Sister Susan Marie: what might be going thru your heart as you think about monastic life?
l: I am very excited to experience the whole experience! I want to see what the Lord opens for me there!
Sister Susan Marie: Each monastery does have a different experience in store as the Lord works grace through people and events very often, as you know from your own life
Oct 6 2013, 7:25 PM
l: I am learning about patience with the whole journey and to enjoy the process without needing to know the outcome! Whatever the Lord wills!
Oct 6 2013, 7:25 PM
Sister Susan Marie: That is the best disposition to have!
7:25 PM
K (guest): I am just praying that I receive some clear direction, no matter what it is.
Sister Susan Marie: We always say the Lord usually shows the next step,but not the whole picture!
27 PM
l: I don’t see the next step clearly though
Oct 6 2013, 7:27 PM
K (guest): One day at a time Sweet Jesus, the old Baptist hymn.
Oct 6 2013, 7:27 PM
l: I always loved that hymn!
Oct 6 2013, 7:27 PM
Sister Susan Marie: But if we look at all things with clear “spiritual eyes” we may begin to sense His Will for the next foot, at least
V: or maybe toe
Oct 6 2013, 7:28 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Yes!!!
l: How do I have clear “spiritual eyes”?
Oct 6 2013, 7:28 PM
Sister Susan Marie: When I was at georgetown we were looking for the next step for the new Gallery community
Oct 6 2013, 7:29 PM
V: that really is a special community. Could you explain it to all of us, SSM
Oct 6 2013, 7:29 PM
Sister Susan Marie: I think our eyes clarity stems from purity of heart and abandonmnet to His Will
l: I struggle not to worry
Oct 6 2013, 7:30 PM
Sister Susan Marie: The Gallery Community was started as an “oasis” community within an established community to invite young women for discernment.
Oct 6 2013, 7:30 PM
Sister Susan Marie: ST Francis has alot to say on anxiety. Hve you read this Lois?
Sister Susan Marie: http://visitationspirit.org/2013/09/anxiety-according-to-st-francis-de-sales/
l: I do have his prayer on peace over my computer at work and I read it multiple times a day!
Oct 6 2013, 7:31 PM
V: I remember reading that recently. You posted it, didnt’ you SSM?
Oct 6 2013, 7:31 PM
l: I will read this’ thank you Sister
Oct 6 2013, 7:31 PM
K (guest): I pray for a pure heart (to share His heart)and to be totally abandoned to the Father’s will, but I have a long way to go. I guess I just keep praying and desiring it.
Oct 6 2013, 7:32 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Yes but sometimes not everyone reads the posts!
Sister Susan Marie: Effort and intention are our contributions and grace is God’s
V: I was just looking on-line at Wendy Wright’s book on Salesian spirituality. That seems like a good resource.
Oct 6 2013, 7:33 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Which book? the one with Fr Joe Powers?
Sister Susan Marie: The books are excellent
Sister Susan Marie: In Brooklyn we have 1 temporary professed, one canonical novice and one second year novice and all of a sudden, at least 5 inquirers coming on retreats
l Oh that’s wonderful!
what is a canonical novice?
Oct 6 2013, 7:44 PM
V: so a little growth spirt?
Oct 6 2013, 7:44 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Yes! In our situation the youngest inquirer is 47 so we tend to the more mature discerner
Oct 6 2013, 7:45 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Yes- growth! A canonical novice is a first year novice
Oct 6 2013, 7:45 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Years ago only one year was required for novitiate before profession
V: now two?
Sister Susan Marie: Yes, now two, so the first year is the quieter year and the second more involved
Oct 6 2013, 7:46 PM
K (guest): Do you contribute anything in particular to the growing interest of inquirers?
Sister Susan Marie: meaning, in our case, more involved in the school, if desired, or the ability to go out for workshops which are limited the first year
Oct 6 2013, 7:47 PM
Sister Susan Marie: I have been pondering that Kim but I think it is probably God’s gift and timing.
Oct 6 2013, 7:51 PM
V: that sounds really good to me, SSM. Could you explain a little more? I remember what cloister was like at the Federal Way Visitation. Are you familiar with that? How does it compare to the Brooklyn Visitation?
Sister Susan Marie: our property has a wall around it and it covers 2 city blocks. We are able to go anywhere within this space but need permission to go outside that space like down the block to say buy shoes
Oct 6 2013, 7:53 PM
l: I like the idea of being of the cloister; being a part of the world and yet apart
V: To change the topic closer to home for a second, is the Brooklyn Visitation an inner-city monastery?
Sister Susan Marie: No not inner city but neighborhood-city- residential homes and some apts
Oct 6 2013, 8:15 PM
V: with space and some quiet?
Sister Susan Marie: How do you define inner city? B what was your impression
Mary Roberta Viano: Brooklyn is definitely quieter than Georgetown!
V: I appreciate some silence for sure. God is in the silence for me
J I: loved reading your post on this website on anxiety by St Fancis de Sales in that anxiety crushes the soul just like sin does..very interesting.
Oct 6 2013, 8:18 PM
B (guest): umm well definitely for me it was a bit of a shock because when you hear of New York and surroundings you see in movies (yes we get a lot of our conceptions from them!) and hear about the hectiness and busyness I couldn’t imagine that there could be a Visitation monastery amongst it all. For me it was so great so much quietness, silence and tranquillity
Oct 6 2013, 8:18 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: Because we’re near a big airport and a big university, it’s noisy.
Oct 6 2013, 8:18 PM
Sister Susan Marie: I never fear walking to the doctors or anyplace. It’s not a rough neighborhood
Sister Susan Marie: J, is anxiety a special topic for you?
J I: yes..actually I said anxiety crushes the soul just as sin but it says the only thing less than sin
Oct 6 2013, 8:23 PM
J I: This unresting anxiety is the greatest evil which can happen to the soul, sin only excepted – See more at: http://visitationspirit.org/2013/09/anxiety-according-to-st-francis-de-sales
Sister Susan Marie: Yes and for some it can lead to despair or other worse conditions
Oct 6 2013, 8:24 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: I have SFdS’s quote in front of me on that topic: “Worry prevents us from doing well the very things about which we are worried.”
l: I tend to get anxious too and worry too much! I want to be able to trust God with all my being!
Oct 6 2013, 8:25 PM
Sister Susan Marie: That’s me at meetings despite all my help from St Francis de Sales! So we can all grow in this
Oct 6 2013, 8:25 PM
l: I like that quote!
Mary Roberta Viano: That was what today’s Scripture readings at Mass were all about – faith as big as a mustard seed blocks out worry!
K(guest): There was a quote of St. Francis de Sales in our church bulletin today “Do everything calmly and peacefully……Walk very simply with the Cross of the Lord and be at peace with yourself.”
JI: I think that there is also an irrational anxiety that may come from deeper levels and issues
Oct 6 2013, 8:32 PM
V: And the week started with the Feast of St. Therese. What a week it has been! How about in the Visitation Monasteries?
Oct 6 2013, 8:32 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: One of his fellow Jesuits here in DC calls him clever – because of how he communicates so openly with everyone, without distinction.
Oct 6 2013, 8:32 PM
l: I agree with that, J
Oct 6 2013, 8:32 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Yes I agree with that- anxiety attacks proceed from those possibly
Mary Roberta Viano: But ultimately anxiety is about self-preservation, not self-abnegation or self-donation.
Oct 6 2013, 8:33 PM
l: Self preservation?
Mary Roberta Viano: Do you think Christ was ever anxious?
Sister Susan Marie: Good question!
J I: yes Sister…irrational fears surrounding yourself
Oct 6 2013, 8:34 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: Fear about one’s image
l: Would he experience it as a human?
Oct 6 2013, 8:35 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Garden of Gethsemane?
J I: was just gonna say that Sister Susan
Oct 6 2013, 8:35 PM
V: amen, SSM
Oct 6 2013, 8:35 PM
l: Oh of course
Oct 6 2013, 8:35 PM
Mary Roberta Viano: one’s health, one’s work
Oct 6 2013, 8:35 PM
Sister Susan Marie: We think alike so we are compatible chatters- all of us!
Sister Susan Marie: Spiritual anxiety vs emotional anxiety- is there such a thing?
JI: I think so Sister Susan
Oct 6 2013, 8:37 PM
Sister Susan Marie: In any case, we have St Francis de Sales quotes to help us!
Oct 6 2013, 8:37 PM
K (guest): I think anguish (or agony) is somewhat of a spiritual anxiety
Oct 6 2013, 8:38 PM
Sister Susan Marie: Yes K agony in the Garden, not anxiety in the Garden. Very good thought! Thanks!