Many times I have heard people say that perhaps Magnificat has been raised up for “a time such as this”. (Esther 4:14). Our mission is to evangelize and to encourage Catholic women to grow in holiness through opening more fully to the power and the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Has there ever been a time in more need of the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit? There appears to be a t
ug of war for souls ... the evil one (yes, he does exist!) seems to be frantically trying to wreak havoc all around us - in our families, among our friends, around the world and even in Holy Mother Church. Every day, be vigilante and "
Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil.
" Eph. 6:11
We sometimes forget that chaos, despair, fear, hopelessness, etc, are not of God.
Satan, the father of lies, the prince of deception, wants to paint a bleak picture in an attempt to rob us of our HOPE. If he succeeds, he robs us of our desire for the kingdom of heaven and eternal life.
We need to be careful, especially in times like this, not to fall into the temptation of allowing another's lack of faith to diminish ours. This is not a time to leave the Church but rather to help lead the Church by using the charismatic gifts that God has so generously given each of us for the building up His Church, the Body of Christ and the needs of the world. This is our calling under Mary's maternal mantle!
Each of us, made in the image and likeness of God, are called to be holy. I have been told that the road to holiness is narrow and steep. We need Holy Mother Church to guide us on the path. As 1 Thes. 5:16-18 says, "Rejoice always.
Pray without ceasing.
In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.
" What a challenging Scripture! Although His ways are not necessarily our ways, we need to remember that He has the big picture and "
for God all things are possible.”
Mt. 19:26 We also know who the victory ultimately belongs to, so don't give up! Let's pray for one another while placing our hope and trust in Jesus for He said in John 14:6,
“I am the way and the truth
and the life."
United in the hearts of Jesus and Mary,
Donna Ross, Coordinator
Central Service Team (CST)
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Holy Father's Monthly Intentions
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September
Universal - Young People in Africa
That young people in Africa may have access to education and work in their own countries
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October
Evangelization - The Mission of Religious
That consecrated religious men and women may bestir themselves, and be present among the poor, the marginalized, and those who have no voice
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November
Universal - In Service of Peace
That the language of love and dialogue may always prevail over the language of conflict
.
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15th International Magnificat Leaders' Conference
July 18-21, 2019
Hilton New Orleans Airport, LA
Come home for a visit!
Start saving now.
Registration opening soon!
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Liturgy of the Hours
From a commentary on Luke
by Saint Ambrose, bishop
Mary Visits Elizabeth
When the angel revealed his message to the Virgin Mary he gave her a sign to win her trust. He told her of the motherhood of an old and barren woman to show that God is able to do all that he wills.
When she hears this Mary sets out for the hill country. She does not disbelieve God's word; she feels no uncertainty over the message of doubt about the sign. She goes eager in purpose, dutiful in conscience, hastening for joy.
Filled with God, where would she hasten but to the heights? The Holy Spirit does not proceed by slow, laborious efforts. Quickly, too, the blessings of her coming and the Lord's presence are made clear; as soon as
Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting the child leapt in her womb, and she was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Notice the contrast and the choice of words. Elizabeth is the first to hear Mary's voice, but John is the first to be aware of grace. She hears with the ears of the body, but he leaps for joy at the meaning of the mystery. She is aware of Mary's presence, but he is aware of the Lord's: a woman aware of a woman's presence, the forerunner aware of the pledge of our salvation. The women speak of the grace they have received while the children are active in secret, unfolding the mystery of love with the help of their mothers, who prophesy by the spirit of their sons.
The child leaps in the womb; the mother is filled with the Holy Spirit, but not before her son. Once the son has been filled with the Holy Spirit, he fills his mother with the same Spirit. John leaps for joy, and the spirit of Mary rejoices in her turn. When John leaps for joy Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit, but we know that though Mary's spirit rejoices she does not need to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Her son, who is beyond our understanding, is active in his mother in a way beyond our understanding. Elizabeth is filled with the Holy Spirit after conceiving John, while Mary is filled with the Holy Spirit before conceiving the Lord. Elizabeth says:
Blessed are you because you have believed.
You also are blessed because you have heard and believed. A soul that believes both conceives and brings forth the Word of God and acknowledges his works.
Let Mary's soul be in each of you to proclaim the greatness of the Lord. Let her spirit be in each to rejoice in the Lord. Christ has only one mother in the flesh, but we all bring forth Christ in faith. Every soul receives the Word of God if only it keeps chaste, remaining pure and free from sin, its modesty undefiled. The soul that succeeds in this proclaims the greatness of the Lord, just as Mary's soul magnified the Lord and her spirit rejoiced in God her Savior. In another place we read:
Magnify the Lord with me
. The Lord is magnified, not because the human voice can add anything to God but because he is magnified within us. Christ is the image of God, and if the soul does what is right and holy, it magnifies that image of God, in whose likeness it was created and, in magnifying the image of God, the soul has a share in its greatness and is exalted.
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Message from Msgr. David Toups
Magnificat CST Spiritual Advisor
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My dear Magnificat sisters,
“Let my eyes stream with tears night and day, without rest, over the great destruction which overwhelms the virgin daughter of my people, over her incurable wound” (Jeremiah 14:17).
Our hearts have been broken once again and our anger is enkindled over this great destruction and a seemingly incurable wound. “How long, O LORD, must I cry for help and you do not listen?” (Habakkuk 1:2). These are certainly very real feelings that each of us is going through right now with regard to the current revelations of sexual abuse at the hands of clergy, the countless wounded victims, and the seeming lack of transparency in various quarters of our church.
I write today to encourage each of us, literally to strengthen our hearts (the root of courage – “to act with heart”). We place our broken hearts into the Sacred Heart of Jesus Christ and ask that He may give us His comfort in the midst of our feelings of betrayal, anger, confusion, sadness, grief, embarrassment, etc. Without going directly into the pierced side of Christ and bringing it all to Him, we will never heal and we will become embittered. Jesus and His Church need us now more than ever! We are called to “take heart” and say “that is not who we are!”
As women of Magnificat, I want to invite each of you to become ever more the prayer warriors that you have always been for the Church. The Holy Spirit is alive and active and will lead us out of the mire. We are reminded that “there is nothing concealed that will not be revealed, nor secret that will not be made known” (Luke 12:2). As painful as these days are, and it will most likely get worse before it gets better, if there is infection in the Church it must come out so that whatever is in darkness can come into the light – only then can we move forward (siempre adelante).
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Let’s renew our daily Rosary, frequent Mass attendance for those who can attend during the week, and prayer in the home for all those suffering and for the healing of the Body of Christ. Remember our Blessed Mother Mary, the Undoer of Knots, wants to use us as instruments in a particular way at this time. Many of you are in the midst of a 54-day Rosary Novena – may this powerful weapon in our hands bring about necessary conversion of heart for all involved and assist our bishops who need to stand up and ensure that the flock is protected. I stand with you at this time embarrassed and ashamed that a small percentage of our priests have caused such damage to individuals and to the Church. We all ache, but we do not lose hope in the Church that Christ gave us 2000 years ago, we do not abandon the 96% of good and faithful priests who continue to serve us, we move forward with hope and faith that we are not abandoned by the Good Shepherd at this particular moment of history. “I am with you always, even until the end of the world” (Mt. 28:20) and “The gates of hell shall not prevail against you” (Mt. 16:18). Come Holy Spirit come!!!
At this time, our prayers are with all victims who have suffered so deeply at the hands of clergy and with the whole community of the faithful who suffers together with these horrible revelations. Know that I pray for each of you, and that we are called to proudly, profoundly, and positively affect our Church and be witnesses to the world that “Jesus Christ is Lord!” (Phil 2:11).
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Msgr. David L. Toups
CST Spiritual Advisor
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A Tribute to Father Kevin Scallon, C.M.
Exerpt from Independant Catholic News
By Antonia Moffatt
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It is with great sadness that I share the news of the sudden death of dear Fr. Kevin Scallon. Although I was totally unprepared, at the great age of 80 years, it seems it was Fr Kevin's time to go home to his beloved Lord and Savior and to meet Our Blessed Mother, St. Joseph & St. Patrick who he has served so faithfully all his life and especially during his priestly life. A beautiful gift that he went to the Lord on June 25th, 2018 — Feast of Our Lady Queen of Peace. God's timing is always perfect.
As well as being a gentle, loving, compassionate and spiritual father with a great love of the heart of Jesus for everyone — Fr. Kevin was the founder of the world wide Intercession for Priests ministry which eventually evolved into great fruitfulness alongside Sr. Briege McKenna,
O.S.C.
,
his co-worker. Intercession for Priests became a great international outreach of the Mercy of God for the world's wounded and suffering priests.
Through the Intercession for Priests Retreats, tens of thousands of priests discovered a renewal of priesthood, a deeper grace of contemplative prayer and in many instances their vocations were saved.
Who knows how many tens of thousands of priests Fr. Kevin helped in his lifetime and how many priestly vocations he personally nurtured into a deeper spirituality and contemplative reality? How many priestly vocations did he help save?
Only the Lord knows the extent of the work of Fr. Kevin in the Vineyard of the Lord. Only the Lord knows the burden of the Intercession for Priests Ministry which was constantly on Fr. Kevin's shoulders and in his priestly heart..
I deeply salute dear Fr. Kevin for this. His Retreats were always powerful, and both challenging and compassionate at the same time. Intercession for Priests is only part of the work of this great Missioner in the Vineyard of the Lord.
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Fr. Kevin had a great co-worker, collaborator, spiritual support, dearly beloved friend and companion in the Lord, in the person of Sr. Briege McKenna. This grace of spiritual friendship was especially given for the great work amongst the wounded priests. The Lord in his great kindness and compassion brought them together to work in a complementary partnership of deep faith and friendship.
Many of us also pray regularly the beautiful Rosary Meditations and Rosary which Fr. Kevin and Dana recorded many years ago. I especially pray when driving. Fr Kevin has a most beautiful, lyrical, contemplative, gentle and meditative tone of voice which was at the same time captivating and deeply prayerful.
He was a great spiritual Father to me on and off during the years.
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May Fr. Kevin rest in Peace and Rise in glory. Amen
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Donna Ross and Marilyn Quirk attending Fr. Kevin Scallon's funeral.
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Queen of the Holy Rosary!
Thee as our Queen we greet,
And lay our lowly, loving prayers
Like roses at thy feet.
Would that these blossoms of our souls
Were far more fair and sweet.
By Cyril Robert
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CST Welcomes Jackie France!
By Elise Botch, CST Newsletter Editor
The CST is delighted to announce that Jackie has accepted their invitation to become a part of the Central Service Team as Historian
.
She has been a Magnificat servant leader since 2001. She was a member of the first Chapter Service Team for Stark County, Ohio until 2008. She then served as a CST Region #6 Representative from 2008-2015 and now chairs the CST Regional Rep Ministry. Jackie has been an ‘active pulse’ within the Ministry. Throughout the years, she has mentored many Magnificat sisters, sharing her wisdom, knowledge and experience from all her changing roles. Anyone who knows Jackie can testify she is a selfless and loving leader, always ready to lend a helping hand. In one word, ‘integrity’ describes Jackie. How does she do it all? She will tell you, "If we are steadfast, the Lord will take care of everything". We thank God for her FIAT and her willingness to serve as a faithful handmaid of the Lord!
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Story of a Table Cloth
By Pat Higginbotham,
Advisory Team Member, Regional Rep #6
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The last few days the Holy Spirit has thrown curve balls into my plans and had me serve where I wasn’t expecting. Isn’t that the fun of living in the Spirit? Unexpected surprises. Many of my surprises nowadays are little people under the age of 10. But after one of our breakfasts late last year, a friend pulled me aside and rather apologetically gave me a plastic bag with a tablecloth in it. It had come from the home of one of her relatives whose house they were cleaning out after her passing. She told me that if I didn’t want the table cloth to just throw it away because she had washed it but the stains remained. I, of course, thanked her, took it home and put it in a safe place that I promptly forgot where that place was.
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A couple of weeks ago I was thrilled to have come upon the bag again and decided to see if I could get the stains out. I wanted to use it for our next service team meeting. It is white with a scalloped edge and cut out lettering about 3 inches tall that circle the center. Both the edge and lettering are embroidered with Blessed Mother Blue thread. It reads:
LEGIO MARIAE
on the bottom and around
the top it reads
MAGNIFICAT ANIMA MEA DOMINUM
.
Translation:
Legion of Mary My Soul Magnifies the Lord.
I really thought I could get all the stains out with Oxy-Clean and was disappointed when a rust stain in the middle remained. But I decided to use it anyway and put a centerpiece over the middle. As I was ironing it, the surprise came upon me. What a beautiful gift. Not just the tablecloth, but the deep faith of the women who gathered around it. The stains to me were representative of their prayers, their devotion to Our Lady, their struggles and victories. As we prayed that night, I felt as if we were having a Visitation of the Communion of Saints and they were passing the torch to us. A Transfiguration of a sort where they were rooting us on and exhorting us to keep the flame lit.
There is so much in the world today raging against the flame of the Light of Christ. And yet our Lady continues to build her Army. It is us. As we inspire and ignite those who come to our breakfasts, we continue to pass the torch. These everyday women who have gone on before us are still alive and active in Mary’s Legion. They are a beautiful help on our journey and I realized we should remember that when we pray. Especially since this is foremost a ministry of prayer.
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Mary Wilson to serve on the National Service Committee's Council (NSC)
By Elise Botch, CST Newsletter, Editor
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Mary Wilson, CST Member of Magnificat, has accepted an invitation to serve as a representative of Magnificat on the National Service Council of the National Service Committee of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal (NSC). As a member of the Council, she serves under Sr. Lucy Lukasiewicz (DLJC) Disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ, National Service Committee member and the Chairperson of Strategic Priority #2: Strengthening the Renewal.
Mary will be representing Magnificat at the next Council meeting prior to the NSC Leaders' Conference to be held in Dallas, TX on November 9-11, 2018. If you plan to attend, please stop by the Magnificat Table and say ‘Hello’.
Mary is also involved locally in the Charismatic Renewal. She is past Chairman and current Secretary of the Central Louisiana Charismatic Renewal Committee and on the music ministry team.
Thank you, Mary for your ‘Fiat’ and your willingness to stretch your wings far and wide to be such a wonderful handmaid of service to the Lord!
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Fr. John Horn, S.J. speaks to Magnificat Omaha
By Karen Dwyer, Coordinator of Omaha, NE Chapter
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In June, Fr. John Horn, challenged us to listen for Jesus to speak to us every day. He reminded us of Zephaniah 3: 18 from the Feast of the Visitation reading on May 31: “The LORD, your God, is in your midst, a mighty savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, He will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals.” He told us to ask the Lord, “What song are you singing over me?” Many of us did and the Lord revealed a beautiful song.
Magnificat-Omaha praises God for His many blessings this year. We continue to have almost 400 women at every Meal — thanks to our chairs and numerous parish ambassadors who help get the word out and to our many faithful who are committed to evangelization.
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Magnificat of Lincoln, NE
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Morning Star Chapter, Magnificat of Lincoln, had Janette Howe, Foundress of the Seven Sisters Apostolate, as our speaker in June. Seven Sisters is a Catholic Women’s Apostolate with groups making Holy Hours of Daily Prayer for an assigned Priest. At the end of our Prayer Meal we prayed over our Priests present. Janette Howe is seated, and
Morning Star Chapter’s Spiritual Advisor Msgr. Witt is on the far right.
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Thoughts on Exaltation of the Holy Cross
By Peggy Rowe-Linn, Coordinator of Palm Beach, FL
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Longfellow first penned the words “into each life some rain must fall.” Most of us remember these words because Ella Fitzgerald immortalized them in song. Some of us feel that we have been pelted by a lot more than rain. Because of the crosses we suffer, we feel the rain is more like a monsoon, tsunami, hurricane or at least a tropical storm. These crosses can be anything: a child away from the church, addiction issues, terminal illnesses, unfaithfulness in marriage, sheer loneliness. Quite frankly, the list is endless.
As my crosses compound themselves, I am challenged to remember that all of us are pilgrims. We are sojourners trying to make our way, accepting our burdens and crosses, until we pass into eternal life. Earth is not our final home. And, if truth were bluntly told, none of us are getting out of here alive. There is no question that we are going to die. It is simply a question of when and how. “But about that day and hour, no one knows, not even the angels even in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows.” (Matt 24: 36)
September 14
th
each year marks the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross. This day is also known as the Triumph of the Cross, the Elevation of the Cross, Holy Cross Day, Holy Rood Day or Roodmas. It celebrates essentially two historical events: (1) the discovery of the true cross of Christ by St. Helena, who was the mother of the Emperor Constantine; (2) the dedication in 335 of the basilica (“Martyrium”) and shrine (“Cavarium)” built on Calvary by Constantine, which marked the site of the crucifixion.
The Persians destroyed it in 614, but in 1149, the crusaders built the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which now stands on the site. The real reason it is a celebration is that it commemorates God’s greatest mercy to mankind, redemption from sin through the salvific death and Resurrection of Christ. “We should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, for he is our salvation, our life and our resurrection: through him we are saved and made free.” (Entrance antiphon for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.)
We are baptized with the sign of the cross. When we pray, we make the sign of the cross. As Mass commences we make the sign of the cross and as we are dismissed from Mass, the priest signs us as we sign ourselves with the cross. The cross is our way of life.
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Even after death during the Mass of the Resurrection, the priest signs the casket with the cross and during the Mass, a crucifix lies atop the funeral pall. And when the loved one is about to be interred, the cross is passed to the nearest living family member as a sign of faith.
We all have crosses. Remember, two things this feast day: (1) Saint Paul said, God “takes the things that are not, to confound the things that are.” (1 Cor. 1:27) Crucifixion was a sign of failure, defeat and complete contempt. Only God could turn the “cross of contempt” into the symbol of Christ’s victory. We, too, must pick up our daily crosses and turn them into small victories for Christ and as vertical movement towards our Redeemer and our ultimate home. (2) If we heaped all our personal crosses in a pile with everyone else’s crosses, at the end of the day, we would only take ours with us.
On this feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, I urge you to quit thinking of your “crosses” as anything other than “guidelines ordained by God” to assist you in getting through the narrow gate. I also commend to you a website called catholicculture.org that lists a number of activities that you and members of your family, young and old, can do to commemorate this feast in your home. They are as easy as making sure a crucifix is hanging in your home to cooking a special meal.
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Finally, say this prayer:
“Lord, may your grace make possible to me what seems, by nature, impossible. You know how little I can suffer and how quickly I am discouraged by a small difficulty. For your name’s sake, help me find all trials lovable and desirable, knowing that to suffer affliction for your love is very good for my soul.
Solace in Suffering: Wisdom from Thomas a Kempis,
Pauline Books & Media: Boston: 2010.
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5 Star Campaign
To make your sacrificial gift online,
please click here:
Select a donate or subscribe button. You can also mail a check payable to: Magnificat Central Service Team at 1629 Metairie Road, Suite 3, Metairie, LA 70005.
God bless you!
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Magnificat Prayer Booklet
Magnificat has been a daily companion to thousands on their spiritual journey, enriching their prayer life and helping them grow in love and knowledge of Christ and the Church.
Every subscription to this lovely Mass and prayer guide directly benefits our Ministry domestically and worldwide.
Regular Edition: first subscription $47; second subscription $39; and subsequent subscriptions $29; Large Print Edition: first subscription $64.95; second subscription $55; and subsequent subscriptions $49.
Magnificat P. O. Box 822,
Yonkers, NY 10702
(866) 273-5215
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Praise Report
The Power of an Invitation
I invited my neighbor to our Magnificat meal and the speaker was talking all about RCIA. My neighbor is now attending RCIA at our local parish!
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Central Service Team Facebook
Visit, like and share the page at
Thank you to all who have commented, liked, and shared our posts. Every time you like, share, or comment you create activity which then multiplies the number of souls exposed to the Magnificat mission, which in turn reaches out to more souls in need of our Savior. Let us glorify the Lord in all we do, even on Social Media, and come to know the One who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life! All Glory to God!
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Magnificat Proclaims airs on EWTN RadioPlus!
Did you know everyday on EWTN Classics at 1:00pm EST, the new EWTN RadioPlus network features a Magnificat speaker? It is also available online (www.ewtnradio.net) and on the EWTN app. Tune in and hear these incredible testimonies!
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This Newsletter is brought to you by the Central Service Team
Elise Botch - Editor
Colleen Swiatek - Layout Page Designer
Paulette Renaudin - Contributing Writer
CST Communications Team
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A "Printer Friendly" version of this Newsletter is available!
Most printers have three print options: color, grayscale or
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