Sister Margaret Mary Brena, VHM, a Sister of the Visitation, died July 31 after a long illness. She was 49. She had lived as a professed member of the cloistered order at the Monastery of the Visitation for more than 20 years.

Born in Turin, Italy, and baptized Andreina, she moved with her parents to the United States at age 8, and the family eventually settled in Atlanta.

Prior to entering the Visitation order in 1982 at the age of 25, she was a parishioner at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, Atlanta, and worked at Emory University on the business staff. Sister Margaret Mary made her final profession in the mid-1980s.

Most recently, she served the community as second in charge, assisting Sister Mary Immaculata Collin, VHM, the superior of the community. She also served as the bookkeeper for the monastery.

The superior remembered Sister Margaret Mary with great fondness, noting that “she was a beautiful person with a sweet temperament, and that is a very good thing to have when you are in charge.”

The Mass of Christian Burial was to be celebrated on Wednesday, Aug. 2, at 11 a.m. followed by burial in the sisters cemetery on the grounds of the monastery.

The sisters have respectfully requested that no flowers be sent but welcome prayers, remembrances and donations sent to the Monastery of the Visitation, 2055 Ridgedale Drive, Snellville, GA 30278.