The Visitation



Visitation Window - Cathedral of Saint Patrick, Harrisburg, PA
Kindness of Chris E. Heisey

My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Savior
for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:
the Almighty has done great things for me,
and holy is his Name.

He has mercy on those who fear him
in every generation.

He has shown the strength of his arm,
he has scattered the proud in their conceit.

He has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and has lifted up the lowly.

He has filled the hungry with good things,
and the rich he has sent away empty.

He has come to the help of his servant Israel
for he remembered his promise of mercy,
the promise he made to our fathers,
to Abraham and his children for ever.

Luke 1:46-55

“Therefore it is an excellent and fruitful custom of holy Church that we should sing Mary’s hymn at the time of evening prayer.  By meditating upon the incarnation, our devotion is kindled, and by remembering the example of God’s Mother, we are encouraged to lead a life of virtue.  Such virtues are best achieved in the evening.  We are weary after the day’s work and worn out by our distractions.  The time for rest is near, and our minds are ready for contemplation.”

From a homily by Saint Bede the Venerable

Office of Readings, Feast of the Visitation

The following is from a journal entry written during my first pilgrimage to the Holy Land in February-March 2009, when a five-member study group went to prepare for the World Union of Catholic Women’s Organizations (WUCWO) 2010 General Assembly:

The afternoon was spent in Ein Karem on the western edge of Jerusalem.  We were invited by Sr. Susan Sheehan, DC to visit St. Vincent’s, a home for mentally- and physically-disabled children aged 7 months to 23 years, though mostly up to age 14-15.  The Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul staff the home along with lay people and volunteers (including Arab Palestinian, Christian, Muslim, and Jewish), all from different countries.  Their exceptional, tender care for these special children is awe-inspiring.

Sr. Susan also helps in Gaza (Palestine, West Bank) and was there the week prior to our visit.  She told of families living in tents and imagined the conditions made worse by the cold and rainy weather.  She talked about the difficulties experienced daily by the St. Vincent staff members who live in Bethlehem (Palestine, West Bank) and so must cross the Israeli checkpoints to and from work.  In contrast, tourists with foreign passports can pass through easily.

“Everything keeps changing in the Holy Land,” Sr. Susan told us.  “If you are here for a few days you can write pages; if you are here a few weeks you can write a page; if you are here longer you cannot write.  It is difficult to act like a Christian in the midst of the discrimination; but that is what we Christians are called to do.” 

After praying together with the sisters in St. Vincent’s chapel we promised our continued unity in prayer. 

A few heartier members of the study group began the uphill trek to the Church of the Visitation which is built over the place where Mary visited Elizabeth (cf. Luke 1:39 -56) and where she proclaimed her “Magnificat” (the Canticle of Mary).  The “hill country” is much more “mountainous” than we expected.  The thought of Mary traversing this terrain “in haste” and alone is incredible, so we imagined that Joseph would have accompanied her, even though most common images of the Visitation show only Mary and Elizabeth.    The site alone inspires one to praise God for countless blessings.  It is a place for reflection and solitude—a place of peace.  We prayed and sang, “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour….  The Almighty has done great things for me and holy is His name….” 



View from Visitation Church



Upon which virtues is the Holy Spirit inspiring us to contemplate?  Who is the Lord calling us to “visit” (call, write, etc.)?  How are we being urged to share our many blessings as well as our thanksgiving for all that God has done for us? 

Mosaic at Visitation Church