Our PPP assembly this past week experienced a full agenda of insightful and productive presentations as well as taking part in touring the neighboring communities of La Salette - some of which are of great significance to the message of The Beautiful Lady of La Salette. As we began our second week of our PPP this past Sunday, our PPP participants and facilitators ventured out together after Mass to tour the community of Corps and visit the homes of the families of Maximin and Melanie. We also went out to the rural community of Coin, the place in which our Blessed Mother reminds Maximin where he had seen spoiled wheat, and gathered together as a La Salette family within the small chapel there dedicated to the message of La Salette. Our PPP assembly was surprised with an unexpected stop and visit to the Shrine of Our Lady of Laos. We enjoyed learning of our Blessed Mother’s apparitions to this site and we were able to spend some contemplative time there before heading for our next visit. We ended our day with a wounderful visit to our SNDS community of Gap, where we were graciously received and shown true La Salette hospitality.
As our week continued with structured prayer, contemplation and lecture time, our PPP assembly was fortunate to have been able to receive priceless insight and direction from Sr. Elizabeth Guiboux - Superior General of the Sisters of La Salette, Sr. Estelle Razafinjatouo - Assistant Superior of the Sisters of Our Lady of La Salette, and Fr. Louis of the community of the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette of France. On Monday and Tuesday,Sr. Elizabeth took great care in providing our PPP assembly with a moving presentation on the Evangelical Councils of poverty, chastity and obedience. These two days were directed in an atmosphere of personal and silent reflection. Wednesday and Thursday brought forth continued study and reflection for our group as Sr. Estelle presented a fantastic presentation on community life. Sr. Estelle, in a spirit of religious life, inspired our group to contemplate on the presented material in community rather than in solitude. Our group, divided into language groups, were able to contemplate and study in Lectio Divina, focusing on scripture specific to the charism of reconciliation and how we, as community, each understand our charism within our community.
Fr. Louis closed our week of study and reflection with a very moving presentation on the sacramental gifts of God. Sacramental gifts of God, as Fr. Louis explained, “bring us, as La Salette’s, into relationship with God through our consecrated life and reflects within our identity as religious women and men.” Through the sacrament gifts of God, we become sacramental people for Christ.
Each of our provinces and regions represented in our PPP of 2017 have also taken part in the planning and delivery of our daily liturgies. Each of our ten provinces and regions represented this year interact with each other and share in some part of each daily liturgy. This has been a great opportunity for all of our participants to experience the cultural riches of each of our communities. Friday, July 14th, the PPP assembly will celebrate the “Feast of France.” This day is a celebration for France and all the world, as this day marks a tremendous change in the country of France as it entered into a revolution that brought forth a republic for all the people. This feast on Friday evening is expected to be filled with great celebration. Our Brazilian community has taken charge i planning and facilitating our event, in light of the day being the Feast of St. Junina of Brazil.
Our coming week is expected to bring great reflections, insights, presentations and prayer. We will definitely keep everyone up to date with all of the happenings here at our PPP. As well continue our journey this month in our preparation for our perpetual profession, we humbly ask that you please keep all of our us and the volunteers in your prayers during this month of our PPP assembly.
Manuel Crespo, ms
