ATLANTA—The May 6 Magnificat meal will be the 100th held in Atlanta and will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Atlanta chapter of the international Catholic women’s ministry.

A special invitation is extended to those who have served in the ministry in the past, to past speakers, and to all those who have attended over the years to come and rejoice in this special celebration of all that the Lord has done. It will also be a wonderful introduction to the ministry for anyone who is considering attending for the first time.

The founders of the Joyful Visitation Chapter of Magnificat, Olga Myers, Elyse O’Kane and Jan Nerone, will share how the Lord unfolded his plan before them to begin this ministry in Atlanta and the wonders that God has done as they answered his call.

In 1990, while visiting her sister in Tampa, Florida, Myers, a longtime catechetical leader, was invited to attend a Magnificat meal. She didn’t know what it was, but went and found a place where “women of all levels of spirituality come and God draws them from wherever they are.”

She brought this experience back to her two intercessory prayer partners, when they met weekly to pray the rosary together, and laid before them the possibility that they were to bring Magnificat to Atlanta. After a year of prayer and formation by the three women, the Atlanta chapter was born as a private association of the faithful under the archbishop.

The first Atlanta Magnificat meal was held May 2, 1992 at All Saints Church in Dunwoody and about 400 women came. Since then the quarterly gatherings have touched thousands of women. At every meal one person’s faith story is shared. Sometimes the sharing comes from a bishop, priest or religious, but most often it is an ordinary lay woman who tells her own journey of faith and in so doing gives her own ‘song’ of praise to God.

All women are invited to come and to be refreshed through the graces of the Holy Spirit during this gathering.

The Magnificat is held at Holy Cross Church, 3773 Chamblee Tucker Road, Atlanta, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. It includes a catered breakfast, intercessory prayer, praise and worship led by the music ministry and the speaker’s sharing. The sacrament of reconciliation and the opportunity for individual prayer from a prayer team are available afterward.

Reservations are $15 and are made in advance. To register, please send your name, address, parish, contact information and a check made payable to Magnificat Joyful Visitation to Debbie DuPont, 315 Rose Court, SW, Lilburn, GA 30047. Reservations must be postmarked by April 29. No tickets will be returned. Check-in will be at the door for those with reservations only.

The doors open early and guests are encouraged to arrive by 9 a.m. Holy Cross Church is located less than a mile from the Chamblee Tucker Road exit on Interstate 285.

Priests and religious are invited to attend free of charge, but reservations are requested to plan for the meal. Since the morning 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 Debbie DuPont at 770-696-6216.