Joy and Peace

Two of the themes echoed throughout the weekend are ‘joy and peace.’ The gifts the Lord wants us to go forth with as you return to your homes, Chapters, husbands and children, work, friends, and community. He wants us to bring joy and peace as our traveling companions. Bishop Toups refers to the scripture from Philippians 4:4-7 in Paul’s epistle.

 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

The word in Greek for Joy is ‘Chara’. It is a greeting, the same word the angel Gabriel greeted Mary. Hail Mary is to be filled with joy.  He wants us to rejoice always. The word in Greek for peace is ‘Eirini,’ to be a peacemaker. Be peaceful, quiet, rest, to be unified, to be calm in the midst of the storm. The most peaceful place in a hurricane is in the eye of the storm. The heart of it, we need to remain in the center of it. That is what the Lord wants us to bring to the table, the table of the Magnificat Meals. It is the gift you have to offer to the women who come to join us. That is the anointing.

Bishop David Toups was appointed Bishop of the Diocese of Beaumont, TX, in 2020.  Before becoming Bishop, he was a previous professor and dean of students at St. Vincent de Paul Seminary in Boynton Beach, FL, becoming Rector/President in 2012, along with numerous other positions Bishop Toups served the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in Washington, DC.  He is the Arthur of Reclaiming Our Priestly Character and serves as the Spiritual Advisor to the Magnificat Central Service Team.  Bishop Toups’ charisma draws you in, but the real beauty is his interior life and how he lives it for the Lord.   From his ordination in Florida to his studies in Rome to now becoming a Bishop in the state of Texas, it is undeniable that he is on a journey allowing the Lord to send him where he is needed most.

This Homily was given at the 17th Magnificat International Leaders Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, in October 2023.

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Rejoice & Be Glad

Fr. Bao swags his joyful body up to the podium to give his homily, and the audience laughs at his amusing behavior. He begins with the theme of the gospel reading from Luke, where Christ sends out the 72. Fr. Bao states,” Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Rejoice. Your name is written in heaven.”  Fr. Bao shares his trip to Rome with his Bishop from the Diocese of Orange, the 42^nd Anniversary of Magnificat, and the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary. He said jokingly, ‘My homily is about all you can eat.’ Fr. Bao shared special events in his family and how they fell on significant feast days of the Blessed Mother and the Holy Spirit through the intercession of Our Lady of the Rosary. He concludes with how he became Rector of Christ Cathedral by giving his ‘yes’ just as his Mother Mary’s fiat. We are baptized and anointed in the Holy Spirit, so do not be afraid. Be Magnificat sisters to the world, sharing God’s love. It takes courage to change the hearts of the people. Remember, rejoice, and be glad your name is written in heaven.

Fr. Bao Thai was born in Saigon, Vietnam, and moved to the U. S. with his family in 1993.  Fr. Bao was appointed Rector of Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove, CA. in 2022.  He is a fourth-generation Vietnamese-American rector of a cathedral in the United States.  He was instrumental as an advisory board member for the July 2021 dedication of Christ Cathedral Our Lady of La Vang Shrine, an outdoor display devoted to the Virgin Mary.

This Homily was given at the 17th Magnificat International Leaders Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, in October 2023.

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The Power of the Holy Spirit

Bishop David Zubik, Bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh welcomed the women of Magnificat to Pittsburgh, PA, and how we were all brought together by the Holy Spirit. Bishop Zubik reflected on Luke’s gospel and the power of the Holy in the visitation of Mary and Elizabeth, who were recipients of the promises of God through the Holy Spirit. Bishop Zubik shared a story of the arch enemy the devil wanting to stop the power of God from spreading. He wanted to stop the good news of God’s love. The devil and his cohorts came up with a plan to delay God’s plan by influencing the people not to take God’s word seriously which resulted in their exile. It is apropos and necessary in our own times, as we too do not listen and put God’s plan aside as we live out our own selfish desires.  Bishop Zubik enthusiastically encouraged the women of Magnificat to be moved by the power of the Holy Spirit and stay true to the 5 principle objectives of the Ministry: the Meal, fellowship, praise, personal testimonies, and intentional prayer.

Bishop Zubik was appointed auxiliary Bishop of the Diocese of Pittsburgh in 1997, eleventh Bishop of the Diocese of Green Bay in 2003 by Pope John Paul II and twelfth Bishop of Pittsburgh by Pope Benedict XVI in 2007.  Bishop Zubik has had numerous assignments including, Parochial Vicar, Vice Principal, Chaplain, Spiritual Director, Administrative Secretary to then Pittsburgh Bishiop Anthony J. Bevilacqua, Administrative Secretary and Master of Ceremonies to then Pittsburgh Bishop Donald W. Wuerl, Director of Clergy Personnel, Associate General Secretary and Chancellor, and Vicar General and General Secretary.

This Homily was given at the 17th Magnificat International Leaders Conference in Pittsburgh, PA in October 2023.

To find out more about Magnificat, A Ministry to Catholic Women, visit us www.magnificat-ministry.org

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The Kingdom of God Is At Hand 

Fr. Dave Pivonka, TOR. The Thursday evening opening Mass at the Magnificat Int’l Conference 2023 was held on November 5^th, the Feast of St. Faustina and Blessed Francis Xavier Seelos, in the ballroom of the Pittsburgh Airport Hyatt Hotel. Bishop David Toups, Ministry Spiritual Advisor and Bishop of the Diocese of Beaumont, Texas, was the presider to open the Conference weekend. Fr. Dave Pivonka, TOR president of Franciscan University, Steubenville, OH, was the homilist. The first reading is from Nehemiah 8:1-4a, 5-6,7b-12.

The Kingdom of God is at Hand

The Gospel reading is Luke 10:1-12. Fr. Dave Pivonka recalled in his homily how the Israelite people had been exiled for generations and were coming back to rebuild the temple and hear the law from the prophet Ezra. The Word of God moved them, and they began to fall in worship, repentance, and tears. They were raising their hands and praising God. They spent their whole life longing for the Messiah, for Him to come with His Kingdom and reign. The kingdom of God is at hand; It is in our midst. It should stir something in your heart. The reality is that He is present in our midst. The Lord wants us to come with freshness as we celebrate the Eucharist, as we eat his body and drink his blood so that we have new life in us. We would then approach the Eucharist differently. Our lives should be profoundly changed in the Mass. We would experience the longing, the hope, and the hunger. Come, Lord Jesus, the kingdom of God is at hand. Magnificat 2023 Thursday Homily.

To find out more about Magnificat, A Ministry to Catholic Women, visit us magnificat-ministry

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