In a book entitled "The Sacramental Priesthood: A Gift to Humanity" by Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete, he writes, "I had a nun at school who told me that: "If you pray to the Holy Spirit, watch out! There is a great danger, He may come. And if He comes, He will create the biggest mess of your life you have ever seen."  O how I relate to this quote!

Without knowledge of anything charismatic when I walked into the SCRC conference with Fr. Faricy, SJ, praying for baptism in the Spirit, my world was turned upside down! Twenty years after this grace, the Holy Spirit continues to stretch, challenge, and lead me.

I have a love affair with the Third Person of the Holy Trinity and His love animates my life at each moment. I am ever more aware of His ineffable indwelt Presence.  I will never forget the words I heard from the mouth of Pope John Paul II, speaking at the 1998 Pentecost events in St. Peter's square to nearly 500,000 people from every nation:   "Be charismatic!  The Church breathes with two lungs, institutional and charismatic!"   

Magnificat is a fruit of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal. As Mary was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit at the Archangel Gabriel's visitation, the spiritual daughters of Mary pray for the Spirit to overshadow us always.

As Archbishop Martinez states in his spiritual masterpiece, "The Sanctifier", the Holy Spirit is the artisan who creates Jesus in the soul.

 Like Mary, we are meant to be Christ-bearers. We must rely on the transforming power of the Spirit to create the image of Jesus in our soul. In reading "The Sanctifier" I literally fell to my knees and prayed for Archbishop Martinez to adopt me as his spiritual child so that like him I could promote true devotion to the Holy Spirit.

I very much look forward to sharing with the international family of Magnificat leaders how the transforming power of the Holy Spirit is central to the ministry of Magnificat.  Our evangelization depends upon the Spirit's power.  We are absolutely dependent upon the Spirit's love to be empowered for service.  In my presentation I will explore the "empowerment of the Spirit" to equip us for every good work of our Marian ministry.  God's people, our families and friends, desperately need an experience of Divine Love that is so powerful it breaks down hard hearts and towers of sin so that all of us can move forward in the light of Truth.  

As always, the Magnificat Leaders Conference promises to deliver torrents of grace as we come together to worship, praise, and grow together.  In the words of our beloved first spiritual director Fr. Hal Cohen, "There is always more!"  Dear Lord Jesus, the daughters of Mary ardently desire MORE of the Spirit of Love. Transform us Lord. Amen.

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"I have called you and you are mine"  

Isaiah 43:1

It may take a village to raise a child, but it takes a family to produce a vocation.  Lately I have thought about the meaning of vocation and how God calls certain people.

Not long ago, I met a young man in the last year of his seminary training.  He was a deacon. He told me how different it had been for him to answer his vocation.  He talked about the reaction his parents when he announced to them that he wanted to become a priest. They were less than enthusiastic. In fact, they expressed their extreme disappointment and disapproval of the whole idea.  Both his parents were what you might call "a la carte" Catholics who possessed more than their share of the false enlightenment of our time.  They remained resolutely opposed to every step of his journey through the seminary towards the priesthood.

In my own time, parents welcomed the news that their son or daughter had decided to follow their vocation.  Brothers and sisters were equally delighted that such a grace had been bestowed on their family; that God had chosen one of their own.  They supported the chosen one in every possible way.  My own brothers and sisters supported me by the power of their example, the integrity of their lives and their active faithful sacramental life.  Sure, they had wives and families to provide for. They had jobs to go to and businesses to run. But I could see that their Catholic faith came before all else, even into old age they continue to live like this and they have handed on the same faith to their sons and daughters. 

For better or for worse, we get all our values from our parents.  When a parent tells a child how to live by God's truth there is a powerful anointing of the Holy Spirit on that word and they never forget it as long as they live. No one ever had to tell me of the importance of confession.  I saw my father go when I was a boy.

I don't think we quite realize the depth of the darkness that has enveloped our world where grossest forms of immoral behavior are taken to be normal.  We of Magnificat have a heavy duty to live our vocation in Christ Jesus and to shed the light of Christ wherever we are.  Jesus said, "I am the light of the world (John 8:12)."  It is the essence of every vocation to let this light shine and to dispel the darkness.  Jesus also said, "I have overcome the world. (John16:33)"  He has promised to be with the Church and that the gates of hell will never win the victory.  The mystery of vocation confronts us all at some point in our life, and the newest doctor of the Church has given to us the most marvelous teaching which she called her "Little Way;" namely that "serving God is not done in mighty deeds, but with the love of a humble and obedient heart." 

The theme of our conference to be held in March is "In Christ, a New Creation." This new creation is brought about through our Baptism into Christ Jesus.  Christ who in his own baptism sanctified the waters of our baptism.  Our baptism into Christ is the pearl of great price.  It is the very essence of our vocation.  Let us pray that all who attend, and all who participate in this upcoming conference, may receive a great anointing of the Holy Spirit.  May Mary, the Immaculate Mother of Jesus, the spouse of the Holy Spirit, pray for us. Amen. 

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by Elyse O'Kane

My thoughts of late have been on the upcoming conference in New Orleans. As I fill out my

conference registration and make my airline reservations, an excitement is building inside me. I am anticipating the wonders that another Magnificat weekend will bring. I look forward to seeing those familiar faces and renewing the precious friendships that have formed over the many years I have attended. 

I am longing to be inspired by the talks that will be given and attending informational sessions. But I have to say that my favorite portion of all is when we gather together to sing praise and worship to our God. I vividly remember one year in particular. We had just had the most amazing time of praise. People were dancing, singing with all their hearts, with hands raised in worship.  

When it was over, my eyes filled with tears of joy. I felt such a sense of awe and knew that something very powerful had happened. I felt complete, filled to overflowing, satisfied. I practically ran to the chapel because I couldn't even speak a word and needed to continue to be in His Presence.

It is with great joy that Magnificat, Servants of the Immaculata (SOTI), Walnut Creek, California share with all of you, news of our first Magnificat meal. We were busy right up to the last minute with late reservations which increased our totals  beyond our expectations with a gathering of 550 women. Fifty-seven parishes of the Oakland Diocese and surrounding areas gathered in prayer and songs of praise and worship.

Mary Johnstone, Coordinator of the new Chapter, opened the gathering with a welcome address which set the tone for the rest of the morning. The guests, which included five priests of the diocese, and the Spiritual Advisor  were introduced. The music, provided by the Sacred Heart Band, added to the jubilation and praise to the Holy Spirit, which increased our own joy that morning.

The speaker for the inaugural meal was the Bishop of the Oakland Diocese, Salvatore Cordileone.  He has been supportive of Magnificat. The guests in attendance returned 

Mary Johnstone, Coordinator, Felice Santos, Asst. Coordinator, Veronica Brown, Secretary, Arcilia Petersen, Historian, Bishop Salvatore Cordileone.

that support with three standing ovations. He shared his calling to the priesthood and the trials of California politics. It was pure joy for his mother, Mary Cordileone, and his Godmother, Angie La Rosa, who joined the Bishop along with Kathleen Beckman,  Western Regional Representative of Magnificat.

The work of so many wonderfully gifted women working together in the Magnificat SOTI, Walnut Creek Chapter, can be seen in the Service Team as well as that of all the ministries within the umbrella of Magnificat. Our Blessed Mother's message and call to service in her Magnificat Ministry brings us together as a testimony of love for her, and her Son, Our Lord.

We are very much looking forward to meeting all of our Magnificat sisters at the International Leaders' Conference in New Orleans in March 17-20, 2011, see you there!

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