Sr. Mary Frances Reis, 1957
On Friday, November 21, the Visitation Sisters will renew their vows publicly at a mass and celebration. In preparation for this event, blogger and Companion Melissa Borgmann-Kiemde had an opportunity to ask Sister Mary Frances Reis about this process of of vow renewal. What follow is their Q and A.
Q: Sister Mary Frances, what year did you enter the Visitation Monastery?
SMF: I entered in 1957.
Q: In a sentence or two, how would you characterize that period in the Catholic church?
SMF: This time of 1957-62 was a time of sensing that the Holy Spirit was in the air. The churches were pretty into the ‘way we’ve always done it’ and then ‘whoosh’!!! the Holy Spirit took over and John XXIII opened the windows of the Church and let in lots of fresh air! So I would say that I and my confreres were precursors of the Renewal…kind of on the threshold of big changes in the Church. Things changed radically in the next few years.
Sr. Mary Frances Reis, 1962
Q: When did you profess final vows?
SMF: I professed my final vows in 1962. This was preceded by a year of postulancy, and year of novitiate, and 3 years of temporary vows. These years were a sort of “engagement time” with lots of formation in the life and discernment along the way.
Q: Poverty, Chastity, and Obedience are the vows that Visitation Sisters profess when they commit their lives to the Order. Can you give us simple definitions, in your own words?
SMF: Poverty-Having all things in common as in the early Church. Simplicity of life. Sharing what we have.
Chastity-this is the vow to LOVE. I have always observed this vow as a call to relationship….I have had thousands of children as an educator, and in this neighborhood. Sexuality is a precious gift, and through the many celibate relationships that I have had with both sexes, I have learned to love well.
Obedience-Root word is listening. Listening to the Spirit in my deepest center, in that of the community and my superiors assists me in becoming who I am and becoming that well.
Q: When Francis de Sales and Jane de Chantal first established the Visitandines, they wanted only one vow, the vow of love. How do you embrace this vow and the ultimate shift to Poverty, Chastity and Obedience?
SMF: As I ‘mature’ in my vowed life it becomes quite simple. LOVE covers all the vows. The three vows simply particularize ways to LOVE.
Q: I have heard stories about the ritual of having a burial cloth placed over you when a woman professed final vows as a religious — indicating a sort of death to your old individual self and identity. Can you tell me about this?
SMF: I loved the ritual of going under the pall. This is the way it worked: on the day of vows, various Sisters gave me their prayer intentions on little slips of paper. I put them in my big habit pocket. It was a profound experience of community at its deepest level with all those intentions in my pockets-a reminder that WE are in this together. Yes, it was a ritual of ‘death’ to self, but also a commitment to community. I’m kind of a romantic at heart, but I did love the drama of this!
Q: Can you describe any private or public ritual you participate in now?
SMF: Ritual for Vows…We renew our vows once a month in community and once a year publicly.
Q: Tell me about the significance of November 21st as your annual date of public vow renewal.
SMF: The 21st of November is the Feast of the Presentation of Mary in the Temple; it is a Memorial and not a Feast in the universal Church, but Jane and Francis chose this in its littleness…We make it a Feast!
The Visitation Sisters, 2014. (Sr. Mary Frances is second from left.)
Q: How have the circumstances of living your vows changed as you made your way to this year of re-commitment?
As I renew my vows this year, I am more and more aware that I am one of the BAPTIZED — as is every baptized person. We are all living out our Baptismal promises to be “Priest, Prophet and Queen.” I love that I share this will all women, men and children…..
Q: What do you do to prepare for vow renewal?
Preparation takes place 3 days prior…We call it a ‘little retreat.’ It is a time to reflect more deeply on our lived experience and listen to the Spirit’s promptings in this life She has chosen for us. To me the vows in any walk of life are expressions of God’s fidelity to US!
Q: What advice or thoughts do you have for other women and men who have professed promises or vows, for renewing them? Why do this?
Anniversaries are important……Taking time to reflect on our promises and how we have chosen to make life’s journey is essential. We have ONLY ONE LIFE!!! Live it well!
Q: As you invite people to “come as they are to live community in north Minneapolis” and found a Resident Lay Community alongside the Visitation Sisters, what would you say about vows, or commitments, to inspire someone in their listening and discernment?
SMF: Francis and Jane would applaud our endeavors to found a resident lay Visitation Community!!! They are excited and so are we!
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