Florida Catholic | Women’s Ministry Encourages Life In Christ

Women’s ministry encourages life in Christ

The Magnificat chapter at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle provides a faith–sharing forum for women in a relaxed social setting.

MAGGIE BEVAQUA-GEDDES | FLORIDA CATHOLIC CORRESPONDENT

Published: 03.28.08

Cecilia Leon: 727-796-5707

ST. PETERSBURG | The founder of the local chapter of Magnificat woman-to-woman ministry told members Feb. 23 of her experience of the transforming love of Christ in her own life.

“My life has become a manifestation of God’s perseverance and mercy,” Arlene Diaco, who brought the ministry to the St. Petersburg Diocese, told 250 women attending a prayer breakfast at the Cathedral of St. Jude the Apostle parish center.

Diaco was born in Philadelphia. Her father was a baker. Her parents were nonpracticing Catholics, but her sister dragged her to catechism classes when she was in grade school and her maternal grandmother took her to Mass. After graduating from the University of Denver, Diaco returned to Philadelphia to teach school.

Diaco said the stresses of life and the pursuit of materialistic goals brought a crippling downfall. A marriage ended in divorce. She raised three boys alone. She taught at Clearwater Central Catholic High School and at St. Raphael’s Catholic School in St. Petersburg. Many times, she fell into despair.

It wasn’t until she made a Cursillo weekend retreat and met Msgr. John McNulty — a pioneer in the diocese’s pro-life movement, along with ministry to the elderly, college students and migrant workers — that she focused on a faith-filled life in Christ.

“Cursillo changed my life dramatically,” she exclaimed. “Msgr. McNulty was my spiritual adviser and he helped me to learn to know Christ. He kept me busy, too, as he introduced me to the respect life movement and I helped him establish the Centurions, where elderly minister to the elderly.”

Magnificat is the verb in the Latin phrase, “Magnificat anima mea Dominum” — “My soul magnifies the Lord,” from Mary’s hymn of praise to Elizabeth. “Today it is a profound, widespread movement with chapters all over the world,” Diaco explained.

In 1985, Diaco and her friend Helen Piazzo brought the Magnificat ministry to the Diocese of St. Petersburg. Like women from the Archdiocese of New Orleans who founded the organization in 1981, Diaco and Piazzo saw that Catholic women needed to have faith-sharing experiences in a relaxed social setting. Diaco led the St. Petersburg chapter for 22 years.

Cecilia Leon, a 15-year Magnificat member, said she enjoyed Diaco’s presentation. “I thought it was very, very good. I felt its authenticity.”

The Magnificat chapter at the Cathedral of St. Jude meets three times a year for a prayer breakfast. Local members also sponsor a healing Mass at Our Lady’s House of Prayer in Clearwater every Tuesday at 1 p.m. Another chapter is in Hillsborough County.

Leon said the best way to learn about Magnificat is to attend one of the prayer breakfasts, which normally draws about 200 women.

“I find it very uplifting,” she said. “Over 200 women … give up their morning to pray and minister to each other.”

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Women’s ministry encourages life in Christ

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