The Missionaries of La Salette are a vibrant and active community with parishes and shrines in eleven states and twenty countries around the world. We are excited to share the La Salette Vision, given by Mary, serving the Church well and bringing our charism of reconciliation in many different ways to all we meet, including through La Salette events.
Fr. Joe with Fr. Bill Slight, M.S.
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Contact lasalettevocations@gmail.com to set-up a personal visit.
Watch for "Come & See" and "Come & Click" events soon.
Fr. Joe Everton, M.S.
Meet a La Salette
On June 5th, 2023, I celebrated my second year of the priesthood as a
La Salette Missionary. Reflecting upon my first years as a priest brings me great joy as I can serve the people of God through my priestly ministry. As a La Salette Missionary, I can connect the message of La Salette with the church's sacramental life.
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Becoming a La Salette Missionary is a process of formation and education. The formation process of a La Salette Missionary prepares the person to develop their La Salette identity as one learns the congregations’ history, spirituality, and apostolic ministries. A La Salette Missionary's formation is ongoing as we continually
grow in our lives and faith.
As a new priest, I am learning how to merge my La Salette identity into the life of the priesthood. I must constantly learn how to live out my vocation to religious life and the priesthood each day. My vocation to the priesthood and religious life is not for myself but for others. Therefore, I must develop an attitude of selflessness as I live out the call of my vocation. Self-giving can seem exhausting, but I receive back what I give to those I serve the care and support I need to rejuvenate me.
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The people of the Church love and appreciate their priests. I find the care and support from the people of faith to be a source of encouragement for my vocation. Also, the La Salette community is a supportive source for my vocation. Having a community of brothers who journey alongside each other as we live out the call of our vocation is a gift. We do not have to navigate through life and ministry alone; we help each other sustain our vocational life as we encourage each other within community life to be the people God created us.
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In the future, I desire to grow in my identity as a La Salette Missionary and priest. My hope for the next year is to invite others to answer the call of their vocation and accompany them through their discernment. I want to give others the support and encouragement I receive from the people of God and the La Salette community to become the person God has called them to be in this life. To accomplish this task, I seek to follow Pope Francis in his encyclical letter, Fratelli Tutti (Brothers and Sisters All), which states how the Church is a home with open doors. “. . . we want to be a Church that serves, that leaves home and goes forth from its places of worship, goes forth from its sacristies, to accompany life, sustain hope, to be a sign of unity… to build bridges, to break down walls,
to sow seeds of reconciliation” (#276).
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A tall order for sure, but we do not have to do the work alone. If you feel the calling to serve God and the Church through the reconciling ministry of the La Salette Missionary congregation,
please reach out and journey with us
at lasalettevocations@gmail.com or www.lasalettevocations.org.
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