Writing to the Visitation orders

[LilFranciscan25]

Well, I have decided, after much prayer and reflection, to write the Visitation orders of Snellville, GA (no website) and Mobile, AL. I really want to go on retreat with one of these monasteries. Most likely, I’ll go to Mobile and participate in the Desert Experience retreat. Has anyone ever been on it? What was it like? I know I will love the silence and prayer time. I plan to use it for discernment. They have the optional choice of attending everything they do which I will definitely be taking part in.

I was looking at the Greyhound bus tickets and they are pretty cheap ($38–Mobile; $29–Snellville), so it just depends on where I go. I don’t mind making a retreat to Snellville (it’s closer to my home).

Please pray for my vocation. I believe, now more than ever, that I am called to look into the cloistered orders. I’m not finding what I’m looking for in active orders.

 

[HOLYHEARTS]

I would highly recommend a live-in retreat at a Visitation Monastery. I made one in Mobile a few years back & got permission to spend a week inside the enclosure (except for the
sleeping quarters)…You need to set up the dates & times w/the Nuns because they generally run it past the Bishop, I believe…I spent a delightful week there in total silence
& participated in the singing of the Office, Mass & meditation in the Choir and ate w/the
Nuns in their refectory…They are very hospitable. Also, you can speak w/the Mother
Superior whenever you feel the need…Go for it!

 

[LilFranciscan25]

I would highly recommend a live-in retreat at a Visitation Monastery. I made one in Mobile a few years back & got permission to spend a week inside the enclosure (except for the
sleeping quarters)…You need to set up the dates & times w/the Nuns because they generally run it past the Bishop, I believe…I spent a delightful week there in total silence
& participated in the singing of the Office, Mass & meditation in the Choir and ate w/the
Nuns in their refectory…They are very hospitable. Also, you can speak w/the Mother
Superior whenever you feel the need…Go for it!

I was looking at the website again and noticed the pictures of the monastery and the Sacred Heart Chapel. Isn’t it beautiful?!?!? Of course, I know that the place isn’t everything and it’s all a matter of where God calls you, but I could totally see myself living there.

What you described sounds like the Desert Experience. I mailed the Vocation Director a letter today (I addressed it to Sr. Vocation Director since I don’t know who that is), and I hope to hear back soon. If I don’t hear from them by mail, I might call them and talk to them. I’m trying to be patient about this since I need to raise the money anyway, but I am really looking forward to a first visit.

 

[barb_finnegan]

I went on a retreat to the Visitation monastery in Philadelphia in May 1998.

I found an advertisement about them in a copy of the Our Sunday Visitor that someone left in our Adoration Chapel. At that time I was preparing to leave a long-term job [layoff due to downsizing], so I really wasn’t looking into a religious vocation per se. I was in the Secular Discalced Carmelites at the time, so the priest who was the spiritual director of the group I was in wrote a letter of recommendation for me. I also had to write a letter stating my state of health and my spiritual life.

I spent a beautiful five days among the community-they were all very kind to me. I found out that the Mother Superior had been a postulant in a Discalced Carmelite monastery in New Jersey when she was younger! She told me some funny stories about her time in Carmel!

I participated in all the activities of the community: Mass, Divine Office [loved their chant!], work, meals, recreation. The only times I was not among them were the twice-daily periods when Mother gave the Sisters their ‘obediences’. I was directed either to the choir or to the kitchen!

I did talk with Mother once during my retreat. I remember she was very impressed over my knowledge of the history of the Visitation-and how I correctly pronounced the word ‘Annecy’!

Next to the Carmelites, the Visitation is my ‘favorite’ Order!

 

[LilFranciscan25]

I went on a retreat to the Visitation monastery in Philadelphia in May 1998.

I found an advertisement about them in a copy of the Our Sunday Visitor that someone left in our Adoration Chapel. At that time I was preparing to leave a long-term job [layoff due to downsizing], so I really wasn’t looking into a religious vocation per se. I was in the Secular Discalced Carmelites at the time, so the priest who was the spiritual director of the group I was in wrote a letter of recommendation for me. I also had to write a letter stating my state of health and my spiritual life.

I spent a beautiful five days among the community-they were all very kind to me. I found out that the Mother Superior had been a postulant in a Discalced Carmelite monastery in New Jersey when she was younger! She told me some funny stories about her time in Carmel!

I participated in all the activities of the community: Mass, Divine Office [loved their chant!], work, meals, recreation. The only times I was not among them were the twice-daily periods when Mother gave the Sisters their ‘obediences’. I was directed either to the choir or to the kitchen!

I did talk with Mother once during my retreat. I remember she was very impressed over my knowledge of the history of the Visitation-and how I correctly pronounced the word ‘Annecy’!

Next to the Carmelites, the Visitation is my ‘favorite’ Order!

That’s understandable since the Visitation order is very close to the Carmelites. St. Therese started her “Little Way” which is much like what St. Francis de Sales wrote about in his “Introduction to the Devout Life” (which I’m reading now).

I hope and pray that I can find some way to make it to Mobile. I keep praying daily.

 

[barb_finnegan]

That’s understandable since the Visitation order is very close to the Carmelites. St. Therese started her “Little Way” which is much like what St. Francis de Sales wrote about in his “Introduction to the Devout Life” (which I’m reading now).

I hope and pray that I can find some way to make it to Mobile. I keep praying daily.

Not to mention that she had an aunt in the Visitation of LeMans [her mother’s older sister], and her sister Leonie entered the Visitation of Caen in 1899, two years after Therese’s death.

If her mother, Blessed Zelie Martin, had not died prematurely of breast cancer, she would have become a Visitandine if her husband, Blessed Louis, had predeceased her.

 

[LilFranciscan25]

Not to mention that she had an aunt in the Visitation of LeMans [her mother’s older sister], and her sister Leonie entered the Visitation of Caen in 1899, two years after Therese’s death.

If her mother, Blessed Zelie Martin, had not died prematurely of breast cancer, she would have become a Visitandine if her husband, Blessed Louis, had predeceased her.

This is why I think St. Therese adopted me to begin with. I thought I was attracted to Carmel because of her, but it turns out that she may have adopted me to show me to the Visitandines. Either way, I’d be happy in both. But especially happy in the Visitation.

 

[barb_finnegan]

This is why I think St. Therese adopted me to begin with. I thought I was attracted to Carmel because of her, but it turns out that she may have adopted me to show me to the Visitandines. Either way, I’d be happy in both.

That’s cool-BTW, I love the little picture you have on the bottom of your posts [St. Francis de Sales and St. Jeanne de Chantal]. Where’d you find it?

When I was last in France in 2000, I made a pligrimage to the Visitation monastery of Paray-le-Monial, where St. Margaret Mary Alacoque had her visions of the Sacred Heart. But I never got to go to Annecy…bummer…

Hey, did you know that 2010 marks 400 years since the foundation of the Visitation Order? I know that the monastery in Tyringham, MA-where Sr. Rosalind Moss is doing her canonical year-is sponsoring a pilgrimage to Annecy, France to commemorate the anniversary.

 

[LilFranciscan25]

That’s cool-BTW, I love the little picture you have on the bottom of your posts [St. Francis de Sales and St. Jeanne de Chantal]. Where’d you find it?

When I was last in France in 2000, I made a pligrimage to the Visitation monastery of Paray-le-Monial, where St. Margaret Mary Alacoque had her visions of the Sacred Heart. But I never got to go to Annecy…bummer…

Hey, did you know that 2010 marks 400 years since the foundation of the Visitation Order? I know that the monastery in Tyringham, MA-where Sr. Rosalind Moss is doing her canonical year-is sponsoring a pilgrimage to Annecy, France to commemorate the anniversary.

OoooooOOOooo! I envy you in a good way, LOL! I would love to go to Paray-le-Monial! I am VERY devoted to the Sacred Heart (another good reason to love the Visitation) and St. Margaret Mary. I’ve been reading “Devotion to the Sacred Heart” and I plan to read about St. Margaret Mary when I’m finished. There’s a short biography on her life in the “Devotion” and what I’ve read has impressed me very much.

Tyringham is another Visitation order I would like to visit! I love their website. I did not know that next year would be 400 years. That’s fascinating!

 

[LilFranciscan25]

Oh, and I got my picture by doing a Google search for “St. Francis de Sales” and clicking “images” on the results.

 

[barb_finnegan]

OoooooOOOooo! I envy you in a good way, LOL! I would love to go to Paray-le-Monial! I am VERY devoted to the Sacred Heart (another good reason to love the Visitation) and St. Margaret Mary. I’ve been reading “Devotion to the Sacred Heart” and I plan to read about St. Margaret Mary when I’m finished. There’s a short biography on her life in the “Devotion” and what I’ve read has impressed me very much.

Tyringham is another Visitation order I would like to visit! I love their website. I did not know that next year would be 400 years. That’s fascinating!

I was at Paray only for the day-I was on my own-so all I got to see was the Visitation Chapel where i saw the reliquary of St. Margaret Mary. It used to be in the chapel’s sanctuary, but after Vatican II it was moved to an altar in one of the side chapels.

Then I walked up the street and turned right, and found the Jesuit Chapel where St. Claude de la Colombiere, her director, was enshrined. His tomb was very unusual: there was a little window where I peeked in and saw his ACTUAL BONES! If you don’t know about what happened to his remains after St. Margaret Mary’s death, here’s what happened: when the Jesuits were suppressed in the 1760s and their Paray house was closed down, the former Superior asked the Visitation Superior if she could house St. Claude’s body. So it was placed next to St. Margaret Mary’s body in the burial vault below the chapel. Both reliquaries were taken by the Sisters when they were expelled from the monastery during the French Revolution, and came back with them when they regained the monastery in 1823.

I had to get a train to go back to Paris, so I couldn’t get to the little museum that the Sisters had to St. Margaret Mary. There were other religious houses in Paray, too-I’m not sure if there is still a Carmelite monastery. That was founded in the late 1890s by Mother Marie of Jesus, a Carmelite from Dijon. Do you know about Bl. Elizabeth of the Trinity? Mother Marie knew her.

 

[LilFranciscan25]

That was founded in the late 1890s by Mother Marie of Jesus, a Carmelite from Dijon. Do you know about Bl. Elizabeth of the Trinity? Mother Marie knew her.

I know of her, but I’m not too close to her at all. My friend, Elizabeth, who is entering the Carmelites of the Divine Heart of Jesus in St. Louis in September is really devoted to her and is thinking about requesting her patronage when she has to choose a religious name.

As for me, St. Therese is my best friend.

 

[goforgoal]

My good friend, when I was first called by Our Lord I wrote to so many Religious orders and one of them happened to be Monastery of the Visitation “Maryfield”

I can’t thank Sister Mary Immaculata Collin, VHM for her inspirational words and when answering my questions she is quick and to the point–that I like

The Sisters sent me a story about St. Jane Frances de Chantal for those of you who do not know she was married, had children, and she is the Foundress of the Order of The Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary (1572-1641).

catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=60

In the story, I really liked how St. Jane Frances de Chantal explains how nothing belongs to us not even Religious articles and that everything was to be shared with the Sisters. I’m sorry I can’t quote the book since I either gave the booklet back or I gave the booklet to my local Parish.

The Sisters also shared a beautiful picture. You can see it here (and this is where I first discovered them)

db.religiouslife.com/reg_life/irl.nsf/org/36

Monastery of the Visitation
“Maryfield”
2055 Ridgedale Drive
Snellville, GA. 30078-2442

God bless the Monastery of the Visitation and all who are called.

 

[barb_finnegan]

I know of her, but I’m not too close to her at all. My friend, Elizabeth, who is entering the Carmelites of the Divine Heart of Jesus in St. Louis in September is really devoted to her and is thinking about requesting her patronage when she has to choose a religious name.

As for me, St. Therese is my best friend.

I was going to say about the Carmel of Paray-in the late 1910s or early 1920s, an Italian countess named Alessandra di Garda entered the Carmel, and took the name of Marie of Jesus, probably in honor of the foundress who received her into the Order. Alessandra led a scandalous life in Italy, but was converted back to her childhoos Faith at Lourdes. She became Novice Mistress, then Prioress, and founded three Carmels: one in Paris near the Basilica of the Sacre Coeur, Montmartre, and two in Switzerland. She died of consumption in the 1930s.

How nice to know about your friend’s interest in Bl. Elizabeth of the Trinity!