About the Author

Carol Marquardt

Author of the Our Fiat Prayer Program and Founder of the Mantle of Mary Association Prayer Network

Carol Marquardt has worked for many years in lay ministry in the Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg, Florida. Before beginning the development of the Our Fiat materials and Mantle of Mary Association, she served as adult education director, catechumenate director, retreat house director, and charismatic prayer group leader. Along with these positions, she has worked in inner healing ministry and spiritual direction. She has also lead pilgrimages to Marian shrines such as Medjugorje, Lourdes, and Guadalupe, as well as Rome and Assisi. She has participated in evangelization missions to Eastern Europe with Renewal Ministries from Ann Arbor, Michigan USA.

Developing the Our Fiat prayer program and Mantle of Mary prayer network was Carol’s primary work for overt fifteen years. Beginning in 1993 with one small group of women seeking a deeper spiritual life, she wrote a series of prayer exercises to guide those interested in spending quiet, quality time alone in silence for personal prayer. These evolved into the initial program, Foundations of Personal Prayer. As other groups formed, and existing groups sought more prayer material, she developed what is now a three year program following the format of daily individual prayer exercises at home and weekly group meetings to support one another. (She also formed Mantle Publishing, a small company to produce and distribute the prayer materials). She wrote The Sound of His Voice to introduce the concept of listening to the Holy Spirit, which forms basis for the programs that follow.

Teacher and author Fr. Bill McCarthy, MSA says, “Carol’s writings reflect not only a personal experience that she has with the Lord, but a practical, pastoral way to teach others to do so. I highly recommend her books.”

Formerly a nationally ranked tennis player, Carol converted to Catholicism in 1966 after marriage to her husband Mark. She has two married sons and eight grandchildren. She attributes her interest in spirituality to an experience of the presence of Jesus in 1971, which she saw as a call to follow Him and serve Him. Shortly after, she experienced the charismatic anointing of the Holy Spirit. Ever since, her interest and focus has been the spirituality of the lay apostle in the modern world.

Development of the prayer materials for the Our Fiat program began after her children left for college. She spent six months in daily “isolation” at home seeking a deeper knowledge of God through prayer and solitude. She sees the “birth” of this program as a work of the Holy Spirit as she prayed and listened and tried to follow Jesus.

A graduate of Duke University, Carol holds Masters Degrees in Education from the University of Illinois and in Pastoral Ministry from St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida. She also received a certificate in Spiritual Direction from the Benedictine Monastery in Pecos, New Mexico.

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