ATLANTA—Claire Smith of St. Stephen the Martyr Church, Lilburn, will be the guest speaker at the Magnificat breakfast for women on Saturday, Aug. 17, at Holy Cross Church, Atlanta.

The Atlanta Joyful Visitation chapter of the international Catholic women’s ministry hosts the breakfast. All women are invited to attend this morning of faith sharing from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with other women who take this time to recharge their spiritual lives with friendship, prayer and a faith story.

The August speaker, a Catholic nurse, wife and mother, looks upon the challenges and even tragedy in her earlier life as a time of preparation. Losing her father as a child, divorce, infertility, serving as a full-time caregiver in her home for a parent, and unexpectedly becoming a mother in her 40s were all gifts that have shaped her faith and directed her path.

Honored with the 2013 Daisy Award for Extraordinary Nurses, in addition to her profession as a nurse, she founded a health care ministry at St. Stephen Parish and is active in the Respect Life ministry.

She and her husband, Steven, and son, Jacob, are active as a family in Teams of Our Lady, a group of Catholic families who meet and focus on conjugal and family prayer and devotion to Mary, the Mother of God.

In sharing her Magnificat, Claire prays that her life story will reflect that although doubt leads us at times to turn from God, he and his Mother are faithfully there.

Magnificat is an international Catholic women’s ministry designed to help women to grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and to experience the fullness of faith made possible by the work of the Holy Spirit. Chapters are approved by the bishop.

The Magnificat breakfast is held in Atlanta four times a year. Doors open early and guests are encouraged to arrive by 9 a.m. Holy Cross Church is located at 3773 Chamblee Tucker Road, Atlanta, near the Interstate 285 exit of Chamblee-Tucker Road.

In addition to the story of the guest speaker, every Magnificat includes a time of praise and prayer, music ministry, the opportunity to share a catered breakfast with other women in a relaxing, faith-filled environment, a time of intercessory prayer, a Catholic gift and book table, and the opportunity to receive the sacrament of reconciliation following the meal.

Reservations are $15 apiece and must be made in advance. Please send name, address, contact information and a check made payable to Magnificat Joyful Visitation to Kathy Timony, 6170 Rachel Ridge, Norcross, GA 30092. Reservations must be sent by Aug. 11. No tickets will be returned. Check-in will be at the door for those with reservations only.

Priests and religious are invited to attend free of charge, but reservations are still requested to plan for the meal. Since the Magnificat is designed to speak to the hearts of women free of distractions, it is respectfully requested that young children not be in attendance.

For more information, please contact Kathy Timony at 770-263-6957. To receive an invitation to this or upcoming Magnificat meals by email, please send a request to joyfulvisitation@gmail.com.