Sister Karen Mohan, VHM
When Sister Karen was growing up in a Mississippi River city at the “Gateway to the West,” she could never have imagined that she would end up near the origin of the “Father of Waters,” right here in Minneapolis. Did you guess that Sister Karen is from St. Louis? She migrated north as a founding member of the Visitation Monastery of Minneapolis in 1989.
River imagery still catches Sister Karen’s attention, and kayaking, swimming and riding her bike along the Mississippi River Parkway near the monastery are leisure activities she really enjoys! She also appreciates the stillness of water with its invitation to open her heart to the depths of God’s love.
Sister Karen’s education at the Visitation Academy in St. Louis was the beginning of a long and blessed calling to “Live Jesus,” the motto of the Visitation order. Her undergraduate degree in English and graduate degree in Spirituality have enabled her to serve the Lord as an educator and spiritual guide. She is currently serving in Leadership for her community and for the Second Federation of Visitation Sisters.
Sister Karen treasures the moments to meet Jesus in personal and communal prayer, in the daily life of her community, the “Nunz in the Hood”, and in the wonderful people who come to pray or just be with the Visitation Sisters.
Contact Sr. Karen: kpmvhm@aol.com
Melissa Borgmann-Kiemde
Melissa Borgmann-Kiemde happily joins the Visitation Monastery blogging team as a devoted lay member and contemplative participant in the Vis Sisters’ North Minneapolis lives. Since she made their acquaintance in the summer of 2001 — and discerned vowed membership to the beloved order — Melissa has been an engaged presence alongside the Visitation Sisters. In the spring of 2005, she joined the ranks of the Vis Companions, and has since served on their Circle of Collaborative Leaders and as a Vocations Partner.
As a former Minneapolis North Public School English teacher, Melissa finds a restorative and inspiring space of contemplation, faith and action with the sisters; she is grateful for their prayerful witness and presence in her life and in the greater North Minneapolis community. Melissa marvels at the opportunity to marry her personal life and spiritual passions with her professional callings as writer, teacher, leader and blog for the Visitation Sisters.
She cannot think of a better way to serve God, or “Live Jesus” as the nuns say – especially as she enters her 40’s and embraces life as mom to daughter Marguerite Marie and wife of Francois Kiemde.
Blessings!
Contact Melissa: Melissa@visitationmonasteryminneapolis.org
Elizabeth Eilers Sullivan
Elizabeth Eilers Sullivan is a 1993 graduate of the Mendota Heights Visitation. After criss-crossing the country for 17 years, she currently resides in St. Paul, MN, with her husband, Peter, and their four sons. She is a freelance writer who is passionate about motherhood, adventure, and sharing Salesian Spirituality.
Sister Suzanne Homeyer, VHM
Sr. Suzanne Homeyer has been a member of the Visitation Monastery of Minneapolis since 1995 when she entered the community. Her life before the Twin Cities included 17 years at a student parish working as liturgist, campus minister, RCIA director, peace and justice coordinator and a little bit of a lot of other things. She also served as a city council person in her town, co-founded a soup kitchen, lived in a Catholic Worker community and volunteered at a day center for street people. She has lived in Germany, a tent in the Prescott National Forest in Arizona, grew up in Chicago and taught in rural Illinois. She loves to share her life with others and is a firm believer in storytelling, rituals and old-fashioned letter writing. Blogging is a newly developed form of communication for Sr. Suzanne and she hopes you enjoy her musings of Visitation life.
Contact Sr. Suzanne: suzannempls@aol.com