VISITORS
483
VISITS
Tho instruction given at the Visitation is generally
i^olid and on a par with t hat of the most serious schools.
But what especially characterizes the schools of the
Visitation and the pupils themselves is the strong
education of will and character. In a constantly
serene and maternal atmosphere the child learns at
an early age self-denial, a sense of duty, and of re-
sponsibility to God for every action. The mistress
methods of going to God become to a certain extent
those of the children.
Hamon, Hist, de St. Francois de Sales, ed. Gonthier and LiTODRNEAnx (Paris, 1909); Bodoaud, Hisl. de sle Chantal (Paris. 1S65); St. Francis de Sales. Lellres, in (Euvres, XIV (Annecy, 1908); Regies, de st Augustin et constitutions pour les acturs de la Visitation (Annecy, 1889) ; Annie sainte des religieuses de la Visitation Ste Marie (Annecy, 1871); de Chattgy, Vie de quatre des premiires mires de VordTe de la Visitation Ste. Marie, ed. Veuii-lot (Pars, 1852).
Raphael Pernin.
Visitation Convent, Georgetown, The, in the District of Columbia, United States of America. This convent was founded by Miss Alice Lalor, native of Kilkenny County, Ireland, who sailed for this country in 1794 with her sister, Mrs. Doran, the wife of an American merchant. On the voyage she formed an intimacy with Mrs.Sharpe and Mrs. AIcDermolt and, united in their vocation, they bought a small house in Philadelphia and began their community Hfe under the direction of the Rev. Leonard Neale, who had suc- ceeded Rev. LanTence Graessel and Rev. PYancis Fleming, victims of the yellow fever epidemic of 1793. The return of the fever in 1797-8 broke up their house, and Father Neale having been made president of Georgetown College invited them to settle in that place. Miss Lalor bought a small cottage near that of three French noblewomen of the Order of Poor Clares, who had escaped the Terror and hoped to found a house in the land of their asylum. Father Neale put the Congregation of the Pious Ladies, as they were called, under the Rule of St. Francis de Sales, con- tinued his directorship and encouraged and helped them in every way. His inspiration was to advance Cathohc education and especially to secure it for the daughters of Catholic families in Maryland, where the proscriptive laws and penalties established by those who had seized the Government from the Lords Pro- prietary had reduced Catholic education to a low ebb (see Acts of Assembly, 16.54; 1704; 171.5; 1718; 1755).
The school wa.s ojiened, 24 June, 1799. The first pupil was Anna Smith, the first novice Sister Aloysia Neale. Their ranks were immediately recruited, their pupils multiplied, and in 1802 the school was developed into an academy. In 1804 the Poor Clares returned to France; Bishop Neale and hi.s brother Father Francis bought their property, furniture, and books, and it was among the la«t that the Rules of the Visitation were discovered in 1812, after being vainly sought for years by the bishop, for .Annecy had been swept away in the Terror. No enclosure was observed at first and the ladies were called Mistress or Madam until 1816 when .\rchbishop Neale obtained from Pius VII the Brief dated 14 July, which raised the community to the rank of a monaster^-. Solemn vows were taken, 28 Dec, 1816, by .30 choir sisters, 4 lay sisters, and 1 out sister. Father Beschter, formerly of the papal choir, instructed them in the chants of the office and the Visitandines of Chaillot sent them a model of the habit and silver crosses.
Six months later Archbishop Xeale died, but he had appointed Father Cloriviere director of the commu- nity. He arrived, 1.3 Jan., 1818, and devoted his life to his new charge. He sold his estate in Bretagne and gave the proceeds as well as his French pension to building the chapel for the sisters. He asked and obtained from his friend Charles X an alt.ar-piece, and by every means in his power helped the sisters in their poor school — the first free school in the District of Columbia. Mother Catharine Rigden broke
ground for the chapel, the symbolic window of which
was given by a lady in South Carolina. This was the
first chapel of ihe Sacred Heart in the United States.
In 1819 I lie first prosperlus wa.s issued over the signa-
tures of Mrs. Ib'nriclla Brent, Mrs. .lerusha Barber,
and Father Cloriviere; in 1823 a new academy was
built, and in 1829 three European .sisters arrived.
On 9 Sept., 1846, Mother Teresa Lalor died, having
seen her daughters established at Kaskaskia, Mobile,
St. Louis, Baltimore, and Brooklyn. In 1872-3 the
present academy building was erected, and in 1899-
1900, after a fire, this was enlarged. Where the cottage
stood there .is now a square of many-storied buildings
and the small lot has giown to thirty-eight acres in
extent. Archbishop Nealc, Father Cloriviere, Mother
Teresa, Sister Joanna, the daughter of the Mexican
Emperor Iturbide, and the thirty original sisters are
laid in the crypt of the chapel and buried in the walls
of its foundations, while many distinguished names
carried on the rolls of the academy make it one of the
historic spots of the country. At Gen. Winfield
Scott's request the academy was exempted from
seizure for hospital purposes during the Civil War.
His daughter Virginia (Sister Mary Emmanuel) who
was a Visitation nun is buried in the cemetery.
Ella Loraine Dorsey.
Visitors Apostolic, officials whom canonists com- monly class with papal legates. Visitors differ from other Apostolic delegates, principally in this, that their mission is only transient and of comparatively short duration. In ancient times, the popes generally exercised their right of inspecting the dioceses of va- rious countries through their nuncios or legates (c. 1, Extravag. Comm. de Consuet. I, 1; c. 17, X, de Cens. Ill, 39), though they occasionally, even in th& prim- itive ages, sent special visitors. At the present time, the mission of papal nuncios is rather of a diplomatic than of a visitatorial character. Visitors are, at present, deputed by the pope for special emergencies and not at stated intervals. Their duty is to inspect the state of the Church in the country confided to them and then to draw up a report to the Holy See. At times, this visitation is made with the same attention to details as is an episcopal visitation. Visitors Apostolic are also appointed to visit the various prov- inces pf a religious order, whenever, in the judgment of the pope, this becomes useful or necessary. In all cases of Apostolic visitation, the pope, through dele- gates, is putting into effect the supreme and imme- diate jurisdiction which is his for any and every part of the Church. The exact powers of a visitor can be known only from his brief of delegation. His of- fice ceases as soon as he has submitted his report to the Holy See through the Consistorial Congregation. For the city of Rome itself there is a permanent Commission of the Apostolic Visitation. Estab- lished by Urban VIII as one of the Roman congrega- tions under the presidency of the cardinal vicar, it was changed into a commission by Pius X through the Constitution " Sapient i Consiho" (29 June, 1908). These Apostolic \'isitors annually inspect the parishes and institutions of Rome and make report on their spiritual and financial condition. They pay special attention to the fulfilment of the obligations springing from pious foundations and legacies for Masses and chaplaincies.
Leitner. De Curia Romana (Ratisbon, 1909): DE LuCA, Pra- Ircliones Juris Canoniri. II (Rome, 1897); Martin in Amer.
Ecctes. Retirw (Oct., 1910).
William H. W. Fanning. Visitors' Synod. See Councils, General.
Visits to the Blessed Sacrament. — By this devo- tional i)rac1ice, which is of comparatively modern development, the presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Eucharist is regarded in the same light and honoured with the same ceremonial observances as
