Visitation Monastery North Minneapolis

Our "Pause, Ponder, Pray" morning of reflection on Saturday focused on the Little Virtues and practicing them in Salesian dialogue. We began with Morning Prayer in the Chapel and then had large and small group conversation before treating ourselves to a little Christmas shopping courtesy of Cindy's sewing group!

We recently welcomed home Sister Karen from her pilgrimage in Ireland. Here are some of her favorite memories!
- Sister Karen and her sister, Elizabeth, visited the shrine of Our Lady of Knock in County Mayo, the birthplace of their grandfather.
- Rainbows surprised them as they traveled!
- They found the people of Ireland to be very welcoming to the Ukrainian refugees.

Brother Mickey McGrath was recently featured in the National Catholic Reporter for his art. He is the creator of our beloved Visitation painting that hangs in our entryway! On Saturday, Sister Karen left for Ireland on an "art and faith" pilgrimage with him. Please keep them both in your prayers!

From silent struggles to sacred art: Br. Mickey McGrath's transformative journey Through connections with diverse and multi-religious communities and a commitment to social justice, Br. Mickey McGrath's art transcends traditional boundaries, weaving together faith, culture and history.

We were delighted to celebrate with our friend Angie Mascia Franks as she received the Distinguished Alumna Award at Visitation School yesterday. The Mascia family holds a special place in our hearts after they welcomed us to North Side 34 years ago by bringing us dinner -- a meal that has since become an annual tradition!

Our door ministry brightens our days. Every visitor brings their unique character and story. Last week we had fun when a family came by -- we were excited to share a bag of candy with their youngest child!

Happy new school year, students! Last weekend, we celebrated by having neighbors over for ice cream on the lawn. Thanks to the nonprofit Simon Says Give and the generosity of our friend Leo, we got to share school supplies with all the kids!

We welcomed current and former Salesian Leadership Camp students to share their experiences in a front-yard cookout on Sunday! A beautiful day with beautiful people!

Another wonderful National Night Out! We had lots of fun sharing ice cream with our neighbors, and a golden doodle joined us for Night Prayer!

Last week, we got to celebrate our dear Sister Suzanne's Silver Jubilee -- 25 years at the Visitation Monastery! We praise God for the gift of her presence, with her deep faith, creativity, and good counsel.

You can read more about the celebration in Visitation High School's blog:

Summer Salesian Corner - Celebrating Sister Suzanne Homeyer VHM The Salesian Studies Office celebrates Sister Suzanne Homeyer

Our door ministry always brings us delightful surprises!

At our recent Visitation Federation meeting in Georgetown, we enjoyed table fellowship with other Visitation Sisters.

Sister Katherine and Sister Brenda were sponsored by the Second Federation of the Visitation, USA, to attend the Sacred Heart symposium in Rome "Repairing the Irreparable." The symposium brought the devotion to the Sacred Heart into the 21st century by exploring the practice of reparation in today's context. We also had some fun and were able to visit our Visitation Sisters in Rome!

This weekend, we celebrate the feast days of Saint Paul and Saint Peter. Saint Paul holds a special place in our hearts as the patron saint of our city and our archdiocese, as well as the namesake of Sister Mary Paula! As Sister Mary Paula said in Morning Prayer yesterday, "We all celebrate, from ages 0 to 94!"

We welcomed back students from Salesian Leadership Camp. Every year, we send students from our neighborhood to represent our Visitation community. Here are students this year, as well as some students from other Salesian communities last year who paid us a surprise visit!

This week has been a week of pilgrimages! We prayed with students who were setting off on a pilgrimage of Visitation holy sites in France, and we Sisters spent several days in Georgetown for a community meeting. We pray for safe travels for everyone.

Lord, be the guide and protector on the journey our friends are about to take. Watch over them. Protect them from accidents. Keep them free from harm to body and soul. Lord, support them with Your grace when they are tired. Help them be patient in any trouble which may come their way. Keep them always mindful of Your presence and love. May Saints Jane and Francis be their steady companions, and may Saint Margaret Mary open their minds and hearts to receive the love of Jesus. Sacred Heart of Jesus, we entrust them to You. Amen.

Visitation School Chemistry Club made Mother's Day candles for their project this year. They shared the proceeds with our neighbors in the form of Cub gift cards. Thank you Catherine, Kate, Sarah, Addison, and Avery!

Does CLUTTER keep you stuck in the past and rob you of your peace of mind and happiness? Do you desire more SIMPLICITY in your life? Here's an opportunity for YOU! The St Jane House is launching "Jane's 90-Day Decluttering Challenge" next week. It's all ONLINE so you can join in via Zoom from wherever you are in the world. Director of the St Jane House and Visitation Companion Brian Mogren made a fun 20-second time-lapse video while decluttering the SJH garage as a promo for the challenge. Be sure to stay with it to the end! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzbDSKdUi7s

Intrigued? Click here to learn more:
https://tinyurl.com/janes-decluttering-challenge

If you do not struggle with clutter OR would like friends to join you for this decluttering adventurer, consider sharing this post on your timeline so others can take advantage of simplifying their lives through developing the simple yet revolutionary practice of spending just 10-minutes a day declutting.

Jane's 90 Day Decluttering Challenge Promo Join us from wherever you are in the world for this online decluttering challenge which launches June 17 and 18, 2024 (choose the date that works best for yo...

Every year on the Feast of Corpus Christi, we have our own Eucharistic Procession around our neighborhood. We bring the Body of Christ to places of pain and places of joy and hope. This year, we visited some neighborhood streets where young men were killed, as well as the Nonviolent Peaceforce, Sanctuary Covenant Resources, Ascension Church and School, Shiloh Temple, St. Anne's Place, Urban Homeworks, and others.

As part of their North Side immersion experience, the seniors from Visitation High School are each paired with a Sister for daily reflection. Here are Sister Mary Paula and Grace, reflecting together as they enjoy the beautiful weather on a walk.

Seniors from Visitation High School are spending their last two weeks before graduation in an immersion experience on the North Side. To kick off their time here, we welcomed them with inspirational herbs, and they planned their week under the guidance of their teacher, Claire. They have gotten to hear from speakers Will, Mike, and Odell. Please pray for them to have open minds and open hearts as their journey continues!

Students from Visitation High School prepared hygiene kits for the women of St. Anne's Place, a temporary home for moms and their children ❤

Our pilgrims, Sister Brenda and Sister Katherine, are returning today from their conference in Rome on the reparation of the Sacred Heart, inspired by the 350th anniversary of the Apparitions of the Heart of Jesus to St. Margaret Mary of Alacoque (a Visitation Sister). Please keep them in your prayers as they bring home what they learned and discussed.

We will share more of their insights in coming posts. For now, we invite you to read this article from the Vatican News.

Pope Francis: 'Rediscover the practice of reparation to the Sacred Heart ' - Vatican News Meeting with participants in a conference organized in Rome on the occasion of the Jubilee celebrations of the apparitions and subsequent devotion to ...

Our pilgrims are off to Rome! Sister Brenda and Sister Katherine are attending a conference on the Sacred Heart. This is the 350th anniversary of the apparitions of the Sacred Heart to Saint Margaret Mary, a Visitation Sister.

Last Saturday, we celebrated the life of our dear friend Mary Johnson. Brian Mogren put together this beautiful program in her memory.

Shortly after Mary and Oshea reconciled on March 5, 2005, and Mary had begun to share her story, our Sister Mary Margaret was the first of our community to hear Mary speak. The relationship of love and care between the two was almost instantaneous. As time went on, Sister Mary Margaret was an integral part of Mary's Two Mothers' healing group and a member of her Board. To become familiar with Mary's full story, read "Beyond Belief" by Ray Richardson (available through Amazon).

MaryJohnsonRoyTributeProgram.pdf

Last month, we were graced with a visit by students from Creighton University who were spending their spring break immersed in the community of North Minneapolis. They stayed at Saint Jane House for the week and joined us for Sunday brunch. Every year, we are inspired by these young adults who bring their joy and their open and listening hearts.