In Honor of Our Lady of La Salette The La Salette Fathers publish a French monthly "CELLE QUI PLEURE" in gratitude for favors received and to help the missionaries. Take a subscription for a French-reading friend Celle Qui Pleure La Salette Seminary Attleboro, Mass. Novenas, Religious Articles, Books and Miraculous Water can be obtained at LA SALETTE SHRINE AttleborOt Mass. * Nihil Obstat: Manchester, N. H. Die 24 Februarii 1950 L. P. Routhier, Cens. Libr. Imprimatur: ^Matthew F. Brady, D.D. Bishop of Manchester, N. H. February 25, 1950 The Apparition of La Salette On the nineteenth of September, 1846, our Blessed Mother appeared to two chil- dren, Maximin Giraud, age 11, and Melanie Mathieu, age 14. The appari- tion took place on an Alpine slope near the town of La Salette in France. The two children, while tending cattle, came upon Our Lady enveloped in light and seated upon a stone. Her hands covered Her face but they at once realized that She was weeping. At first they be- came frightened, but as She rose and spoke saying, "Come near, my children, be not afraid, I am here to tell you great news 33 , They approached and stood before Her in mute admiration. Having become accustomed to the bril- liant light that surrounded "The Beautiful Lady 33 , they at once saw that Her shoes were sparkling white, the buckles thereon were square and golden. Encircling Her shoes were tiny roses which were not crush- ed as She stood on the tips of the blades of grass. Over a shining white robe, She wore a full length golden apron. Along the border of a white kerchief adorning Her robe, there were roses of many colors and a thin golden chain. A crucifix and the pincers and hammer of the Sacred Pas- sion rested on Her breast. Her headdress 3 was white and crowned with a diadem wreathed with roses of many hues. She was so resplendent in h&ht that the noon-day sun seemed to lose its brilliancy. Her face was exceedingly beautiful yet profoundly sad. It bespoke the beauty of heaven, yet it portrayed the burden of suffering. With rapt attention the two children listened as they heard "The Beautiful Lady 33 speak : "If my people will not submit, I shall be forced to let go the arm of my Son. It is so strong, so heavy, that I can no longer withhold it. — How long a time do I suffer for You! If I would not have my Son abandon you, I am compelled to pray to him without ceasing. And as to you, you take no heed of it. — However much you pray, however much you do, you will never recompense the pains I have taken for you. — Six days have I given you to labor, the seventh I have kept for myself, and they will not give it to me. It is this which makes the arm of my son so heavy. Those who drive the carts cannot swear without using the name of my Son. — These are the two things which make the arm of my Son so heavy. If the harvest is spoilt, it is all on your account. I gave you warning last year in the potatoes, but you did not heed it. On the con- trary, when you found the potatoes spoilt, you swore, you took the name of my Son in vain. 4 They will continue to decay, so that by Christ- mas there will be none left." Our Blessed Mother had been speaking French to the children, but Mclanic, not knowing the meaning of the French word for potatoes, turned toward Maximin to ask him if he knew what " pommcs-dc- terre" meant, upon which "The Beautiful Lady", continuing to speak, said: — ee Ah! you do not understand French, my chil- dren well! wait, I will say it in different way". Then speaking in the local dialect, she said: — "If you have wheat, it is not good to sow it; all that you sow the insects will eat. What comes up will fall into dust when you thresh it. — There will come a great famine. Before the famine comes, the children under seven years of age will be seized with trembling and they will die in the hands of those who hold them; the walnuts will become worm-eaten, the grapes will rot." Our Blessed Mother then confided a separate secret to each of the children, neither of them knowing what had been said to the other, yet each remarked Her moving lips. Having entrusted these secrets, Our Lady continued: — "If they are converted, the stones and the rocks will be changed into heaps of wheat, and the potatoes will be self-sown." She then said: — "Do you say your prayers well, my children?" 5 "Oh, no, Madame, not very well,'* they replied. "Ah! my children, you must be sure to say them well, morning and evening; when you cannot do better, say at least an Our Father and a Hail Mary. But when you have time, say more. — There are none who go to Mass but a few aged women, the rest work on Sun- day all the summer; and in winter, when they know not what to do they go to Mass, only to mock at religion. During Lent they go to the meat market like dogs." "Have you ever seen wheat that is spoilt, my children?" Maximin replied: "No, Madam, I have never seen any." "But, my child, you must surely have seen some once, with your father, near Coin. — The master of the field told your father to go and see his ruined wheat. You were both together. You took two or three of the ears into your hands and rubbed them and they fell all into dust. On your return home, when you were still half an hour's distance from Corps, your father gave you a piece of bread and said to you: 'Here, my child, eat some bread this year at least; I don't know who will eat any next year, if the wheat goes on like that'." Maximin replied: "Oh! yes, Madame, I remember now. For the moment I did not recall." 6 Then our Blessed Mother, speaking French again, said: ''Well my children, you will make this known to all my people." Having said this she turned, crossed the rivulet Sezia, repeating as She went: "Well, my children, you will make this known to all my people." "The Beautiful Lady", as the children later spoke of her, then moved slowly to the top of the incline. Once there, she stopped for an instant, rose more than a yard into the air, turned her gaze toward the city of Rome, and then vanished. The light alone remained but in an instant it, too, vanished. That evening when the children re- turned home they related to the people of the town all they had seen and heard. Since the apparition, our Lady's mes- sage has been preached throughout the world. This work has been entrusted to a Congregation of priests known as the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette, which had its origin in 1852. Blessed by their sorrowful Mother of the Alps, these Fathers have foundations on five conti- nents of the globe, fulfilling Our Lady's command: — "My children, you will make this known to all my people." 7 NO VENA in honor of OUR LADY OF LA SALETTE (This Novena can be made at anytime, but it is customary to make it from the 1 Ith to the 19th of each month). FIRST DAY In casting myself at thy feet, O loving Mother, to ask thee: (here mention your request), I cannot help remembering that thou earnest on the mountain of La Salette, first of all, to remind me of my Christian duties. Therefore, there is no surer way for me to have my petition granted, than to return to the friendship of Jesus, by a sincere confession, and to endeavor with my whole strength to over- come my besetting sin. O Virgin Recon- ciler of sinners, obtain for me this most precious of all graces, for, with it all the rest shall be added unto me. The number- less miracles obtained by those who invoke thee under the title of Our Lady of La Salette, fill my heart with hope that my petition shall prove as fortunate as those addressed to thee, by so many other sup- pliants. Vouchsafe, O Mother, during each day of my novena, to instill into my heart some of the teaching of thy merciful Apparition. Practice — Consecrate yourself to Our Lady of La Salette. 8 SECOND DAY O sorrowful Mother, why those tears shed in the wild solitude, on the rock which thou madest for a while thy earthly throne? My child, happy would I be, if my grief should inspire you with a heart-felt sorrow for your sins, and with a firm resolution to lead a better life! The land of your heart, as the Prophet says, is made desolate, be- cause of your love for the world and its empty pleasures, because of your forget- fulness to meditate upon the most impor- tant truths of faith, i.e., your last end, to- gether with the dreadful consequences, both here and hereafter, of your thought- lessness. Retire into solitude and there my Son will speak to your heart, and will breathe into your soul the proper means of securing your salvation. O Mother, the motives that urge me to mingle my tears with thine are innumer- able. I will not resist Jesus' call any longer. Henceforth, with thy powerful aid, my thoughts, words and actions shall corres- pond to the wishes of the Divine Heart of Jesus. Practice — Recite ten Hail Marys and ten invocations to Our Lady of La Salette to ask for a deep hatred of sin. 9 THIRD DAY What, O Mother, is the meaning of the bright cross which shines upon thy breast? Why this stream of tears trickling down thy heavenly face and rolling over the golden cross on which they are burnt away as on a fire of Love? My child, was your soul never defiled by a mortal sin? Did you never scoff at my Son, thus crucifying anew your Saviour and your God? Is not the cross, that sacred emblem of salvation, scornfully banished from all the places where it used once to stand in honor? Such iniquities should be washed away by tears of blood! Strive, therefore, to appease my Son's wrath and to mitigate His vengeance. Stand in fear that the Sacred Blood which once flowed on Calvary, should now fall revengefully upon your head, and the heads of those you hold dearest in this world! Dread that you should be deserted by God! Contemplate Jesus on His Cross. Humbly adore Him and pour forth your most heart-felt thanks at His feet. Remem- ber that, with Him, there is a remedy for every evil. There is no virtue but finds in Him a perfect model. Bear His cross on your breast, but chiefly in your heart. And in return, heaven shall be your reward. Practice — Kneel before a crucifix and say an act of contrition for your sins. 10 FOURTH DAY The witness of thy Apparition, O sweet Mother, vie with each other in telling me of the extreme simplicity of thy dress, and the modesty of thy looks. What a lesson for my pride and vanity, to behold thee clothed with a common gown, a simple neckerchief, a humble apron, and a cap completely covering thy ears and thy hair. Who could but admire thy carefulness in concealing thy angelic face from the eyes of the small boy? No sorrowful Mother, thou couldst not more forcibly reprove pride, luxuriousness and sensuality, the allurements of which make numberless victims, both in this world and in the next. Help me, O Mother, to fly from the world and its distractions; to lead an interior life in order to become like Saint Paul, "the good odor of Christ unto God." Help me to understand better that, to keep my heart pure, I must endeavor to be humble, to love mortification and to shun the sinful pleasures of the*world. Practice — Recite the Litany of Our Lady of La Salette. 11 FIFTH DAY The flood of thy tears at La Salette, O sorrowful Mother, ceased only with thy words, as the little shepherdess said. And it was noticed that thou didst weep more abundantly, while speaking of our greatest sins, i. e., blasphemy, profanation of the Lord's day, violation of the laws of fast and abstinence, rebellion against God and His Church, indifference in regard to thy supernatural warnings, and ingratitude for thy gifts and thy love. Let thy tear-be- dewed face always be before my eyes, that it may soften my heart, and impart to it the grace of a true repentance! And to prove that I am heartily sorry for my sins, I will, from this day, spare no effort to combat the great crimes with which thou didst reproach us in thy Apparition. Practice — Recite an act of reparation for the sins of mankind. 12 SIXTH DAY Do you pray well, my child? . . . You should pray morning and evening. You know what my Son says about prayer in His Gospel : "We ought always to pray, and not to faint," i. e., not to be faint-hearted in prayer. "For without me," that is, without my grace, "you can do nothing" meritorious for heaven. Remember that grace is granted only through prayer. "But," says my Son, "if you ask the Father anything in My name, He will give it to you." Ask, therefore, with a pure and righteous heart, confidently, submissively, perseveringly, "and you shall receive". Prayer is the key of the heavenly treasures. The cry of your misery goest up to God, and mercy descends forthwith. If, then, you wish to be a saint, be a lover of prayer. I myself pray incessantly for you in heaven. — O sweet Mother, help me to understand the deep meaning of these few words! I will never forget that prayer is a necessity for the human heart, and the happiness of life. Practice — Examine yourself to see how you say your daily prayers. 13 SEVENTH DAY Who would imagine, O loving Mother, that man is so wicked and so careless about his own welfare, as to turn into a deadly poison for his soul what God, in His in- finite mercy, intended for his salvation, and for his greatest happiness. And yet, this is exactly what we learn from one of thy maternal reproaches: "They go to Mass," sayest thou, "only to scoff at reli- gion!" Alas! how many Catholics are there, who keep entirely away from the church? And if they do go, their evil dispositions make them all the more guilty. How many poor sinners are there, who, instead of going to the sacred fountains of the Sacra- ments to quench the fire of their unruly passions, scornfully disdain these divine gifts and sacrilegiously profane them! Would to God that, with thy all powerful help, I should never defile my soul with a sacrilege! My confessions shall always be as sincere as I would have them when my last day comes. Henceforth my respectful behavior in assisting, at Mass, will prove my tender love and my profound esteem for this holy Sacrifice. Practice — Attend Holy Mass and receive Holy Communion. 14 EIGHTH DAY O loving Mother, how vividly real do the secrets of thy maternal heart appear in thy merciful Apparition! How greatly they increase and strengthen my confidence in thee! O amiable Mother, how mercifully thou bearest the rebukes encountered in thy endeavors to bring back to God the hearts of thy erring children. One may remain deaf to the call of thy love and engaging goodness; but he will yield to thy tears. For the tears of a mother go straight to the heart and melt it. But, as regards those whose hardened hearts despise even thy tears, thou hast awful threats and terrible chastisements in store for them. Yet, even then, how much like those of a mother are thy reproofs and punishments! With one hand thou strikest, while with the other thou upholdest. Even when we go astray, thy watchful and maternal eyes follow us in the minutest details of life, to detect the slightest good sentiments of our hearts, in order to reward them. Who would not strive to inflame every heart with love and respect for thee? Practice — Speak to one of your friends and acquaintances of Our Lady of La Salette. 15 NINTH DAY The days of my novena have come to an end, and I have hardly begun to meditate upon the teachings of thy Apparition. How solacing for our wearied hearts to contemplate thee and to pour forth our humble prayers at thy feet! Hours spent with thee are but as instants which pass with a flight as rapid as that of the light- ning-flash. But, as thou didst once say to the shepherds enraptured by thy sight: "Well, my children, you will make this known to all my people"; so now thou addressest me with the same warning: Well, my child, you will make my teach- ings known to all my people. Love re- joices to express itself by sacrifices and devotedness. Teach, then, all those about you the necessity of serving God. Make known to them the religious observances, and the delight found in the service of God. And, to fulfill this sacred duty, meditate upon the teachings of my Ap- parition. O my child, let your heart be inflamed like that of your Mother with the fire of holy zeal for God's glory! Re- member that by edifying your fellow-crea- tures, and procuring their salvation, you secure your own. Yes! heaven is the prize! Practice — Make the Stations of the Gross for the Souls in Purgatory. 16 Litany of Our Lady of La Salette Our Lady of La Salette, Mother of God, pray for us. Our Lady of La Salette, Queen and Mother of men, pray for us. Our Lady of La Salette, Messenger of Divine Mercy, pray for us. Our Lady of La Salette, all-powerful suppliant, pray for us. Thou who restrainest the arm of the Lord angered against us, pray for us. Thou who shcddest so many tears on account of our sins and misfortunes, pray for us. Thou who carest so much for us, in spite of all our ingratitude, pray for us. Thou who dost so lovingly invite us to have recourse to thee, pray for us. Thou who dost reproach us with our violation of Sunday and with blasphemy, pray for us. Thou who dost complain so sorrowfully of the profanation of holy things, pray for us. Thou who dost so strongly recommend prayer, and especially morning and eve- ning prayer, pray for us. Thou who dost condemn so severely our lusts and the shameful pleasures of the world, pray for us. 17 Thou who dost remind us so touchingly of the Passion of Jesus, pray for us. Thou whose apparition is a source of salvation for poor sinners, pray for us. Thou who dost invite so pressingly the just to redouble their fervor, pray for us. Thou whose prophetic menaces have so justly alarmed the world, pray for us. Thou who dost promise so many bless- ings if we become converted, pray for us. Thou who didst cause to spring up at thy feet a fountain of miraculous water, pray for us. Thou who, after the example of Jesus, dost heal every infirmity, pray for us. Thou who dost desire to be honored and invoked throughout the world, pray for us. Thou who didst cause so many works of reparation to be undertaken and to pros- per, pray for us. Our Lady of La Salette, living example of charity, pray for us. Victim of penance and expiation, pray for us. Model of modesty and simplicity, pray for us. Standard of obedience and submission, pray for us. Source of burning zeal and of the apostleship, pray for us. Loving Mother of the poor and of children, pray for us. 18 Light of the blind and of the ignorant, pray for us. Consolation of the sick and of the af- flicted, pray for us. Hope of the despairing, pray for us. Help of the Church militant, pray for us. Advocate of the Church suffering, pray for us. Glory of the Church triumphant, pray for us. By thy bitter complaints of men's sinful- ness, render us docile to the law of thy Divine Son, O Mary! By thy abundant tears, obtain for us the grace to weep over our sins, O Mary! By thy motherly sufferings obtain for us resignation in all trials, O Mary! By thy apparitions and thy miracles, re- vive the faith of thy people, O Mary! By the mysterious looks towards Rome, make us more and more devoted to the Holy See, O Mary! By thy incomparable tenderness make us love thee more and more, O Mary! By thy ravishing beauty, make us sigh after heaven, O Mary! By thy new assumption, draw us after thee, O Mary! Prayer Lord Jesus Christ, who, in Thy infinite mercy, didst send to us on the mountain of 19 La Salette Thy ever glorious Mother in order to remind us of our Christian duties, grant that, moved by her tears and docile to her warnings, we may appease in this life Thy just anger by a sincere repentance, and that we may merit by our good works the grace to enjoy Thee eternally in heaven. Thou who livest and reignest world without end. Amen. MEMORARE Remember, Our Lady of La Salette, true Mother of Sorrows, the tears which thou didst shed for me on Calvary. Remember, also, the care thou hast always taken of me, in order to shield me from the justice of God. After having done so much for thy child, thou wilt not now abandon him. Inspired I by this consoling thought, I come to cast myself at thy feet, in spite of my infidelities and ingratitude. Do not reject my prayer, O merciful Virgin, but convert me; obtain for me the grace to love Jesus above all things, and to console thee by a holy life, that I may one day see thee in heaven. Amen. (500 days 3 indulgence. Pius XI) INVOCATION Our Lady of La Salette, Reconciler of Sinners. Pray without ceasing for us who have recourse to thee. (ZOO days' indulgence. Pius XI) 20 CONSECRATION TO OUR LADY OF LA SALETTE Most holy Mother, Our Lady of La Salette who, for love of me, didst shed such bitter tears in thy merciful appari- tion, look down with kindness upon me as I consecrate myself to thee without re- serve. From this day, my glory shall be to know that I am thy child. May I so live as to dry thy tears and console thy afflicted heart. Beloved Mother, to thee and to thy blessed charge and sacred keep- ing and into the bosom of thy mercy, for this day and for every day, and for the hour of my death I commend myself, body and soul, every hope and every joy, every trouble and every sorrow, my life and my life's end. Deign, O dearest Mother, to enlighten my understanding, to direct my steps, to console me by thy maternal protection, so that exempt from all error, sheltered from every danger of sin, strengthened against my enemies, I may, with ardor and invincible courage, walk in the paths traced out for me by thee and Thy Son. Amen. 21 THE CAUSES OF MARY'S TEARS AT LA SALETTE (According to her own words to the shepherds) Cause 1. — Disobedience to God and to all lawful authority: "If my people will not submit, I shall be forced to let fall the arm of my Divine Son." Cause 2. — Indifference to our heavenly Mother: "If I would not have my Son abandon you, I am compelled to pray to Him without ceasing, and as for you, you take no heed of it." Cause 3. — Profanation of the Lord's Day: "Six days have I given you to labor, and the seventh I have kept for Myself, and they will not give it to Me . . . There are none who go to Mass but a few aged women, the rest work on Sunday, all the Summer, and in Winter they go to Mass only to mock at religion." Cause 4. — Taking the Lord's name in vain: "Those who drive the carts cannot swear without using the name of My son." Cause 5. — Neglect of prayer and pen- ance: "You must be sure to say your prayers well, morning and evening . . . During Lent, they go to the meat market like dogs." 22 RESOLUTIONS TO BE TAKEN TO CONSOLE OUR LADY OF LA SALETTE 1. — I will never eat flesh-rneat on days of abstinence, and I will avoid all excess in the use of intoxicating liquors. 2. — I will observe the Lord's Day, and cause others to do so. 3. — I will obey with docility and love all my superiors, both spiritual and tem- poral. \. — I will have recourse to Our Lady of La Salette in all my necessities and I will strive to spread her devotion. 5. — I will be faithful to say my morning and evening prayers. Do you say the family rosary in your home?