Magnificat Speaker on Evangelization

From the Catholic Globe newspaper, Sioux City, IA, March 2017
Dr. Margarett Schlientz shared a message of evangelization and living an effective Christian life with more than 40 people at the Magnificat meal held March 10 at Resurrection Church held in Pocahontas.<br ?–>The evening was filled with prayer, song, food and the presentation by Dr. Schlientz.
“I thought the night went great “, said Julie Storr, coordinator of the Magnificat of Northwest Iowa. “I love it when God has a plan — His timing is perfect. Dr. Margarett’s visit to our diocese was a blessing to many”
Magnificat of Northwest Iowa–Mary Lindoer of Knots chapter–meets quarterly for a meal and a speaker. The chapter’s other officers are Deb Troshynski, assistant coordinator and Michelle Leiting, secretary/treasurer.
“Every day every member of the Magnificat is prayed for", said Storr. when talked about being a member. "Who doesn't need that kind of insurance plan?".
Evangelization
Dr. Margarett was guest speaker for the evening. She has an MA in theology and spirituality and a doctorate in psychiatric nursing. She is a spiritual director, retreat director and consultant to dozens of religious communities and dioceses.
Together with Msgr. John Esseff she cofounded the Pope Leo XIII Institute in Mundelein, IL. Dr. Margarett has led retreats and taught numerous workshops throughout the world leading both clergy and laity in spiritual direction healing and deliverance and Ignatian spirituality.
She also serves as a consultant and instructor at the Institute for Priestly Formation (IPF) summer program for Seminarians at Creighton University where she was awarded the Our Lady of Guadalupe Award for her services to IPF. 		Magnificat=Pocahontas
“It’s a great blessing to be here and we’ll see what the Holy Spirit is going to do with all of this” said Dr. Margarett before reading from the Gospel of Mark 16.
“When we look at this wonderful gift that the Church has reopened, what we are talking about tonight is certainly nothing new. This is old as Christendom”.
The speaker took a look at the process of evangelization.
“What a wonderful opportunity”, said Dr. Margarett, “Evangelization is opening our hearts where the Lord, through the power of the Holy Spirit has touched us throughout our whole lives from the moment of our Baptism to bring and to en-flame our hearts with the power of the love of Jesus Christ that is so immense and intense. People seeing us know there is something different within us”.
“For most”, she said “Catholicism is ‘privatized’, We hold on to it. We don’t talk about it, but we should”.
“Evangelization has always been an anointing to every one of us to be able to speak about our religion, to live it out, to really look at what those Ten Commandments are and do I review them periodically to see how I am living them through. We are so rich as Catholics. We have such phenomenal opportunities that are given to us all the way from he time Jesus walked the earth”.

Order Talk

10 steps
Dr. Margarett offered 10 points to lead to “authentic spiritual renewal, a keen sense of mission and an effective evangelization”.
She moved from goals to discipline of renewal to tools of evangelization.
“The first is a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and the second is a relationship with the church. Our Christian life must be defined and motivated first and foremost by a personal love of Jesus Christ” said Dr. Margarett. “How do you love the Church no matter what the mess the church is in? You never give up on it no matter what. This point is simply another side of the first point. It has to flow out of that personal relationship with Jesus Christ”.
The other points revealed by Dr. Margarett are;

  • A different way of living morally Christ-like ethics
  • Different attitudes, responses and emotions
  • Prayer
  • Spiritual Reading
  • Charitable works
  • Knowledge of Scripture
  • Traditions and customs
  • Skill of detachment

“The goal of evangelization is for us to speak in a way that enables others to hear not us but Christ”. She said to better explain the last point: “For this to happen, detachment from our prejudices, preferences and opinions is essential”.
“Dr Margarett’s talk is so important” said Julie Storr. “She has given us tools and now we are back to the twelve Apostles times three or four. We have to go out and make new Christians for the world”.
Prayer Intentions
The attendees were asked to write down prayer intentions. At the conclusion of the evening, Fr. Paul Bormann, spiritual advisor, prayed over the intentions. The talk was recorded and is available on this website.