On the 15th anniversary of the Magnificat chapter in the Archdiocese of Atlanta, the ministry invites women to come and hear how God called Olga Myers, an ordinary housewife and mother, to this ministry of evangelization in 1991 while seeking Him in prayer and quiet, at a silent retreat.

She founded the Joyful Visitation chapter of Magnificat, which has been offering quarterly Magnificat meals for women in the archdiocese since 1992.

In her talk as the guest speaker at the Magnificat breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 17, she will also speak of the power of prayer and Christian love which supported her during her son’s illness in 1983 and when fire destroyed her and her husband’s home and all their possessions four years ago.

The breakfast, which is held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Killian Hall in Lilburn, is open to all women and is a time of spiritual refreshment and community inspired by the spirit of friendship between Mary and Elizabeth in Luke’s Gospel.

This will be a special anniversary celebration.

A native of a small Hispanic community in Tampa, Fla., Myers graduated from the University of Tampa with a bachelor of science degree in elementary education in 1961 and has taught in elementary schools in Florida and Georgia. She is married and the mother of three grown children and the grandmother of seven.

She says her desire to help those in need has allowed God to use her in doing extraordinary things in spite of her feelings of inadequacy, fear of failure and the unknown.

God gave her the grace and the courage to say “yes” when called to serve, beginning as a volunteer catechist in her daughter’s first-grade class in 1975. After years as a religious educator, she responded to the call to bring the Magnificat ministry to Atlanta. After overseeing the chapter for a decade, she is now a part of the Central Service Team of Magnificat, which is the guiding team for all chapters in the international ministry to Catholic women.

She and her husband, Roy, belong to All Saints Church, Dunwoody.

She confirms Pope John Paul II’s words that “faith is strengthened when it is shared.” Through her many challenging experiences God continues to teach her that “nothing is impossible with God.” He continues to say, “Do not be afraid.”

All women in the archdiocese are warmly invited to hear her as the guest speaker at the breakfast, which will be held at Killian Hall, 908 Killian Hill Road, Lilburn. In addition to the meal, served by the Columbiettes, and the speaker’s testimony, there is a time of intercessory prayer and music ministry. The sacrament of reconciliation is available after the meal.

Tickets at $10 apiece can be obtained by mail. Seating is limited and tickets are not sold at the door.

To obtain tickets, please send name, address, parish, telephone number and the number of tickets needed, along with a check payable to Magnificat Joyful Visitation, and send to Lynda Cupell, 2140 Briarwillow Drive, NE, Atlanta, GA 30345. Please include a stamped, self-addressed envelope for the tickets to be sent to you.

Priests and Religious are invited to attend the breakfast on a complimentary basis, but reservations are still requested.

Since the day is designed to speak to the hearts of women free of distractions, it is respectfully requested that young children not be in attendance.

Parking is limited and car-pooling is recommended.