Has anyone been to visit some or one of the cloistered
Visitation Monasteries? I am an older woman & searching
for a fervent & observant community that accepts older
vocations. Some of the monasteries have no website,
like Philadelphia & Snellville (GA)… Anyone been to
either of them? Also, anyone know more about Monte
Maria?
HOLYHEARTS-I went on a five day retreat at the Visitation Monastery in Philadelphia ten years ago this past May. The main part of the house is a large old mansion, with add-ons for the chapel and the infirmary. I liked the community-there were all ages respresented there. I took part in all the community activities-prayers, meals, work, recreations. The only thing I wasn’t part of was when the Superior gave the Sisters their ‘obediences’ of the day, in the morning and afternoon. When that happened, I was sent out of the room. It would be better to go [if you decided on this community] in the fall-it can get pretty hot and sticky in Philly in the spring and summer!
I have seen websites for Monte Maria in Virginia, and for
“Mont Deux-Coeurs” Visitation Monastery in Tyringham, Massachusetts. The latter, I know, is on the Institute of Religious Life website. ‘Mont deux-Coeurs’ means “Mount of Two Hearts”-you like that?
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Almost forgot-the Monastery in Philly is [literally] in the backyard of the Archbishop’s residence! And in 1979, the Sisters got to see John Paul II ‘up close and personal’…they actually met him at the Archbishop’s house! I saw photos of that meeting, both in the mailing I received from the Superior, and when I went over to the infirmary with her during my own visit.
Why didn’t I enter there, you might ask? Well, I was very undecisive at the time. A job I had for almost 25 years was going to be eliminated a few months’ time, and I didn’t think I could make that drastic a life-change at my age (43 back in 1998).
And even now, ten years later, I still can’t make that kind of drastic, life-altering decision!
