The Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary was founded by St Francis de Sales and St Jane de Chantal on June 6, 1610.
That makes 410 years old on June 6, 2020!
How quickly the years fly! Here are some memories from the 400th anniversary, 10 years ago, when international Visitandines gathered for a week to celebrate that milestone.
L+J
400th Anniversary Celebration in Annecy
Sr Susan Marie’s Journey
May 29, 2010
Mother Mary Berchmans, Mother Rosemarie, Sr Sharon Elizabeth and I arrived in Annecy Saturday morning after a long but smooth flight, with reminiscences of our layover in Montreal that introduced us to a Sushi meal (by mistake!)
We were escorted to Annecy from Geneva in a van driven by a friend of the Annecy community. Mother Marie-Chantal Geoffrey of Voiron and Federation President South met us at the Jean xx111 Centre in Annecy-en Vieux, a retreat center in which we were staying, simple, aging but adequate. The views from the retreat rooms are spectacular with the Alps filling the scene.
Right after dinner we went up to The Basilica and our Monastery, jet-lagged as we were, and visited with Sr Margaret Mary G. in the speak-room. She was spunky but now needs a walker to get around. Our transportation was one of the Voiron cars driven by S Marie-Chantal. We learned from Sister that S Anne Marie of Marclaz had broken her hip and was in a rehab center and would not be at Marclaz when we would visit later in the trip.
Back at the retreat center we met some new arrivals, Sisters from Spanish speaking countries.
We retired to our rooms early!
Sunday May 30
A rainy Trinity Sunday. We breakfasted with other new arrivals, 2 Polish Sisters in the retreat center’s spacious dining room which overlooked the lake of Annecy, giving also a glimpse of the Basilica to our far right of the large bay window and terrace. We had some time to pray in the little chapel with the powerful icon of Jesus on its tabernacle door. As other sisters arrived we were given the opportunity to go up to the Monastery again and thus had a tour of our Annecy monastery. Mother Marie Trinite Goulmy led us through the bookbinding room with volumes of works in various stages of completion, to the infirmary, oratory and vestment room, finally stopping in the refectory for a snack, in complete silence. The silence in the refectory was profound- I was startled and had the deep sense of having entered a chapel rather than a refectory, the presence of God seemed so palpable.
Back at the retreat center we prayed Vespers in beautiful French with lilting psalm tones and celebrated Mass in the large Chapel. Fr. Viguera arrived and we dined with him, grateful to be able to communicate a little in Spanish.
Mon May 31st Feast of the Visitation
We began this beautiful day with Morning Prayer in French, using the special celebratory prayer book put together by the French Visitandines. Afterwards Fr. Viguera showed us a new DVD he had made that sets to gentle background music hundreds of paintings and sculptures of the Visitation scene that he has encountered throughout his journeys to all the monasteries. Our American communities’ scenes of the Visitation were well represented.
The full contingent of Visitandines having arrived, (50-70 Sisters at any one time) we went back up to the Monastery shuttled by a NEVETTE, or bus, to join our Annecy Sisters in the community room for introductions.
Each Federation President shared a little about the communities in her Federation. My input was translated into French by Sr Margaret Mary G. Then were were entertained by the younger members of the Annecy Sisters with dances, ethnic in nature, followed by goutez in the cloistered gardens, evening prayer in the community room and Mass in the Basilica. Mass was celebrated by the Cardinal Archbishop of Paris, Cardinal Vingt-Trois. It was heavenly and his homily evoked emotion, although as in French I did not comprehend much. You can locate this homily on line at:: http://ftp.diocese-annecy.fr/Homelie%20Cardinal%20Vingt-Trois%2031mai%20.pdf and photos at :http://catholique-annecy.cef.fr/annecy/popup_photo.php?id_photo=88500
There were about 12 Bishops and 50 priests concelebrating this liturgy.
We ended the day with a meal with Archbishop and Sisters at LA Puya, the Maison of the Diocese, a retreat center as well, just a few paces down the road from the Monastery. Some of our Sisters were fortunate enough to board there. It is in an ideal location to visit both the monastery and the town of Annecy.
Tuesday June 1st
Today began our 3 day attendance at a Colloque, or Conference in downtown Annecy at the Pierre Lamy Center.
What a revelation to learn that so many University scholars and Professors are studying so many aspects of the Visitation Order! Each day brought us 8 talks, in French of course, except for Mother Mary Berchmans excellent presentation on Wed., which was in perfect English! Translation services, although provided in English and Spanish, were not very good or adequate, although they did help.
Some of the topics covered were the nature of our Circular letters, canon law and the Visitation and historical topics. It was akin to being present as an archeologist studied one’s own culture, to experience their perspective on one’s own lifestyle.
Lunch was provided a few blocks away on the canal lined streets of Annecy at the St Jane de Chantal Parish House, a full assortment of salads, beef, ham and the ubiquitous fromage! And yummy desserts.
As the NEVETTE only came to shuttle us at the beginning and end of the day, we had the opportunity to walk up the quaint and hilly streets of Annecy to the Basilica for vespers and Mass.
The English Sisters arrived, what a relief- some English could be spoken- Sr Jane Margaret and Sr Mary Joseph of 2009 pilgrimage fame!.
We found out we needed to pay 550 Euros each in cash for our Jean xx111 stay!
A German Sister, very poor in English, nevertheless asked me what kind of “dialect” I had! Even she could recognize the Brooklyn accent!!!
Wednesday June 2
We left early for Pierre Lamy anticipating S Berchmans talk on the Visitation and education, which was magnificent and framed by appropriate PowerPoint pictures! It was well received.
We lunched at the same place, and then the search was on- for a bank that would provide enough Euros to pay our bill. Alas- 4 banks and one money exchange later and no luck! Undaunted, I knew S Berchmans would come to the rescue, eventually.
The presentations ending at 3P, Fr Viguera took some of us on a tour of Gallery House, the First Visitation Monastery and Church, Cathedral S Pierre for Vespers and Mass, a quick meal at St Jane Parish hall, then back to the Colloque for a truly excellent presentation by S Marie-Christophe of France on the history of the Visitation. Though she spoke in French, her PowerPoint made the talk understandable.
We waited on a street corner 45 min for NEVETTE watching the sunset over the Alps and canals. Extraordinary!
Thur June 3
Today we went for our final sessions of the symposium. There were two excellent talks in particular, one of Ven Anne Madeleine Remuzat; another a study on Visitation “cells.”. A third talk was about the beatification and canonization of St Jane and a fourth on Bremond and the Visitation., the fifth being on St Therese and the Visitation. After lunch at La Puya, we had several hours free, so Sr Sharon Elizabeth and I went back up to the Basilica for some quiet prayer and to stop at the gift shop.
Who do I meet but Fr Marot and Alicia Beauvisage!- The organizers of the pilgrimages of the relics of St Margaret Mary. So I confirmed the plans for the pilgrimage to NY in August. They will be on Long Island Aug 16-23 and in our Monastery of Brooklyn on August 24th.
We spent the afternoon in the Basilica, praying before the tombs of Holy Father and Mother for all the intentions in our hearts and before the relics of the first mothers and St Margaret Mary. I witnessed a very touching scene; a grandmother who taught her granddaughter, about 12, how to venerate the relics, in such a reverent and gentle manner.
We had Exposition and Benediction at the Basilica as well during a holy hour, followed by vespers and mass.
Dinner followed back at jean xx111 when another contingent of French sisters arrived. There are many young, vibrant Sisters of the Visitation in France and Switzerland, many more young than here in the US. Dinner was spent in conversing in 4 languages at table!
We were given rosaries by the Polish Sisters and relics of Mother Chappuis by a French Sister.
Fri June 4 First Friday
A long and beautiful day.
We attended Mass early in the Chapel of St Joseph adjacent to Gallery House then were free to explore the town for a while. Since S Berchmans needed an ATM Machine to help us pay our bills, we walked the quaint streets of Annecy looking for one, with Sr Benedicta and Sr Lioba of Germany. It was market day with many stalls selling food, flowers etc in multiple places. We located the ATM!
After lunch at La Puya, we went back down the hill for a guided tour of Annecy. What was my delight when I recognized the English-speaking tour guide, Bianca, from last year’s pilgrimage! She had guided us at the De Sales castle.
S Berchmans stayed back at la Puya to rest her feet as tendonitis was acting up. No wonder with all the walking!
We explored the Church of St Francis de Sales, (an Italian church, we were told) which had also once housed a bakery and apartments as living quarters, as well as the relics of our Holy Founders for 150 years. Then we proceeded to the Church of St Maurice. I learned St Maurice was a martyr and a Roman soldier and that a Swiss abbey now stands on the site of his martyrdom not too far from Annecy. This church was the site of SFDS first Holy Communion and Confirmation.
We meandered along canal-lined streets in this “Venice of the Alps” to St Pierre cathedral and back to Gallery House again for a more formal tour. I located the signatures in the book that we all signed on the pilgrimage last year!
We walked to Notre Dame de Liesse where we prayed Vespers. I was exhausted. Once more struggled up the hill to la Puya for supper and sat with a young sister from Tarascon. We were reduced to making animal sounds in our conversation as we had no common language to speak of some creatures to describe them!. I made an appointment to meet with Fr Viguera the next day as it seemed there would be no time for a general meeting as initially expected.
We then returned to the church of St Francis de Sales for a profound evening of prayer, adoration with the faithful and touching rituals. Got back to the retreat center about 11PM. Hopefully Sisters from our monasteries at home joined us in spirit with this particular prayer service as the materials had been provided.
Sat June 5
Most of the day was spent at the Visitation monastery. But first we celebrated Mass at the Cathedral of San Pierre. Fr Viguera, the Sisters from Africa and the Sister from Argentina and I walked slowly up to the Monastery together. On arrival we were ushered into the archive room where again I had the opportunity to sign the Vow book. Mother Trinite gave us DVD’s, .
Then we all proceeded to the cemetery, actually a crypt, in which all the Sisters who died at Annecy are resting in peace. We saw the section in which S Patricia Burns rests and also the first Mothers, and together we prayed there.
We lunched in the courtyard with a novice from Annecy and the British Sisters.
Then Fr Viguera and I had our chat, in Spanish, for over an hour! He spoke slowly so I could understand and he graciously held back any chuckles over my pronunciations and choice of words.
We talked about the Visitation worldwide and other matters of business to be reported at the Council meeting.
My next surprise was to discover another crypt below the Basilica in which there is a special and temporary exhibition of items relating to our anniversary, primarily books and paintings. The Curator gave a wonderful talk all in French so I was clueless.
I was delighted to learn of a Venerable Sister with a name similar to mine, a Sr Suzanne Marie de Riands de Villeray, of Lyons, and a book of her life, caged behind the glass case.
Upstairs in the Basilica proper, the church was transformed by the TV crews, producer and director and large hot lights as practice with the Bishop, choir and Sisters consumed about 4 hours as they prepared for the June 6 Mass.
When they left we had Vespers, supper at La Puya and returned to John 23rd.
Sunday June 6, 2010 400th Anniversary of the Visitation Order
The long-awaited day has arrived! To be in Annecy on this day, who could ever imagine this grace?
I stuffed the whole world into my heart.
After breakfast and morning prayer for the Feast of Corpus Christi we went out to await NAvette the bus, which on this day of all days, was 20 minutes late! As we approached the Basilica, we nearly had a head on collision with another bus approaching the opposite direction, but were spared.
We were ushered into the brightly lit Basilica where they were practicing Mass again with the television crews.!
But a deep heart-felt change occurred as soon as the true Liturgy began at 10:40AM. The Visitation Sisters choir was superb, there were trains of priests and a packed basilica, with chairs and video screens set up outdoors for a greater capacity. The Bishop of Annecy gave a beautiful homily, which can be accessed here: http://ftp.diocese-annecy.fr/Homelie%20Mgr%20Boivineau%206juin%20.pdf
And photos here: http://catholique-annecy.cef.fr/annecy/popup_photo.php?id_photo=88527
After Mass we exited in procession around the Basilica, met with the Bishop, then re-entered the Church to pray once more at our Holy Founders tombs. The coverings were removed so we crowded around more closely.
Our Annecy community had a delightful lunch prepared outdoors in another section of their property overlooking the lake. We sat 4 to 5 to a table with joyful voices and conversation- in English- as it turned out for me. There was another opportunity to visit the crypt exhibition and this time I observed a manual for the Visitation boarding schools dating from 1626.
A truly community oriented day- we all went together into another vehicle to a town not too far away to a play put on by young people on the history of the Visitation, but very cleverly done. The text of this show will be e mailed to me. It begins with a contemporary young couple meeting for a date before St Francis’ statue in Annecy and flashed back to the story of the Visitation.
We were able to follow a screened text translation. Very delightful.
Once more the Annecy Srs hosted us for a light meal after the play and for Vespers. The novices were exuberant and were very novice-like in behavior, enjoying themselves completely.
A memory never to be forgotten!
Mon June 7
We had a day trip to les Allinges, Marclaz, Thorens, and Thonon today.
On the bus trip I sat with a young Sister from Tarascon who told me her vocation story. She is proficient in Hindi and discovered her Visitation vocation among the Hindus in India!
Upon arriving at Les Allinges and its chapel we prayed aloud with profound intercessions in various languages
And toured the grounds. As Marclaz is nearby we went there next, and were feted outdoors under sprawling, lengthy white tents. The property is extensive and a bright field of red poppies dominated the scene in the back of the Monastery. We ate an interesting gelatin concoction, and pork , potatoes and ice cream.
The tour included visiting the infirmary with Anne, the directress, which is a well outfitted one with safety gates and wide corridors. The Chapel with the special crucifix and remains of Ven. Mary Martha Chambon was a highlight and we also viewed a 9 minute video produces last Dec in French, on the uniqueness of the community for the elderly Visitandines.
The trip extended to the Desales Castle, museum and cross of inspiration and to Mass at Thonon with many faithful in attendance. Afterwards the town hosted a reception for us in a hall and provided a light meal , speeches and a lot of sharing.
Tues June 8
Our last day in Annecy was spent once more in attending scholarly and spiritual conferences in downtown Annecy, but not the quaint part of the city. The first talk was given by a Father Wirth, on the Treatise and Salesian spirituality, in French, but translated in English by an Irish- born Sister from Paray, Sr Gabriel and into Spanish by Fr Viguera. Lunch followed with a long enough break that I was able to accompany a Portuguese Sister to an outdoor market several blocks away where she purchased sandals. Many Islamic items were featured here, headscarves and so forth and the market seemed to attract a Moslem population.
The second talk was a spiritual one on the Sacred Heart and the Visitation, as well as on the pilgrimage of St Margaret Mary’s relics, by Father Marot and Madame Beauvisage, whom I have come to know and correspond with over the past several years.
We had a final gathering in the Monastery for light snacks, evening prayer and Mass with Fr Viguera presiding.He was superb in his encouragement and his focus on hope. Though he spoke in French, his unction seemed to help me understand his meaning.
How could one not have hope for the Visitation after this week of sharing a celebration with such vibrant Visitandines from around the world? Now I know that the Visitation still brims with life.
Our final supper was at La Puya, with gifts, thanks and little goodbye speeches. Not all would do the add on tour to Paray for the next 3 days. Mother Rosemarie had left that morning but the Paray group still numbered 30 even with so many going back home.
Wed June 9
Today we left Annecy for Paray-le-Monial. Our first stop was Vesovres, the birthplace of St Margaret Mary. Mother M Guadalupe, Superior of Paray, met us at the Church where St Margaret Mary was baptized, where we attended Mass. The Church was very old, with splintery pews and a baptismal font of stone, so worn with age. We proceeded to her childhood home, now a high school, where we had lunch, then a tour of the room she was born in. At this point Mother Guadalupe told me she had received the letter from my Bishop in Brooklyn requesting the saint’s relics to visit Brooklyn, so it’s official- St Margaret Mary’s relics will come to the Brooklyn monastery on August 24th!
We traveled on to Charolles or something like that- St MM godmother’s estate and castle. A young woman with 2 babies lives there now. The view was magnificent and the property so European with turrets and towers and castle-like structures.
Finally we arrived at the mustard colored buildings of the town of Paray. Greeted with goutez in “Cana” a retreat dining area within the precincts of the Monastery, we afterwards hurried off to the Chapel of St Claude, then to a diorama nearby with the history of St Margaret Mary, and again back to the Monastery to be shown our chambers within the ancient monastic corridors. My room looked out upon the tower of the Basilica, French style roofs and gardens. It was dedicated to St John the Evangelist and Sr Simone of Paray had given it up so I could stay there for 3 days.
Dining someplace outside the enclosure but within short walking distance, we thereafter had Vespers, adoration and night rest.
Thurs June 10
A long and full day with a journey to Moulins. After breakfast in “Cana” we started out in the rain on our bus to Moulins which left us off several long blocks from the Monastery so we trudged the cobblestoned streets in the rain until we arrived at the Monastery’s Chapel entrance, greeting by M Picaud, the Museum curator, in an alb. Bishop Roland celebrated Mass for us with Fr Viguera concelebrating and M Picaud serving at the altar..
The community welcomed us once more to a goutez in the cloister corridor. This community was very old and one could sense a lack of vibrancy, although they were very loving. M Picaud had set up a 3 tabled exhibit here which included the reliquary with SFDS tongue and St Jane’s copy of her constitutions among other smaller items. A little snafu with the bus delayed our trip over to the Museum but it did come and we were ushered into the latest exhibition on the Vistandines in Europe with phenomenal reliquaries, vestments, embroideries etc, guided by Mr. jean Foisselon, the young associate of M Picaud.
The warm reception continued with a fabulous luncheon in City Hall, where the Mayor of Moulin M Pierre-André Périssol gave a welcome speech and repeated 3 times that every Visitandine should consider the city of Moulins their second home. Fr Viguera also responded with a talk, in French of course, as well as the Bishop Roland who said a few words in English. Journalists wandered about, interviewing some Sisters.
A summary with photos of this day can be viewed on the blog: http://maisonsaintpaul.over-blog.com/
We returned to another section of the Museum in the afternoon with M Picauad to see the fabulous standard exhibits of sacred vessels, tapestries and personal belongings of our Holy Founders. Brooklyn contributed 6 burses, hand painted, to the museum for their future display.
The Cathedral of Moulin was our next stop, ringing the tower bells for a full 8 minutes as their welcome to all the many Visitandines visiting. We toured it and then went on to an archeological/art museum for a sumptuous dinner before returning to Paray.
Fri June 11 Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus
One cannot not give adequate thanks to Our Lord for this grace of all graces in being within the walls of our Visitation Monastery in Paray on this Feast of His Sacred Heart during our 400th anniversary year! What a blessing!
The day was spent at the Monastery, beginning with all night adoration for those who were able, then breakfast, morning prayer and Mass. Adoration continued all morning, and we were also free to wander through the garden, take pictures or pray in the oratory which was the room in which S Margaret Mary went home to God.
Paray is clearly a shrine for the public with as many as four liturgies in vrs languages throughout the day and the Visitandine sacristan being attentive to these liturgies.
A movable grate, with glass window and venetian blinds, permits the Sisters in choir to either participate in the Chapel liturgies, or enclose themselves for their own time of prayer without disturbance by or to those same ongoing liturgies.
We had our first silent meal in two weeks in the Paray refectory, in the traditional manner and setting, but towards the end, being a Sister’s Profession anniversary, Mother Guadalupe permitted us to speak and sing to the Sister. Sr Gabriel, the Irish nun, then took us English speaking Sisters (all 3 of us) for a tour while the French speakers, the majority, went with another Sister.
Sister brought us to the first oratory dedicated to the Sacred Heart, the first painting of the Sacred Heart, and through the well situated infirmary and porch.
We also went into a room dedicated to various relics of the Saint; the traveling bag she used, her bones, vestments worn at her canonization, etc; then to the library where we could see a display of her own writings; the actual pages of her autobiography and her letters.
The most emotionally moving part of the day was an incredible procession of lay people through the Paray Monastery’s gardens, with a contingent of priests bearing the Blessed Sacrament; a procession into which all of the Vistandines entered. The French hymns resounded throughout the garden enclosure as they walked, or were pushed in wheelchairs akin to Lourdes, 600 to a 1000 people in heartfelt prayer on their way to the Shrine chapel.
Who said there is no faith in France?
Everywhere we went the churches were full and the people sang heartily, their faces glowing; every Mass was concelebrated and very reverent and liturgically up to date.
Our Visitandine Sisters were joyful and truly had the spirit of the Order; we were truly Sisters in that bond of perfection amidst different languages.
Fr Viguera laughed easily and took time to circulate with everyone; affable and available to all.
Our goodbyes on that last evening after vespers and supper were protracted; it was hard to leave and so many to say goodbye to.
The Visitation is alive in spirit!
God be praised!