, Eastern Regional Rep for Magnificat, who wintered in Florida. They invited Em Weiss to a meeting with Mimi Reilly, Bishop Nevins’ representative, to speak about forming a chapter. They were given the go-ahead to form a Discernment Team. The Central Service Team confirmed Em Weiss’ appointment of Lois Ann Mader as the Contact Person for the beginning of a Magnificat chapter in the Diocese of Venice.
Beryl provided Lois Ann with the names of several area women to invite to serve on the Discernment Team. Before calling, she prayed and heard, “You will have to dig deep, but you will find jewels.” She made many calls with no positive response.
Meanwhile, the Maders became active members of the “Jesus is Lord” Prayer Group, where they met Cristina Martinez, Mary Zitnik, and Margaret Adams, a long-time member of the group. One evening, Mary felt led to share her Magnificat, and Lois Ann recognized this as a go-ahead sign from God. She then asked Cristina, Margaret, and Mary to join the Discernment Team. They agreed and were encouraged to invite others to seek God’s direction.
Our Lord’s plan to form this SWFL chapter was truly multinational. The Discernment Team included Lois Ann Mader, Mary Zitnik, and Virginia McHugh from the USA, Cristina Martinez from Chile, Margaret Adams from Bermuda, Rosalia Brunco from Italy, Fernande Benjamin from Canada, and Ann Doherty from Scotland. The Regional Representative was Olga Myers, who provided encouragement and assistance. As the group met, in addition to studying the Magnificat Constitution and By-Laws at each weekly meeting, one member was asked to share her personal walk with Jesus, which bonded the women. They dubbed themselves “Super Glue Sisters.” Six of them attended the International Magnificat Conference in New Orleans, LA, in September 2003; upon returning, they decided to form a chapter in the diocese.
2004
While waiting for Bishop Nevins’ approval in April, Fr. Jack Smyth, a Redemptorist priest, was asked to meet the Team and to consider becoming the Chapter’s Spiritual Advisor. Much to the Team’s amazement, he asked what he could do to assist in forming the chapter and mentioned that he had dinner with the bishop every Sunday night. Within two weeks, the bishop granted his permission to move forward and appointed Fr. Jack’s Spiritual Advisor. In June, Em Weiss led the Team in discerning who would serve on the first official Service Team and in what roles. Lois Ann Mader was named Coordinator. Cristina Martinez and Margaret Adams were to serve as Co-Assistant Coordinators. Fernande Benjamin became Treasurer, Mary Zitnik was named Secretary, and Anne Dougherty became Historian. Rosalia Brunico and Virginia McHugh agreed to become regular intercessors. In discerning a name for the Chapter, all but one brought the name “Mother of Mercy;” once again, God’s inspiration was clear.
On August 22, a letter was sent to Bishop Nevins, asking him to review the Magnificat Constitution. The Chapter received approval on October 7, (The Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary). Then, off went the official letter to the CST (Central Service Team) to request the Chapter License, which was granted on November 11. Mother of Mercy Chapter was officially incorporated in Florida on December 16, 2004.
2005
Aware of the finances and volunteers needed to host a Meal, the Service Team sponsored a Commissioning Mass followed by an informational coffee about Magnificat on January 22 at the Church of the Resurrection of Our Lord in Ft. Myers. Approximately 200 women baptized in the Spirit were invited; 100 women came, and some became ministry Chairwomen. Fr. Jack Smyth offered the Mass. The first Magnificat Breakfast was held on April 23 at the Holiday Inn Plaza in Ft. Myers. Beryl Kinney was the first speaker.
The “Super Glue Sisters” continued to serve as the Service Team for several years. As Team members have stepped down, the Mother of Mercy Chapter has been continually blessed with godly women to serve in their place. This Ft. Myers, Florida Chapter continually seeks to praise and serve God and encourage women to forge lasting relationships with Our Lord, Our Lady and each other, led by the Holy Spirit, under the patronage of Mary, Mother of Mercy.
Last Updated on March 7, 2024.
