Picture in Church of the Visitation

 
 
Magnificat, A Ministry to Catholic Women is a private association of the Christian faithful under the jurisdiction of the local ordinary. (Canon 305.2) Its purpose is to help Catholic women to 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 salvation. It thus provides opportunities which will foster a desire to grow in holiness.

Last Updated on May 16, 2023.

Magnificat (pronounced Mag-nif-e-cot) 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.

Last Updated on May 16, 2023.

We seek to minister to Catholic women by:
• sponsoring Magnificat Prayer Meals throughout the year, and
• providing other opportunities for spiritual growth, such as retreats, Bible Studies, Life in the Spirit seminars, and Intercessory  Prayer Groups.

Magnificat Sisters at EWTN

Last Updated on May 16, 2023.

CST Coordinator
Donna Ross

It has been exciting to be a part of this Magnificat Ministry to Catholic women which 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 U.S., Canada, the Caribbean, Malta, Poland, and Africa. Its primary purpose is to inspire spiritual growth in holiness for women and to evangelize 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…”

The late Archbishop Fulton Sheen stated that “woman is the measure of the level of our civilization”. The moral level of any society is formed by women. Woman’s influence is powerful – for good or for evil. When a woman’s heart is captured by the Lord, she brings many to Him. We have seen that the transformation of a woman in Christ has had an effect in families, parishes, and the work place.

Pope John Paul II in his Apostolic Letter On The Dignity and Vocation of Women states that “many times in the Old Testament, in order to intervene in the history of his people, God addressed himself to women”. He continues to address Himself to women today, but unfortunately the world has effectively evangelized women more than the Word of God. Therefore, it is imperative that women become impregnated with the spirit of the Gospel so that they “can do much to aid mankind in not falling.” (The Council’s Message to Women – December 8, 1965) Perhaps Magnificat has been raised up for “a time such as this”. (Esther 4:14).

Magnificat takes its inspiration from the Visitation in St. Luke’s gospel, Chapter 1. After Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit and Jesus was conceived within her, she runs 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.”

(Luke 1:46-47, 49)
May Mary’s soul be in each of us to proclaim the greatness of the Lord!

Last Updated on December 5, 2023.

The CST fosters unity among the local chapters and service teams. While allowing for legitimate diversity, the team in union with the bishops of the dioceses to which Magnificat has spread, preserves the integrity of the Magnificat ministry. It also coordinates the expansion of Magnificat by enabling the affiliation of new local chapters, establishing policies and procedures while providing direction and leadership to the entire membership.

The Central Service Team

Last Updated on March 14, 2024.

Donna Ross (California) is a cradle Catholic who strayed from the Church for many years before she realized what she was missing! A powerful call of the Holy Spirit brought her back to the Church with a new appreciation for her faith. She ended a 25-year career with the Magic Kingdom of Disney in 1994 to work for the Eternal Kingdom of God. With numerous skills developed in the workplace and enriched by the Lord’s grace, she was called into full-time ministry in His beloved Church.

She has shared her conversion of heart on programs such as St. Joseph Catholic Radio, Wordnet’s “From Kingdom to Kingdom” and Women of Grace®. In addition, she hosted the “Magnificat Proclaims” radio series featuring testimonies of Catholic women from around the world. Donna attributes 48 years of praying for her father as being key to his reconciliation with the Catholic Church and says never give up HOPE! … for God all things are possible! Matt. 19:26

Donna has been a leader in the Southern California charismatic community, founded the Palm Desert Magnificat Chapter, and currently serves as Coordinator of Magnificat’s Central Service Team. She received the Diocese of San Bernardino’s “Our Lady of Guadalupe Award” for using her God-given talents for the sake of God’s children. Donna is a woman led by the Holy Spirit whose testimony truly proclaims the greatness of the Lord and how His gifts are present in our daily lives!

Last Updated on May 16, 2023.

Pat Higginbotham (West Virginia)
Pat and her husband, Chuck, have been married since September 8th, 1973 and have 3 grown children. Their son Beau and his wife Sarah, their daughter Katie and her husband, Erik, and their son Michael and his wife Karen, have given the Higginbothams 12 grandchildren (and 2 grandpuppies).

Prior to serving on the CST Pat was the founding coordinator of the Morgantown, WV Our Lady of Grace Chapter of Magnificat and the Regional Representative for the eastern Region Six of Magnificat. She is a member of the Light of Life Prayer group and a lector and cantor at her home Parish of St. Francis de Sales in Morgantown. Pat continues to serve as a prayer minister for individuals and at conferences. She loves to garden and likes to play golf when time allows.

Last Updated on December 6, 2023.

Mary Wilson (Louisiana) is a native of New Orleans who now resides in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana. She and her husband, Ronny, have been married since 1972. They have three grown and married children and have ten grandchildren. She attends St. Gerard Catholic Church, a mission church in the Diocese of Alexandria, LA.

Mary became involved in the Charismatic Renewal in 1989 and since then, she has attended Apple of His Eye Prayer Group in Marksville, LA where she leads the music ministry. Mary is a past chairman and the current secretary of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Committee (CCRC) of Central Louisiana. She was a founding member of the Service Team for CENLA (Central Louisiana) Magnificat – Our Lady of Prompt Succor Chapter where she currently serves is part of the music ministry. She jokingly says that she’s done everything but serve as treasurer, that God knew what He was doing when He kept her from having to count money and balance a checkbook.

Retiring after a 29-year career in education, she spent half of her career as a teacher and coach at the middle and high school levels and the other half as a high school administrator serving as assistant principal and then as principal – all in the Avoyelles Parish system.

She is the current secretary for the Central Service Team — the governing body for Magnificat, A Ministry to Catholic Women — an International Ministry for Catholic Women, a position she has held since January 2016.

In May 2018, Mary was appointed to the National Service Council for the Charismatic Renewal in the US as representative for Magnificat.

According to Mary – “God took my ‘jack-of-all-trades’ talents and put them to good use for His glory. If God can work with, in, and through me – He can work with, in, and through anybody!”

Last Updated on May 16, 2023.

Sharla Prejean (South Louisiana)
Sharla and her husband Kenny live in Hathaway, Louisiana where they raised their 3 children, they now are grandparents to 10 grandchildren. She received her associate degree in paralegal studies working in the legal field for 6 years. She retired after 27 years from an electric cooperative as administrative assistant/payroll/IT and then as office manager. She now enjoys following their grandchildren’s school and sporting events and gardening.

Sharla has been involved in the Charismatic Renewal since 2000 and Magnificat since 2012. She is a past coordinator and treasurer for Magnificat Lake Charles Chapter and a member of the Region 4 Regional Service team in leadership and later in finance. She has been involved in prayer teams for CCR and Magnificat International Conference.

Sharla is also a two-time survivor of breast cancer in 2000 and in 2023. She credits the Lord for the outpouring of His healing and now believes that God used the cancer to make her the person she is today. She now allows the Lord to guide her path and believes that the Lord has called her to be a part of the CST.

Last Updated on March 14, 2024.

Jackie France (Ohio) was born in rural Indiana, raised and schooled Catholic, but fell away from the faith in her college years. God brought her through a variety of relationships and personal journeys back to Jesus, His Church, and His Sacraments. It became evident that her years of working in secondary education and addiction counseling were used by God to form her for His purpose in her family, parish, Bible studies, prayer groups, and Magnificat Ministry.

Jackie has been a Magnificat servant leader since 1998 when Stark County Ohio Magnificat Chapter was in formation. In 2008, Jackie resigned from that Service Team after serving various times as Coordinator, Assistant Coordinator, Secretary, and Treasurer to be the CST Region 6 Representative from 2008 to 2015. In 2016, she became Chairperson of the CST Regional Representative Ministry and then accepted the call to be CST Historian in 2018. She is the CST Liaison to the Regional Ministry for Active Chapters.

Jackie is a widow living in North Canton, OH. She has one son, three stepchildren, eight grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter who are evidence of how greatly God has blessed her.

Last Updated on March 14, 2024.

Sara Ford (Nevada) had attended Magnificat Meals in California and when she moved to Las Vegas, she just assumed there would be a Chapter there for her to join. When there wasn’t, Sara made it a top priority of forming a Chapter in Las Vegas. She has diligently been working on the desire of her heart since 2008. We can all add our prayers to hers for the bishop to approve the statutes to form a Chapter there.

Sara has been actively involved with Magnificat anyway, serving on the CST Communications Team, Regional Service Team member for Region 1, and CST Chapters in Formation ministry (West). She was invested into the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem last year by Cardinal Grand Master Edwin O’Brien. Sara is married and has a son and two granddaughters also living in Las Vegas.

Magnificat is delighted to welcome Sara to this new role and I know you join me in giving her a holy hug!  We look forward with great anticipation to meeting her in person at the International Conference in October.

Last Updated on December 5, 2023.