Feast of Our Lady of La Salette

Compared to the minor event of a beatification, Sunday sees the celebration of the anniversary of an apparition of the Mother of God, that of Our Lady at La Salette.  This has come to my attention because there are three parishes nearby cared for by Polish priests of the Missionaries of La Salette. At the moment, these parishes are praying a novena in preparation for the celebration of the Feast.

These two pages - here and here - give you the story of the apparition, and of its message. It all seems strikingly contemporary, with its reference to blasphemy and failing to keep Sunday as a day for the Lord.

Part of the novena prayers each evening is the Memorare of La Salette:

Remember, Our Lady of La Salette, true Mother of Sorrows, the tears you shed for me on Calvary. Remember also the care you ahve always taken to keep me faithful to Christ your Son. After having done so much for your child, you will not now abandon me. Inspired by this consoling thought, I come to cast myself at your feet in spite of my infidelities and ingratitude. Do not reject my prayer, O merciful Virgin, but intercede for my conversion, obtain for me the grace to love Jesus above all things, and to console you with a holy life, that I amy one day see you in heaven. Amen.

I was reminded when I went to Mass in one of these parishes for yesterday's feastday (Exaltation of the Cross) that there is something a little special about a parish that is in the care of a religious order. This involvement of their parishioners in a novena in preparation for their Order's "feast day" seems typical of this.