By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
SOUTHWEST RANCHES | Women of Grace, a Catholic apostolate to women, welcomed 31 more women into its Spanish-language Mujeres de Gracia, in a ceremony at St. Mark Church.
The event was marked by dinner, certificates and testimonies. Capping the night was the induction ceremony, when the new members were given their pink Women of Grace shirts.
Special guests included Johnnette Benkovic, Women of Grace founder; and Thea Parsons, her daughter. Also attending were Father Paul Karenga and Father Juan Aviles, parochial vicars at St. Mark.
The women were inducted after finishing Llenas de Gracia: Las Mujeres y la Vida Abundante, a 17-week study course by Women of Grace.
Members of the St. Mark chapter also helped start a new WOG group at St. Gregory Church, Plantation. That group was launched May 31 with 14 participants and four facilitators. The latter had finished their Llenas de Gracia study in June 2016 at St. Mark.
Women of Grace was founded in 2003 as an outreach of Living His Life Abundantly Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation. Purpose of the outreach is ongoing spiritual formation of women, presenting a vision of dignity and femininity with the Virgin Mary as the exemplar.
Besides its study programs, Women of Grace works through radio and TV programs, retreats and conferences, and its interactive website. It also offers further training through its Benedicta Leadership Institute for Women, aimed at influencing government agencies and other organizations. The next Benedicta Leadership Enrichment Seminars are set for July 6 in Malvern, Pa., then Sept. 7 in Albuquerque, N.M.