The name Magnificat

My soul
magnifies the Lord!

Luke 1:46

The name of the Community

Sandro Botticelli, Madonna of the Magnificat (1485), detail, Uffizi Gallery, Florence.

In the year 1978, following an event deemed prophetic, the Community decided to call itself Magnificat.

Agnese Mezzetti had a strange experience while praying in the Lourdes Grotto: while saying the Hail Mary, after correctly saying, “Hail Mary, full of grace…” unexpectedly and repeatedly the words “Magnificat Community” came out of her mouth. She wondered if that had been the name Heaven wanted to give the Community.

On her return to Perugia she told the brothers and sisters about it, who, after discernment in prayer and much confirmation, became convinced with her that that should be the name of the Community.

This name says that the Magnificat Community is called to be like Mary.

As in Mary’s life, Christ also came in the lives of Community members-often unexpectedly.

As Mary, hearing from the angel that Elizabeth had also experienced an extraordinary intrusion of God, wanted to run to her, the allies also feel the urgency to share their joy with others, to bring the Lord to them as well.

Mary’s song before Elizabeth is therefore also the song of the Community magnifying the Lord for that His work.

Here is the video of Father Raniero Cantalamessa illustrating the Magnificat during the 2018 General Convention: