FIRST FULL DAY OF THE "ENCUENTRO" --- MEETING LAY ASSOCIATES

Greetings from France.  It has been a full day.  It started with a short morning prayer and was opened with our daily celebration of the Holy Mass.  After  the Mass the Queen of Heaven who came to La Salette to weep over her children was enthroned as the true chair person of the event.
First some good news and some not so good news.


Delegate John LaRosa, Lay Associate Leader for the La Salette Lay Associates working with the La Salette Missionary Sisters in North America has had a personal set-back and needs out prayers.  John is in Fairfax, Virginia.  His father recently took a turn for the worst and the prognosis is not in favor of a long prolongation of life. Let us pray that the family finds peace in the harsh realities confronting it.  We pray for you and your loved ones, John.
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Update concerning father Maurice Cardinal, MS.  The news is for more life.  Father Maurice is presently recovering quite well.  He is alert, breathing on his own, talking and so it looks like the doctors were successful in accomplishing what they set out to do.  Let's keep praying so that the recovery will be complete and that he will be able to resume his ministry of being the Spiritual Guide for the Lay Associate Community on the West Coast.
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The Internet transmissions from La Salette have begun and there will be one special one of 15 minutes in length featuring Father Ron Gagne, Ellen Herrel, Isabel Dion.  If you want them to answer your questions, you can email to this address in the next 24 to 36 hours.  to watch the the 15 minute presentation, click here and follow directions  on September 5 at 11:45 AM New York Time (8:45 AM Los Angeles time). You will see us there.  If you want to have a better idea of the information being put on the table, you can even follow all the sessions in the same way.  This address brings you to the place where you will find a complete schedule of all the proceedings.  So, make yourselves at home.  Beware, this could cause you to lose some sleep.
The author of this blog has become the secretary of the proceedings.  
That's it for now.  Now that I am the secretary, this will be your shining light for information.

SIAMO ARRIVATI -- WE'RE HERE -- YA LLEGAMOS -- NOUS Y SOMMES

OUT OF THE RUINS, A HEAVENLY TRIBUTE
DES RUINES,  UNE PRIERE ARTISTIQUE
see story below

Saluts a tous.  Salve, domini, dominaeque.  Hello to all.  Saluti.  Nous some arrives a La Salette sains et saufs.  Tous sont to de bonne humeur et tous se parlent, meme s'ls ne comprennent pas exactement ce qui se dit.  C'est la voix de l"Esprit Saint qui touche les coeurs, non pas l'arrogance de Babel.  Bienvenue a tous et a toutes.

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Welcome to the International Meeting of minds and hearts of the La Salette Lay Associates Community officially opened now at the La Salette Shrine in France.  Dedicated Lay Associates from France, Switzerland, Poland, Argentina. Philippines, United States, Angola, Italy, Spain and Brasil are here and are ready to share their spiritual lives among themselves and with their respective communities.  It is always a moving experience to come together for something other than a wake.  It is a moment that will not be forgotten.  Rubbing shoulders with people that you have never met yet are willing to give the benefit of the doubt because of the affinity of the mission endeavor.  It is a moving moment that is the fearless response of the 165 year old invitation:  "Come near my children, do not be afraid."  Yes, Mother, we are here, to hear.  We are here to learn.  We are here to obey.  

To you who are not here, the call continues for your prayers.  This is an historic moment in the aftermath of the Apparition of our Blessed Mother at La Salette.  We will keep you informed about the process of the meetings.  Stay tuned.

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Along the road of the preparatory novena we have been presenting different pictures and representations of Our Lady of La Salette.  The one in today's article is one that doesn't make anyone's art exhibit.  This is a representation of the Apparition of La Salette with a powerful background story.  We stopped by there today to pay homage to those whom it is intended to memorialize.  Read a short release of the story here and for more information including more pictures, click on the link below the short release.

1950 Tete de I'Obiou C-54 Crash

The Tete de I'Obiou accident was an airliner crash in France on 13 November 1950. Curtiss Reid Flying Services had been operating a scheduled service between Paris and Rome since 1945. On November 13, 1950, a Paris-bound C-54 aircraft crashed on the Tete de I'Obiou mountain, 48 km (30 miles) south of Grenoble. All 45 passengers and 7 crew were killed. The aircraft was 50 miles (80 km) off course.

Flight attendant Helen Johnston's body was missing for weeks until it was found in a crevasse on the mountain.

http://www.lasalette.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=590:a-sad-60th-anniversary&catid=62:la-salette-news-worldwide&Itemid=37

More tomorrow.

10TH DAY OF THE NOVENA -- 10IEME JOUR DE LA NEUVAINE -- 10MO DIA DE LA NOVENA

Non c'e altro che da viaggiare.  There's nothing   left but to travel.  Father Arnel Macabio,MS imparting the travel blessing upon Isabel M. Dion on the eve of her departure for the International Gathering of La Salette Lay Associates from around the world.  The small folded box that she holds close to her body is full of the petitions of the faithful parishioners of St. Christopher Parish in Moreno Valley, California.  These petitions are being brought to be placed at the feet of Our Holy Mother as a sign of unity and love and hope that with Our Lady of La Salette, things get done.  We named this the 10th day of the Novena because we guarantee that the prayers have not stopped.  Blessings from hugs all around.  Assurances of prayers that no silly hurricane was going to make life difficult for Belle Dion.
Since it is already 23:00 on August 27, you will all be getting this on the calendar day of our departure.  As of this date, there will be many of our beloved Saletines in the air.  We thank you all for accompanying us with your sincere prayers.

It is possible that this blog would suffer a little jet-lag.  Don't be discouraged, news and pictures will continue.  Not only here but one the two other important Internet sites which I present to you again because they are very important.
http://portalsalette.com.br/
http://www.lasalette.org/

The first one is maintained by our Brazilian brethren and is fundamentally composed in Portuguese.  It does have a button that allows the reader to get an instantaneous translation of the site.  For those of you who received the second one outside of the United States, I have no idea what the possibilities are of receiving in your vernacular.
This blog is basically written in poor English, as you've come to appreciate.  There are many reasons for that, not the least being that the vast, I say again,  VAST majority of the readers are more at ease in English than in the other three or four languages prominent at the gathering.  If I take a fit and go with another language, I'll give you fair warning.


Updates:      Fr. Maurice...I have texted some missionary friends about him and not received any response.  If any missionaries on the mailing list want to provide us some info, please do so.


                  St. Christopher parish is working hard at the preparation for the September 17th celebration in Moreno Valley.  There is some heavy duty "marketing" going on.  Y'all better plan on being here.


With all that, we throw ourselves into the arms of our guardian angels and hope to see you on the other side.

LET'S GO -- ANDIAMO -- VAMOS -- PUNT NA TAYO -- ALLONS --DALZE

See that circle down there?  Yep, that's the place.  Some of us are finally going to squeeze into airplane seats and get on our way.  But before we do, we continue to pray.  The Faithful of St. Christopher Parish in Moreno Valley, California have been writing their prayers and their petitions for Our Blessed Mother for Isabel to carry to the Mountain.  There, she will be careful to find a revered place for them, at least for the time of the meeting.
It may be a day or two before we can get back to you electronically, but rest assured that we will not forget you. At  the same time, we request that you keep us in your prayers and blessings.



Update about Father Maurice Cardinal.  I just got off the phone with the nurse's station at the Loma Linda University Hospital where father's surgery was accomplished.  It has been 18 hours since Father reported for the procedure.  He is reportedly still heavily sedated, sleeping and is trouble free as far as vital signs are concerned.  Good heart rhythm, good blood pressure, good temperature and, for the moment, quiet and docile.  :-)  Those who know him know what I mean.

Allow me to suggest that you spend a moment praying the poetic song composed by Bishop Newman many years ago.  I wonder if it has ever been translated.

O Mary, Queen of La Salette

Oct 24, '09 5:06 AM for everyone

1. O Mary of Queen of La Salette, why are you weeping so

that I had never sinned and made your tears to flow.

Refrain:

I long to dry your tears

and make your message known

of penance, prayer and zeal

until God calls me home.

2. O tearful Virgin of the Alps, draw close my heart to you

that near to God forever more

I may your beauty see. (Refrain)

NOVENA: PREPARATION FOR TRAVEL, DAY 9 WE PRAY TOGETHER

Hello to all.  This is the last day of the novena preparatory to the serious business of boarding airplanes and, in some cases, flying over half the world.  Some will see no sunlight for 12 or 14 hours.  Some will see no night.  Some may even arrive at their destination before their time of departure.  Ah, the marvels of 21st century travel.

I find myself in need of begging your pardon for the transmission of the novena last night.  It seems that I forgot to attach the link to the prayers.  So now you have the two last days of the novena with but one link.  Day 9 on top and day 8 below it.
Furthermore, on the PowerPoint file that I sent yesterday, I think I forgot the name of Piotr Zaba from Switzerland.  I got confused with so many revisions and reconstructions that I found myself forgetting things and committing errors.  Please forgive me.  Better that I sin now so that I can be forgiven on the Mountain.


By the time you get this Father Maurice Cardinal, MS will be in the hospital beginning the ordeal of surgery to remove his left eye due to a cancerous lesion that migrated to his eye cavity.  Father is not a young person, so we beg Our Holy Mother to intercede for his quick and complete recovery.  We will inform you of his progress as it becomes communicated to us.  
Father Maurice has been assigned the responsibility of being the spiritual guide of the Lay Associates Community in California.


Once again, welcome to all those who have been added to the mailing group for this blog.  Thank you for your prayers.  The prayer list as usual [I forgot last night] can be found by clicking here.


The 9th day of our novena.


9.      Reconciliation
         Luke, chapter 15, verse 20   The father ran to his returning son
         2 Corinthians, chapter 5, verses 19 and 20    Be reconciled
             Mary at La Salette is a reconciler.  Am I a reconciler like her?  
             Do I forgive as readily as the father of the prodigal son?


                                 MEMORARE TO OUR LADY OF LA SALETTE
Remember, Our Lady of La Salette,
true Mother of Sorrows,
the tears you shed for us on Calvary. 
Remember also the care you have taken
to keep us faithful to Christ, your Son.
Having done so much for your children,
you will not now abandon us.
Comforted by this consoling thought,
we come to you pleading,
despite our infidelities and ingratitude. 
Virgin of Reconciliation,
do not reject our prayers, but intercede for us,
obtain for us the grace
to love Jesus above all else.
May we console you by a holy life
and so come to share the eternal life
Christ gained by his cross.  Amen.