The Visitation, a contemplative order in the Church, was founded by Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Jane de Chantal “to give to God daughters of prayer, and souls so interior that they may be found worthy to adore God in spirit and in truth.” (Constitution 1)

For almost four centuries (founded in 1610) Visitation Sisters throughout the world have striven to live the Gospel of Jesus in accordance with the spirit of their Founders. Saint Francis and Saint Jane wanted their daughters to have a spirit “which seeks only God and tends continually to union with Him.” They taught the Visitation Sisters to live in a spirit “of profound humility toward God and of great gentleness toward the neighbor.” Moreover, the rule that they gave the Sisters does not emphasize external austerity. The Sisters were to make up for the lack of external penances by interior renunciations, great simplicity and joy in the common life.

The Visitation Sisters of Tyringham are cloistered, contemplative religious whose lives are dedicated to prayer and to living in community. In great simplicity we strive to be a gentle presence in a world threatened with terrorism and war. Our Salesian spirituality teaches us to be gentle towards ourselves, with each other, and with all persons with whom we come in contact.

According to the express wish of our Founders, we do not practice severe penances. In place of these austerities, we strive to live with our Sisters in gentleness and humility, by mortifying our self-will and our own personal preferences striving to accept all that a day brings!

We particularly honor Our Lady in the mystery of her Visitation. In imitation of Mary, we endeavor to “Live Jesus”, to live the Christ-life as we witness to the Church and to the world.