let’s Learn:

WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE BROOKLYN VISITATION Monastery TODAY?

Mother Susan Marie is the Major Superior of the autonomous Visitation Monastery in Brooklyn. She entered the monastery in September of 1988 after an early career in radio. It is unclear how long she has held this role. When calling other Visitation Monasteries, they also referred to her as the Second Federation President, this is also noted as her title on the Visitation Spirit website. The Brooklyn Visitation Monastery belongs to a federation of monasteries to comply with Cor Orans. You can read more about Cor Orans and what it means/how it plays an important role here.

Why is this important:

Mother Susan is allegedly the most powerful decision-maker at the Brooklyn autonomous monastery. If the school and monastery are one, who is representing the interests of the school?

where have all the sisters gone?

Since 2021, sisters have been strategically transferred to other monasteries, some for valid reasons like the need for better healthcare facilities, while others were allegedly transferred against their will. We heard from one sister she is in “Jesus Jail”. Why would the order prioritize non-educational ministry over other ministries? Why would Mother Susan lead her sisters down a road that would eventually lead to the demise of the school?

Why is this important:

All religious orders have been experiencing a decline in professed vocations for decades. Other Visitation Schools have taken steps to safeguard single-sex education in their communities. It appears that Mother Susan in Brooklyn did not share this goal. Instead, she stated at the parents’ meeting that the sisters want to lead a solely contemplative life. This was the reason for their departure. These nuns left to make hosts for Mass, vestments, and pray. Ironically, they won’t be able to do this without Catholics filling pews. The key to a healthy church is healthy Catholic education.

MOTHER SUSAN IS READY TO MOVE ON

It appears that at some point between 2018 and 2022, the Visitation Sisters began to discern or pray about their next steps in light of declining numbers of women joining the order, more elderly sisters requiring care. Each Visitation monastery operates autonomously, meaning they are independent from one another. Mother Susan had to care for older infirm sisters, as well as novices or new sisters who required training, with fewer nuns available to support these efforts.

Eventually, a decision was made to officially suppress the operation of the Brooklyn Monastery in accordance with Cor Orans. It appears Mother Susan is poised to retire once the Monastery is closed.

Why is this important:

The questions remining are, why give up on Catholic single-sex education for young women? Can a religious sister change her mission from one to another? What is the purpose of religious life if not to evangelize? Is Mother Susan looking for money, or is this something more?

Visitation Sisters in Brooklyn in October of 2022; where did they go and why did they choose not to continue their educational mission?