The History of Magnificat

The Visitation: The Virgin Mary with child visiting her cousin, Elizabeth, pregnant with John the Baptist (Luke 1:46-55)

Magnificat was begun by a group of Catholic women from the Archdiocese of New Orleans who observed a need among Catholic women for a faith-sharing experience in a relaxed social setting. With the encouragement of Archbishop Philip M. Hannan and Bishop Stanley J. Ott, then Auxiliary Bishop of New Orleans, its first function, a prayer breakfast, took place on October 7, 1981.

Magnificat is a private association of the Christian faithful, whose statutes were originally approved by the Archdiocese of New Orleans and are in accord with the norm of Canon 305.2 of the 1983 Code of Canon Law. While Magnificat began under the auspices of the Archdiocese of New Orleans and was first incorporated in the State of Louisiana, each local chapter functions with permission of the local ordinary and is incorporated in its respective state.

It was born out of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and has been nurtured by it.

Magnificat (pronounced Mag-níf-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.

What is a Chapter?

By definition, a chapter is a local branch of an organization, and in this case a chapter of Magnificat is a local branch of the  international Magnificat organization. Each local chapter is under the vigilance and jurisdiction of the bishop in whose diocese  it operates.

What is the make-up of a chapter?

The following groups of people  are essential to initiate and carry out the chapter business:

• Service Team: Five to six women willing to assume responsibility for administration of the chapter and remain faithful to the purposes of Magnificat.
• Spiritual Advisor: A person approved by the local ecclesiastical authority of the Roman Catholic Church willing to be the liaison for Magnificat to the local Church.
• Other areas of responsibility:
• individuals needed to serve in tasks necessary for the Magnificat Meal such as publicity, ticket sales, hospitality, decorations and music.

History of the Palm Desert Chapter

On the Feast of the Visitation, May 31, 2003, five women gathered together to pray and discern the possibility of establishing a chapter of Magnificat in the Diocese of San Bernardino. Those in attendance sensed the Lord was placing this ministry upon their hearts. Although no public advertisements were made, the Lord continued to expand what would soon become the chapter’s first Advisory Team. This group continued to meet as women were personally invited to join the discernment efforts. Before long, close to fifty women were meeting monthly at the home of Donna Ross for praise, prayer, discernment and fellowship. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and the spiritual direction of Fr. Mike Barry, SS.CC., the women continued to pray, fast and sacrifice for the establishment of this beautiful ministry. On June 3, 2005, Our Lady’s Desert Roses received formal approval from Bishop Gerald Barnes. On Saturday morning, October 15, 2005, the first prayer meal was held at the Desert Springs Marriott with over 500 women in attendance! Praise God!

Magnificat encourages all women to take Mary as the role model of authentic femininity and encourages all to imitate Mary’s Fiat to the Divine Will. This ministry takes seriously what the Vatican Council said to all women.

The Council Message to Women:

An excerpt from the Message To Women read on December 8, 1965 at The Solemn Closing ceremony of the Second Vatican Council.

“And now it is to you that we address ourselves, women of all states, girls, wives, mothers, and widows, to you also, consecrated virgins and women living alone. You constitute half of the immense human family. As you know, the Church is proud to have glorified and liberated woman, and in the course of the centuries, in diversity of characters, to have brought into relief her basic equality with men.  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 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 … Women, you who know how to make truth sweet, tender, and accessible, make it your task to bring the spirit of the Council into institutions, schools, homes, and daily life. Women of the entire universe, whether Christian or non-believing, you to whom life is entrusted at this moment in history, it is for you to save the peace of the world.”