Our Lady of La Salette I

Our Lady's Tears at La Salette

Today we hear a great deal of talk of our Lady’s apparitions at Lourdes and Fatima, but what of La Salette? This apparition is approved by Holy Mother Church and in my humble opinion is oft ignored. What attracted me initially to this apparition is the fact that Mary appeared as Our Sorrowful Mother, weeping before the seers, Maximin and Melanie. The next several posts will be devoted to this apparition and Heaven’s messages related for all mankind through Our Heavenly Mother.

Mary’s appearance in La Salette France in 1854 predates Lourdes by seven years. La Salette is located in the French Alps, a sparsely populated, rural town near Grenoble. The people were mostly poor shepherds and farmers and were unfortunately caught up in the lack of religious fervor that time. Church attendance had dropped off, most worked on Sunday and only thought of religion when the local parish’s bell rang calling the people to Mass. A call that too often went unanswered.

France had endured its “revolution”. While the nation remained intact, the religion and soul of France was dying. This time is often referred to as the “Age of Reason” but the title of “Age of Insanity” was much more appropriate. The simplicity and virtue that accompanied family life in Catholic France was fast eroding due to the avarice, greed and wickedness of the atheist French rulers.

It was in this societal erosion and disarray that two young shepherds met one Fall day on a mountainside. Melanie age fourteen and Maximin aged 11 met for the first time the day before the apparition and had spent the day talking and playing. Neither came from devout families, they were not children of prayer, but rather were wholly uneducated and knew little of the Catholic faith.

On the second afternoon of their acquaintance, they say below them a bright light in a ravine. As they looked on in shock at this wonder, they could eventually see the form of a beautiful woman at the center of this light. The woman was seated upon a rock, her head in her hands and was weeping with profound grief. The children drew as close as they dared. This beautiful Lady looked at them and spoke these words:

“Come to me, my dear children. Do not be afraid. I have come to tell you something of great importance.”

(Sources: Meetings with Mary by Janice Connell. Ballantine Books. NY. 1995.
“You will make this known to all my people” by the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate. New Bedford MA. 1998)

Prayer

Mother of our Savior! Hear thy people's cry, Star of the Sea, and Portal of the Sky!

Mother of Him Who thee from nothing made,

Sinking we strive and call to thee for aid;

Oh, by that joy which Gabriel brought to thee,

Thou Virgin first and last, let us thy mercy see.

Amen+