September 10, 2022 

       Guest Speaker: Sr. Katie Flanagan

Sr. Katie Flanagan is a Florida native who grew up in Wellington. She is the third of four children and a proud aunt to a niece and nephew.

One evening, while she was an education major at the University of Florida, Sr. Katie shared with a few friends her hopes to change the world through educating and loving children. Two of her friends responded by telling her that she sounded “Salesian”.  They went on to rave about the education they received from the Salesian Sisters at Christ the King School in Tampa, Florida. Sr. Katie thought a Salesian environment might be a great place to work, but actually being a Salesian Sister did not cross her mind.

 Sr. Katie graduated from the University of Florida with a Masters in Elementary Education in 2006. She spent six years teaching in Palm Beach County Public Schools and served as a catechist and high school youth minister at St. Rita Catholic Church, her home parish. As happy and fulfilling as her life was, Sr. Katie could not shake the feeling that God was calling her to something more. After years of running and ignoring God’s call, Sr. Katie finally made a visit to the Salesian Sisters, remembering the comments of her college friends from years before. After wrestling with lots of fear, and countless hours of prayer, Sr. Katie asked for an application to enter into formation to become a Salesian Sister on January 31, 2012. She had no idea it was the feast of St. John Bosco, the founder of the Salesian Sisters.

 Sr. Katie entered into formation in August of 2012, professed her first vows on August 5, 2016, and her final vows on August 5, 2022. She has served as Campus Minister and Theology teacher at St. John Neumann High School in Naples, FL. Currently, she is a Theology teacher and member of the campus ministry team at Immaculata-La Salle High School in Miami, Fl.

In these words of the Magnificat, Mary proclaimed to Elizabeth her gratitude for the wonderful action of God in her life.  The entire scene of the Visitation is the inspiration for this ministry, which adopts the name of Mary's hymn of praise and the spirit of this biblical encounter as its own. Following the example of Mary and Elizabeth, this woman-to-woman ministry attempts to generate a lively faith in God and His action in our lives along with a love for Mary and the Church.

Please join us at a breakfast for Catholic women of the Palm Beach Diocesewhere we will share together in that same spirit of gratitude and praise of God.   After a meal, there will be a time of prayer for the needs of all present and an opportunity to hear one woman's experience of the transforming love of Christ in her own life. 

Please plan to come and bring a friend to rejoice in the presence of the Lord.

"Glorify the Lord with me.  Let us together extol His name."  Ps 34:4