A simple but impressive ceremony in celebration of the Golden Jubilee of Profession of Very Honored Mother Francis de Sales Cassidy took place on Monday, February 24, 1964, in the chapel of Our Lady of the Visitation, 1820 Ponce de Leon Avenue, N.E., Atlanta, Georgia.

A Missa Cantat offered by Rt. Reverend Joseph G. Cassidy, P.A., V.G., was offered in the presence of many priests, religious, relatives and friends of the venerated jubilarian. At the beginning of the Mass, Very Honored Mother Francis de Sales kneeling at the open Communion Window in the Gille renewed her Holy Vows of Obedience, Chastity and Poverty according to the Rules of Saint Augustine and the Constitutions of the Sisters of the Visitation.

White roses in gold vases adorned the altar which was a gift of the Cassidy family at the time of the foundation, while large golden mums in tall gold floor vases blended with the gold vestments of the celebrant. A perfect day of blue skies and bright sunshine completed the jubilant scene everywhere evident in the monastery.

On June 29, 1915, the jubilarian, then newly professed, was sent from Georgetown to cooperate in making a foundation of the Visitation Order in Toledo, Ohio. On June 29, 1953, at the invitation of the Most Reverend Francis E. Hyland and with the assistance of her brother, Mr. James A. Cassidy of Washington, D.C., she, as Mother Foundress of the first cloistered Community of Contemplative Nuns, in Georgia, brought with her nine companions from the Toledo Community to make the Atlanta Foundation.

It had been the hope of the sisters to celebrate their Mother’s Golden Jubilee in a greatly desired regular monastery but Divine Providence has not yet furnished the needed monetary assistance. Nevertheless, the sisters are still hopeful that day will dawn before many years. The present little chapel was filled to overflowing with guests and there were many more devoted friends whom the sisters would have wished to join on this happy day were it not for the limited confines of the chapel.

It was their pleasure, however, to welcome Monsignor Cassidy who so graciously offered the Mass and preached an inspiring sermon on the contemplative life, its privileges, blessings and sacrifices, Very Rev. John Conmy, Provincial of the Oblates of Saint Francis de Sales of Wilmington, Delaware, Rt. Rev. Thomas I. Sheehan of Macon, Ga., Rt. Rev. Patrick J. O’Connor, Rt. Rev. James E. King, Rev. Thomas J. Roshetko, S.M., Rev. Charles Brogley, S.M., Rev. Patrick Connell, Rev. William Haddad and Rev. John Stapleton who assisted the celebrant at the altar.

Mrs. Howard Smith presided at the organ and Mrs. LaVerne Peach rendered a very devotional Panis Angelicus at the offertory of the Mass.

Relatives came from far and near: - Mr. and Mrs. James A. Cassidy and some of their family, Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Cassidy, Mr. and Mrs. Franics Murray and Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Gilday, Mr. and Mrs. Julius Loh, a sister, all from Washington, D.C., and Mr. and Mrs. James Collins and their daughters, Mrs. Nelson Haslam and Mrs. Edward Leonard came from Savannah with a cousin Sister Mary Edward, R.S.M., Mr. Francis Cassidy, Miss Aloysia Cassidy and Mrs. J.V. Sheridan with nieces and nephews from Macon, Mr. and Mrs. Val Sheridan, Sister Mary Valentina, R.S.M., Mr. and Mrs. Richard Sheridan, Mr. Donald Sheridan and Mrs. John Cassidy with her daughter Sister Mary Reparata, R.S.M., who came from Baltimore to enjoy the family reunion.