August 4, 2018 Magnificat Joyful Visitation Chapter Breakfast 

Sister Mary Beatrice Raphael is a canonical hermit, having professed perpetual vows to this consecrated life for the Archdiocese of Atlanta last year.

How and why does God draw someone from a full life, including a medical career and family, to this vocation?

Growing up in Marietta, she was one of four siblings in her faithful Catholic family. The eldest became a priest. She was drawn to solitude and silence.

As an adult, she appeared to have everything one could want, a successful career, family, travel and social life. While she kept practicing her faith and considered herself a “good” Catholic, something was missing and out of order. There was no depth to her spiritual life.

Things began to change when she made a Cursillo and learned about listening to God. She began attending daily Mass and as often as possible spent an hour in Eucharistic adoration. Soon followed a major shift, magnitude 7.5!

This is the Magnificat Sister Beatrice will proclaim, how in a series of experiences, through prayer and learning to hear the Lord, this doctor realized the Lord wanted her to consecrate herself to him and also realized that she would need to give up everything to say “yes” in response.