A Wonderful Teresian Time” The Grace of a Visitation

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And the Word became flesh. We know that when the capital Word became flesh, the result was endless joy, but what happens when the lowercase words from our Mother, the Church, become a reality? Could it be that they also play a part in communicating the joy that Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ brought us? This article intends to show that the answer is in the affirmative. The wordsthat recently took on flesh for our monastery are from Cor Orans: “. . . the Federation President, within the established time, accompanies the Regular Visitator in the canonical visit to the federated monasteries as a Co-Visitator” (#111). Who knew the joy that was hidden in those words?

• Wax floor
• Dust ceiling fans
• Tidy box closet . . .

And dwelt among us. After an intensive week of monastery cleaning, we welcomed our association Coordinator and Co-Visitator, Sr. Mary Elizabeth of Des Plaines, on Saturday, May 1st. By God’s providence, her clothing anniversary was joined to our solemnity and recreation day for the titular of our chapel (OHF St. Joseph the Worker)! Thankfully, she was able to spend time with us at recreation, the Divine Office, etc., before the official beginning of the Visitation. The very “revered” Father Michael Berry, OCD, who served as our bishop’s delegate for Visitator, arrived on Monday afternoon, and Mother Celine of Loretto, who served as financial administrator for the Visitation, arrived Monday evening. Thus, the Visitation began on Tuesday with a votive Mass of the Holy Spirit, followed later by a formal opening in the speakroom. After that, the individual interviews began—Sr. Mary Elizabeth starting with the eldest nun and Fr. Berry with the youngest.

When they could, Sr. Mary Elizabeth and Mother Celine would join us for the Divine Office – and they fit right in! It sure was nice to have two extra voices! It is a good reminder that our voices are always joined together whether near or far with all those praying the Church’s liturgy on earth . . . and in Heaven! It was also a great joy to recreate together. One evening, we sat outside, and Mother Celine drew our attention to the “pink snow”— the ornamental cherry tree’s precious pink petals were showering down towards us in the breeze! This highlights an observation on God’s 14 | P a g e providence – the monastery looked so nice and clean and the grounds so beautiful during their visit, it made those of us who live here wonder at how lovely everything was!

By Your Word, give me life3 . The individual interviews also went very well. Fr. Berry is a good listener, showing empathy and understanding, and Sr. Mary Elizabeth is warm and encouraging. Two years ago, at the first St. Joseph’s Association meeting, Fr. Daniel Chowning, OCD, told us that a visitation is a moment of conversion and growth, not just correction. He had asked, “How can we become more prayerful and loving for the Church? Where is God calling this community to conversion? What is God’s word to this community?” There is that word, again! It is a time of discernment—what is God communicating to us now? May we always be open like Our Lady to God’s Word becoming flesh in us! (Hopefully, the references to Christmas – in July—will help everyone feel a little cooler, except, of course, for our sisters in Launceston!)

Under Our Lady’s mantle. On the last day, Fr. Berry came in to check the sacristy, choir, and the outside gates. He was wearing his habit and mantle, and it was very picturesque to see him walking with a few of the nuns. Again, God arranged that the weather and grounds were beautiful. Later, the Visitation was officially closed in the speakroom with the singing of the first verse of the “Flos Carmeli.”

Teresian. Perhaps the Holy See had Our Holy Mother St. Teresa’s work “On Making the Visitation” in mind when making this new norm, requiring a Co-Visitator. About the Visitator, she had written that “if he could be a witness within the community for many days, he would know the truth.”4 She had experienced that herself: “Yet once, after spending some days in a house, I was amazed to see something so contrary to what I had been told, in an important matter . . . .”5 It seems safe to say the Our Holy Mother is well pleased. The title of this article was dubbed while we were saying our goodbyes to Mother and Sister—it was definitely “a wonderful Teresian time”! 

3Psalm 119:107.

4 St. Teresa of Avila, Collected Works, Volume III, (Washington, DC: ICS Publications, 1985), 353.

 

published in July 2021