Arrival at La Salette Shrine, France

Dear Friends,

We are continuing to provide updates of Asher Kaufman's journey. He is spending a year spreading he Children's Rosary through Europe and Africa. His first destination was La Salette Shrine in the Alps of France where he will be a volunteer. We have good news that the Rector has given him permission to provide informational sessions about the Children's Rosary to the pilgrims. The details are still be arranged and more updates will follow about this aspect of his time at La Salette. Below is Asher's dispatch about his arrival. 

After I managed to get myself and all of my bags onto the right train, the rest of my travel experiences were quite seamless. The train ride to Grenoble was about three hours long, and once we had exited the city, the scenery was quite bucolic. I arrived at Grenoble at around 3:00 pm, and then took the bus to up to Corps, which is a village just below the Shrine. As there was a group of us on the bus going to La Salette, a very nice volunteer was there to pick us up in a van, and so I arrived at La Salette on Monday evening just in time for dinner. 

I imagine some of those reading this might not have heard of La Salette, or if they have, they might not know the story of the apparitions, so, as with the other dispatches, I will include some historical context.

In September of 1846, in the mountains of southeastern France, two peasant children from the village of Corps named Maximin and Melanie were pasturing their sheep one day when a "Beautiful Lady" appeared to them. At first, they just saw the lady sitting on the mountainside, sitting on a rock, crying with her head in her hands. She had a crown of roses and a white headdress on her head and a golden chain about her neck. There was on her chest a crucifix with pincers on one side and a hammer on the other. She wore a golden apron and a white dress. The children recounted that the chain around her neck seemed heavy and pulled down her shoulders. They were at first quite frightened, but then the lady rose and spoke to them.

She said to them, "Come forward, my children, do not be afraid, for I have great news to tell you." Nevertheless, the news which the lady bore was quite serious and grave. If my people do not wish to submit, I shall be forced to let fall the arm of my Son. It is strong and so heavy, I cannot hold it up any longer."

She would go on to say that she had interceded so often and so much for her children, but they heeded her not. Then she said, "However much you do, you pray, you will never be able to repay the pain I have endured for you."

The main message she had for her children was to abstain from two grave sins in particular, namely the use of Our Lord's name in vain and the lack of Mass attendance on Sundays. She told the children to pray daily, morning and evening, at least an Our Father and a Hail Mary if nothing more could be managed. She warned that the bad harvests the region had had would continue if the people did not repent but that there would be a period of great abundance if they did repent. This was during what has been termed the "European Potato Failure." During this famine, in France, 10,000 people were estimated to have died. The privation of the famine is considered one of the contributing factors to the revolutions of 1848 across Europe. Thus, one can see that Our Lady's message was certainly meant for more people than just the local peasants of Corps, France. 

After the apparitions, in 1852, the order of Missionaries of La Salette was founded by Philippe de Bruillard, the bishop of Grenoble. The order has steadily expanded and now has a significant presence all across the world, particularly in Angola, the Philippines, Brazil, Poland, Madagascar, and of course France. There is an order of priests and an order of nuns, and their mission is to make known the message of Our Lady at La Salette. 

This month there are a large number of La Salette seminarians here because they are preparing to take their vows at the end of the month; they will be ordained priests next year. I met two Slovakian seminarians on the way up, and I have met many Angolan seminarians since I have arrived, as well as a few Brazilians and some from Madagascar. 

The natural beauty of the location is stunningly beautiful, it being nestled right in the French Alps. The Shrine is surrounded by hiking trails and paths. There is a large basilica that was built beginning in 1852 until 1865. There is also holy water, like at Lourdes. It bubbles forth out of the ground and was not controlled until 1996, so now it flows through some piping out into a basin where pilgrims can collect some. (Below is a picture of sheep near the Shrine being shepherded)

I have been enjoying it very much here. I have been working at the welcome desk for the last several days, and it is a real joy to see so many pilgrims coming from all over Europe; in the last few days, there have been pilgrims from Germany, France, Poland, Italy, Croatia, and Chile.