About the
La Salettes.
In many countries and in varied situations, we, the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette continue our efforts to spread the message of the Beautiful Lady and respond to the problems of the day and the evangelization efforts of the Church around the world.
The Apparition.
In 1846, on the evening of Saturday, September 19, Maximin Giraud and Mélanie Calvat returned from shepherding on the mountain and reported seeing "a beautiful lady" weeping bitterly.
They described her as sitting with her elbows resting on her knees and her face buried in her hands. She was clothed in a white robe studded with pearls; and a gold colored apron; white shoes and roses about her feet and high headdress. Around her neck was a glowing crucifix, suspended from a small chain. She continued to weep even as she spoke to them, first in French, then in their own dialect of Occitan.
The Message.
Mary invited people to respect Sunday as a day of rest and respect the name of God. She sorrowfully spoke about the environment, particularly a scarcity of potatoes. Since Europe was in a period of famine, this was one of the apparition's popular appeal.
The message focuses on the conversion of all humanity to Christ. The spirit of La Salette is said to be one of prayer, conversion, and commitment. Fr. René Butler, M.S. notes "The whole purpose of the Apparition of Our Lady of La Salette is reconciliation."
John Vianney, John Bosco, and writer Joris-Karl Huysmans were all influenced by La Salette.
Pope John Paul II stated: 'La Salette is a message of hope, for our hope is nourished by the intercession of her who is the Mother of mankind."
La Salette Today.
Today our efforts continue, based on the broad vision given by Mary at La Salette as well as in response to the needs of the Church. As our mother, she was concerned for us, “her people,” and in particular for the poor and the young.
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By our preaching and the various expressions of our ministry of reconciliation, we help people discover and respond to the call to follow Christ.
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The words of the Beautiful Lady at La Salette concerned the problems and daily concerns of her children. Our responsibility as La Salette Missionaries is to share with others the graces we ourselves have received. We simply walk in the footsteps of Mary, sharing her message of motherly concern for her people.