June 2026
We are so blessed to be able to share with you the news that last week Pope Leo XIV recognized the heroic virtue of our foundress, Mother Mary Teresa Tallon, PVMI, and declared that she is now Venerable! This is good news for all who are looking for help with vocational discernment.
Venerable is the second step (of four) to being canonized as a Saint in the Catholic Church. First, she was recognized locally (in the Archdiocese of New York) as a Servant of God. Then we collected information about her life, from historical records, from her writings, and from witnesses who knew her either personally or through her writings or charism. These 8008 pages were sent to Rome where they were evaluated by both a Historical Commission and a Theological Commission, who then passed on their favorable reports to the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints. On Thursday, June 18, Pope Leo XVI agreed with the evaluation of the Dicastery and declared her Venerable!!
The next step is for God to confirm that Mother is in Heaven by way of a miracle that takes place through her intercession. Do you have anyone you are praying for? As our Mother General says, “Ask big!” For a miracle to be used for the process of beatification and canonization, the miracle has to be something that can be witnessed and measurable (like a healing from an incurable disease) and those praying have to be praying only to Venerable Mother Mary Teresa. However, please also ask her intercession for any intentions you have – spiritual or physical.
One particular area of discernment where you can turn to her is in the area of obstacles to your vocation – family or worldly attractions. This is an trial that she experienced personally. Mother Foundress knew that she was called to be a Sister from the age of 12, but her family (especially her mother) did not approve. When she was about eighteen, her mother decided to send her for a couple weeks to visit relatives in a nearby town with hopes of giving her some social opportunities and distracting her from her call.
Julia (as her name was at that time) went to visit her relatives and was proud of going to the “big city” wearing a new hat with a stylish ostrich feather on it. The first party that she was invited to, she left the hat with her coat in the guest bedroom. When she came back after the party, the family’s cat had torn the feather apart! Julia laughed, realizing how silly such worldly attractions were. The next day a two week parish mission opened, and she went to the mission twice a day during her visit, instead of going to parties. A priest from the mission encouraged her in following her vocation, and she never looked back!
Venerable Mother Mary Teresa will rejoice to intercede for you as you follow the call God is putting on your heart! If you are hesitating to take the next step, or are distracted by other things (even good things!), I invite you to ask for her intercession. If you want some help on that journey or would like to know more about our Community, below are couple upcoming events at our Motherhouse. You can also respond to this email or reach out to me through our Vocation Inquiry form here. I am happy to walk with you through this season of discernment in your journey of faith.
You can also find more information about Mother Mary Teresa Tallon on our website, or social media (links below).
You are in my prayers, and I hope to hear from you soon! Summer is a great time to take that next good step in your discernment journey.
In the hope of Christ,
Sr. Theresa Marie, pvmi
Vocation Director
Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate
845-542-1086
“Make much of God!” ~Servant of God, Mother Mary Teresa Tallon, PVMI
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New York-born Foundress, Servant of God, Mother Mary Teresa Tallon declared VENERABLE.
The Vatican Dicastery for the Causes of Saints has recognized the heroic virtues of the Servant of God, Mother Mary Teresa Tallon (Julia Teresa Tallon, 1867–1954), foundress of the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate.
In a meeting this morning, June 18, with the Prefect of the Dicastery, Cardinal Marcello Semeraro, Pope Leo XIV approved the Decree of Heroic Virtue, declaring the New York-born foundress Venerable and advancing her cause for beatification and canonization. In response to this decision, Mother Maria Catherine Iannotti, General Superior of the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate, said, “We are overjoyed that the Holy Father has recognized the heroic virtues of our Foundress! This is a wonderful day for us as her cause comes a step closer to beatification and canonization.” Mother Maria Catherine acknowledged the work of those serving Venerable Mother Tallon’s Cause: “Of course, this could never have taken place without the hard work of our postulator, Dr. Waldery Hilgeman, his associates Dr. Emanuele Spedicato, and Msgr. Brian Taylor of the Archdiocese of New York, who wrote Mother’s biography for the Positio.”
Born Julia Teresa Tallon in Hanover, NY, on May 6, 1867, the new Venerable was the daughter of Irish immigrants, Peter Tallon and Bridget Duffy, from County Meath and Sligo, respectively, who married in the U.S. and settled in Upstate New York to run a hops farm. The youngest of their eight children, Julia was baptized in St. Mary’s Church in Clinton, NY, and received her First Holy Communion and Confirmation in St. Bernard’s Church in Waterville, NY.
From her earliest years, Julia was known to manifest a thirst for God and proved to be a zealous catechist. Concerned for the religious training of the children of the migrant workers on her father’s farm, she would gather them in the fields while their parents were working and teach them prayers, stories from Scripture, and the truths of the Faith. As a child, she was no stranger to hardships. She and her sister Jane were the only Catholics in their class at school and suffered at the hands of bullies who taunted them because of their faith. Julia taught her sister that it was more important to forgive than to hold grudges and fight back.
These experiences, a deepening faith life after her reception of First Holy Communion, and a desire for a consecrated religious life in the service of others saw her pursue a vocation. Despite initial opposition from her mother, who sent her to Utica, NY, to expose her to society and all that it had to offer to distract her, Julia entered the Sisters of the Holy Cross in South Bend, Indiana, in 1887 at the age of 19. For 33 years, as Sister Mary Berchmans, she taught in various schools of the Congregation. As a teacher, her heart was stirred for those young people who were either slow in study, neglectful or neglected, truant, or facing difficulties, leading her to spend her time and energy drawing them close to the Heart of Christ through her loving concern.
During a retreat in 1900, and through a further inspiration in 1908, she felt that God was asking her to found a new religious institute where women would be trained to greater spiritual perfection while being engaged in a missionary apostolate in the parish setting, visiting homes to reach out to Catholics who had forgotten God’s love for them and the beauty of the faith. After 13 years of waiting and suffering for what she called “The Grand Cause,” Sister Mary Berchmans began the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate on August 15, 1920, in New York City with the permission and blessing of Cardinal Hayes. From this time on, she was known as Mother Mary Teresa.
During her lifetime, the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate served in the Archdiocese of New York, the Archdioceses of Milwaukee, Chicago, and Hartford, and the Dioceses of Brooklyn, Albany, Scranton, Metuchen, and Syracuse, as well as for a brief time in the Dominican Republic. She guided the nascent Community until her forced retirement in 1951 and died at the Motherhouse of the Community in Monroe, NY, on March 10, 1954.
Commenting on Mother Mary Teresa’s legacy for today, Mother Maria Catherine noted two of the foundress’ sayings: “Make every soul count” and “Make much of God.” “Both Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIV have reminded us of the dignity of every human person,” Mother Maria Catherine continued. “We hear in their reminders the echo of Venerable Mary Teresa’s voice! Today, people are in such need of knowing their dignity as children of God; of their importance in His eyes; and of their call to know, love, and serve Him here so as to be happy with Him in Heaven.”
The next step in this process is beatification, in which Venerable Mary Teresa Tallon will be declared Blessed. For this to occur, a proven miracle through her intercession must be approved by the Dicastery for the Causes of Saints.
For more information on Venerable Mother Mary Teresa Tallon:
Contact person: Mother Maria Catherine Iannotti, PVMI
General Superior
Contact number: 845-783-2251
Email: mothertallon@gmail.com
For the Prayer to Obtain favors through the intercession of Venerable Mother Mary Teresa Tallon, click here.
June 2026
“John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as He walked and said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”
So, you’ve heard God whispering in your heart…or felt a nudge…or an attraction to give yourself completely to God.
“The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus.”
You’re trying to live a holy life, to commit yourself to regular prayer, hoping to be given a clear direction. Perhaps you’ve begun a daily examen, are trying to use St. Ignatius’ Discernment of Spirits, and/or are meeting with a spiritual director to find out where God is leading you.
“Jesus said to them, ‘What do you seek?’ And they said to Him, ‘Rabbi, where are you staying?'”
Maybe you’ve tried these methods (off and on) for a long period of time, or even just for a short time. You’ve googled “discernment” / “religious life” / “Sisters in my area” / “Sisters who _____(fill in the blank)” and scrolled through numerous websites. What’s your next step?
“He said to them, ‘Come and see.'”
Summer is a great time to take Jesus’ advice to “Come and see.” The disciples had already heard about Jesus from John the Baptist. Now they needed to come and see where Jesus was staying, listen to what He taught, and experience His radical love for them and all humanity. Similarly, during a time of discernment, when you hear a call to follow Him in Religious Life, you need to come and see how that life is lived.
A “Come & See” is an opportunity to spend some time with a particular Religious Community, to get to know them, to see and enter into their daily routine, to hear about (and possibly experience) their apostolate and Community history. Most importantly, during a Come & See experience, you spend time with Our Lord within this Community. This is a sacred space, where the Holy Spirit often speaks, giving clearer direction to your heart.
A Come & See can vary from an overnight visit to a weekend, a week, or more. It can be a regularly scheduled event with other discerners or a personal visit set up to match your schedule. A Come & See is an opportunity for the Holy Spirit to point, “This way.” or “That way.” It is NOT a commitment to enter a Community:).
Here are some real-life Come & See stories from our Sisters, while they were discerning the call God had placed on their hearts.
I Knew!
I was sure. I was so sure that God was calling me to be a Poor Clare nun! Their website was so simple and beautiful. It struck my heart and I knew! As I prepared for the Come & See, I told my mom, “I’m going to be a Poor Clare. I know this is it. I’ll be cloistered and will be there the rest of my life.” My mom said, “Let’s wait and see.” I came…and I saw the beauty…the simplicity…the joy, but I knew. God was not calling me here.
I Knew Nothing!
I knew nothing about religious life, but I felt something missing in my life, and I thought, “maybe that’s it,” so I contacted the Sisters who had taught me in Elementary School and scheduled a visit. The Vocation Director showed me proudly where eight Sisters prayed Morning Prayer together a few days a week – in a large room full of cushioned recliners. She told me about the Novitiate shared by a number of Communities far away from any of the Sisters of this Community. I joined the Sisters for Mass on Sunday, and wondered why one of the Sisters was standing in the Sanctuary near the altar during the Liturgy of the Eucharist. I came…and I saw…and I still didn’t know anything about Religious Life…but I knew. God was not calling me here.
Not Here
I was excited and nervous. I had known since I was a teen that God was calling me to Religious Life. Now I was on a bus trip to Irondale, AL, half a country away from home and about to meet Mother Angelica – maybe today was the day I would know where God’s plan would plant me! Mother Angelica was so kind. She listened to my story, paused, and said, “I believe you have a vocation to Religious Life…but not here.” I hadn’t know what to expect, but it hurt, a lot. I still knew God was calling me…but not here.
The Wrong Convent
I knocked on the door of the Convent where I had an appointment to meet the Vocation Director. A housekeeper answered the door and told me I was at the wrong Convent. I was sure I wasn’t, but she insisted, strongly, and kept pointing down the street, telling me about another Convent where I should go. She wouldn’t let me in, so finally, I left. I decided I might as well go to the Convent where she had directed me. While speaking to the Sister who answered the door, I realized that I had already heard about this Community and decided they weren’t a good fit for me. Knocking on doors and talking to people was too difficult! The Sister was very understanding, and as I explained to her what kind of Community I was looking for, she got down a magazine with information about many Communities in the US and helped me find some that fit my ideas. As I was preparing to thank her and leave, she invited me to come up to their Motherhouse for a Vows ceremony the next week. She had been so kind, and I had never been to a Motherhouse, so I decided to go…and after that visit I knew…I had been at the wrong Convent the first time….God was calling me to be a Parish Visitor of Mary Immaculate.
Who Wouldn’t Want This?
Before arriving at the Convent, I had received an offer to go in a different direction than Religious Life, an offer that seemed to fit in better with the general movement of my life over the last decade since graduating college, better than leaving everything behind to join a Religious Community. Moreover, could I really knock on a stranger’s door and talk about God?! Could this really be where He was calling me – it just didn’t fit. However, as the Come & See was already scheduled, and I was planning to visit a friend on the way, I decided to go. During the Come & See, I enjoyed time eating, talking, playing, and praying with the Sisters. One Sister even took me out to meet some people she had met on door-to-door Visitation. The conversations reminded me of conversations I had had with family, friends, people at the gym…maybe I could do this. As I drove home I reflected on my experiences that weekend, and thought, “Who wouldn’t want this?” God was calling me to be a Parish Visitor of Mary Immaculate.
Where do I go from here?
Now is the time to take that next step, and I’d be happy to take it with you. We’re hosting a Come & See this summer, July 17-19. You can register here. If that time frame does not work for you, but you’re interested in talking about your journey, or visiting at a different time, please reach out by email, or through our Vocation Inquiry form here. You can also find other Come & See opportunities through CMSWR, the Institute on Religious Life, or on Community websites.
This summer we’ll also host our annual Marycrest Youth Day on Saturday, August 1. This event is open to high school teens and young adults (up to 25 years old.) If you or anyone you know within driving distance is interested, you can find more information here.
Also, could you help us spread the word? Do you know any young Catholic women who would be interested in these upcoming events or the Vocation Newsletter? Pass the word along and please pray for many young women to answer God’s call to grow closer to Him through discernment.
In the hope of Christ,
Sr. Theresa Marie, pvmi
Vocation Director
Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate
845-542-1086
“I am only a drop of dew, but I will do what I can, and God will do much..” ~Servant of God, Mother Mary Teresa Tallon, PVMI
http://www.parishvisitorsisters.org
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May 2026
Blessed Easter Season from the Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate!
Do you know the Shepherd’s Voice?
We hear many voices in our noisy world, but also, at times, in our noisy head. As we incorporate times of silence & recollection, pray with Scripture, and reflect regularly on our day, many voices will be noticed. It can be hard to tell which voice (or movement of the heart) comes from Jesus, the Good Shepherd.
St. Ignatius of Loyola gave the Church a great gift in his Rules of Discernment, also known as the practice of Discernment of Spirits. These rules can help us to know which voices to listen to as we discern God’s Will.
His first lesson is that if we are leading a life that, in general, is moving away from God, then the evil one will encourage us to keep going in the same direction, while the good spirit will try to get our attention and point out areas where we need to change. However, if we are moving towards God in our life, really seeking to follow His will, even with many stumbles along the way, the good spirit will encourage us and help us along the path to holiness. The evil one will be quite displeased and put up road blocks, attack our weak points, and try to get us to give up.
God’s Voice vs. Satan’s Voice
One of our Sisters shared this helpful guide for distinguishing between God’s voice and the voice of the evil one, when you are, in general, walking towards God.
She further shared that the influence of good: stills you, reassures you, leads you, enlightens you, forgives you, calms you, encourages you, and comforts you. On the other hand, the influence of evil: rushes you, frightens you, pushes you, confuses you, condemns you, stresses you, discourages you, and worries you.
For a discernment group, she had a four page handout that illustrates these qualities with Scripture verses and reflection questions. Below are two examples. If you’d like the whole handout, just email me (pvmi@frontiernet.net) and I’ll be happy to send it to you.
God’s Voice Reassures
“And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins, and clothed them.” Gen 3:21
“…they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’ And they cried out for fear. But immediately he spoke to them, saying, ‘Take heart, it is I; have no fear.’” Mt 14:26-27
“’Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little.’ And he said to her, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’” Lk 7:47-48
- Do you feel God’s reassurance after Confession? Or do you still carry the weight of your sins? Why or why not?
Satan’s Voice Pushes
“The devil said to him, ‘If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.’” Lk 4:3
Q. Have you ever felt impatient waiting on the Lord’s timing and therefore been tempted to meet your own needs your own way?
“But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release for them Barabbas instead.” Mk 15:11
Q. Have you ever felt pressured by popular culture to make a decision you knew wasn’t right?
In the Apostolate
A woman once asked me how her son could have fallen away from his Catholic faith so completely. I used this teaching of Jesus to show that the Christian needs to know the voice of the Good Shepherd to follow Him. Unfortunately, many Catholics (and other Christians) receive the sacraments, but are not evangelized – they don’t know the voice of the Good Shepherd, or they have chosen to follow other voices.
As Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate we are privileged to go out with the Good Shepherd to “seek and save the lost and straying.” Our hearts burn with the love of the Sacred Heart of the Good Shepherd for His little ones who have wandered away. Have you felt this burning in your heart? Perhaps Our Lord has placed this mission in your heart as well. Bring it to prayer, and then, if the good spirit is at work in this area, reach out and let’s have a conversation.
Where do I go from here?
You can use the lens of Discernment of Spirits to characterize the voices you hear/feel in you heart, especially when you are considering decisions. As you learn to recognize God’s voice, you will be able to reject the voice of the evil one more easily and firmly.
I hope you find this helpful, but a conversation can also help open up your discernment journey. If you’re looking for that conversation, please let me know. I have also listed a few helpful resources at the end this newsletter.
This summer we will have two scheduled opportunities to share in our Parish Visitor contemplative-missionary spirit at our Motherhouse in Monroe, NY. July 17-19 we’ll have a scheduled Come and See. More details will be forthcoming soon. We will also host our annual Marycrest Youth Day on Saturday, August 1. This event is open to high school teens and young adults (up to 25 years old.) If you or anyone you know within driving distance is interested, you can find more information here.
We’re also open to Come-and-See visits on a flexible basis, working with your schedule. Please reach out if you have questions or would like to have a conversation about your discernment journey. Just email me (pvmi@frontiernet.net) or click here to fill out our Vocation Inquiry Form.
Also, could you help us spread the word? Do you know any young Catholic women who would be interested in these upcoming events or the Vocation Newsletter? Pass the word along and please pray for many young women to answer God’s call to grow closer to Him through discernment.
In the hope of Christ,
Sr. Theresa Marie, pvmi
Vocation Director
Parish Visitors of Mary Immaculate
845-542-1086
“Oh, it is such a glorious thing to have the use of free-will in order to serve God gladly.” ~Servant of God, Mother Mary Teresa Tallon, PVMI
http://www.parishvisitorsisters.org
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instagram: @parishvisitorsisters
Some Resources for Ignatian Discernment of Spirits
Four page God’s Voice vs Satan’s Voice Handout – email me (pvmi@frontiernet.net) and I’ll happily send it to you!
Discernment of Spirits Comic Book – lighthearted illustrations, solid teaching, at Vianney Vocations
‘The Discernment of Spirits: An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living” by Fr. Timothy Gallagher (or anything by Fr. Gallagher – just google him:)