let’s Learn:

WHO ARE THE SISTERS OF THE VISITATION?

The Sisters of the Visitation, also known as the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary, was founded in 1610 in Annecy, France, by Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Jane Frances de Chantal. Their aim was to establish a religious community that would welcome women who, due to age or poor health, were unable to enter traditional monastic orders. 

Why is this important:

The Sisters of the Visitation have always been an order of older nuns, they have never been an order focused on younger sisters. 

HISTORY OF BROOKLYN VISITATION MONASTERY

The Visitation sisters arrived in Brooklyn in 1855 at the invitation of Bishop Loughlin, with the primary purpose of establishing a school for girls; The Female Insitute of the Visitation. All available documentation supports this assertion, indicating that education was the main impetus behind the sisters’ arrival. An article from the Brooklyn Daily Eagle dated August 18th, 1889, attests to this fact, stating that the sisters adhered to a modified form of their rule from the outset, as mandated by the bishop to facilitate their teaching duties.

Initially, the sisters conducted their educational mission on Clinton Avenue. However, they encountered challenges with the site, prompting a relocation to Bay Ridge. The new location was deemed ideal for both the school and the cloister, providing a more suitable environment for the sisters’ educational endeavors and their way of life.

Why is this important:

It’s important to note the Sisters of the Visitation founded the monastery or cloister in Brooklyn as a school, with the intent of educating women from day 1. This was the MAIN goal of their ministry in Brooklyn. 

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