In October of 1994 the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette came to the Diocese of San Bernardino and the first Missionary of La Salette, Father Efren Musngi, was assigned as pastor of St. Christopher Parish in Moreno Valley. He introduced the story of the apparition of Our Lady and her message to the community.
When Fr. Musngi left for another assignment Father Romeo Seleccion, took over as the pastor of St. Christopher. Slowly, the parishioners of St. Christopher came to know more about Our Lady of La Salette. Then Fr. Seleccion left to become the Episcopal Vicar of the San Bernardino Pastoral Region. Father Joven Junio succeeded him and he was eventually followed by Father Arnel Macabio, the present pastor. It has been through all of these La Salette priests that the message of Our Lady of La Salette has seeped into the minds and hearts of the parishioners. This month we celebrate the 170th anniversary of this powerful moment in Church history.
The Message of Our Lady of La Salette – How did Come About?
Early on September 19, 1846, two poor and illiterate children were hired by two prominent leaders of the village of La Salette located in the French Alps, to pasture their cows. Melanie Caveat was 14 years old and Maximin Giraud, 11 years old and they had not met one another until two days before they climbed the slopes of La Salette together.
When they reached the mountain, they made sure that the cows grazed where they could see them.
Contrary to their habits, the two children lay down on the grass and fell asleep. The September sun was relaxing and the sky was cloudless. The chattering brook highlighted the mountain stillness. These were quiet moments.
When Mélanie woke up she was startled. She woke Maximin up. “Mémin, Mémin, get up! Let’s go look for our cows. I don’t know where they are!” They climbed up the little hill to look for their cows. They both were happy that the cows were there and so they returned to where they were to have their lunch. Near the small dried brook where they laid on one of those stone benches there was a globe of fire. A woman appeared within the light; she was sitting, her head in her hands, her elbows on her knees, in deepest grief. The Lady rose slowly. The children had not moved. She spoke to them in French: “Come near, my children, do not be afraid. I am here to tell you great news.” They approached the Lady. The beautiful Lady spoke to the two shepherds. “She wept all the while she spoke to us,” said Maximin and Mélanie later.
“We listened. All our attention was on her.” Mary’s message to the two children at La Salette was the warning of a mother concerned over her wayward children.
She complained: “If my people refuse to submit, I will be forced to let go the arm of my Son,” and more specifically: “Those who drive the carts cannot swear without using my Son’s name...they labor all day Sunday...there are none who go to Mass...when they do not know what to do, they go to Mass just to make fun of religion...”
She warned: “If the harvest is ruined, it is only on account of yourselves... If you have wheat, you must not sow it. Anything you sow the vermin will eat...A great famine is coming...”
She promised: “If [my people] are converted, rocks and stones will turn into heaps of wheat, and potatoes will be self-sown in the fields...”
She pleaded: “Well, my children, make this known to all my people...”
All had been said. The Lady climbed the narrow path that led out of the ravine. The Lady looked toward heaven, then gazed down to the southeast. Slowly, she seemed to “melt away” within the light. The bright light vanished. The children did not know who had appeared to them on the mountain.
That very late afternoon, Melanie and Maximin told their employers what they saw. They did not believe them. So the next day, Sunday, the children were escorted to the Pastor. Before Mass he listened to the story and was visibly disturbed. On Monday, the mayor himself interrogated Maximin at Corps and was won over by Maximin’s self-assurance, his candor and tenacity.
Mary’s apparition at La Salette is a modern-day reminder of an ancient truth: that Mary constantly intercedes for us before God; that she is the Reconciler of Sinners, calling us back to the message and way of her Son, Jesus.
Apparition made authentic!
After five years, at the end of a detailed and strict investigation, - through an order from Most Rev. Bishop Philibert the Bishop of Grenoble – the Church, confirmed in 1851 that the apparition event was true and that the “Beautiful Lady” was Mary, the Mother of Jesus.
Always present to her children, she comes to move our hearts. She calls us to change our bad ways of living and to follow her Son, Jesus. There have been spiritual, physical healings and conversion from this apparition. Let us pray that we will be blessed with this gift.
The Message Spreads
The Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette was born from this apparition and the order now is serving in 22 countries, very recently in Tanzania. In the Diocese of San Bernardino, there are four more parishes in addition to St. Christopher that are served by the La Salette Missionaries: St. Vincent Ferrer, Menifee; Our Lady of Lourdes, Montclair; St. Paul the Apostle, Chino Hills, and St. Peter and Paul, Alta Loma.
The La Salette sisters are serving in France, Italy, Brazil, Poland, the Philippines, Angola, and Canada. The La Salette Lay Missionaries are added to this family and work very closely with the religious fathers, brothers and sisters.
Isabel Dion is Coordinator of Adult Ongoing Faith Formation at St. Christopher, Moreno Valley and a La Salette Lay Missionary.