Statement: International Meeting of Shrine Rectors

SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF LA SALETTE, France       
                                                                                                                                                            First Ministry entrusted by Bishop Philibert de Bruillard to our Congregation

April 19, 2015

In the Year of Consecrated Life 13 Rectors of La Salette Shrines from France, Spain, Poland, Ukraine, Madagascar, Brazil, USA and the Philippines gathered at the International Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette, France. We would like to share our experiences and affirm the importance of Shrine ministry in the Congregation. This statement of commitment comes as we look forward to celebrating the 170th Anniversary of the Apparition of Our Lady of La Salette.

Responding to the appeal of Our Lady at La Salette, we affirm the ministry carried out in our Shrines as a core ministry of the Congregation, as it is central to our charism, identity and mission as La Salette Missionaries.

We seek to affirm the centrality of Shrines in the new evangelization of the people of God. We keep in mind the Biblical and Theological significance of Shrines as we respond to the growth in popular devotions and people’s desire to deepen their faith. We seek to provide sanctuaries of peace and hope for pilgrims by offering the sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist, support groups for bereavement and recovery, spiritual direction, pastoral counseling and various retreats.

We seek to minister to the people at the ‘peripheries’* and offer welcome to all. We recognize that our Shrines are havens of hope for the poor who benefit from our charitable outreach.

We recognize and affirm the call of Our Lady to witness to justice, peace and reconciliation in our Shrines. We commit ourselves to promote respect and care for the environment. We treat our employees and volunteers with justice, thereby embodying the message we preach.

We are called to witness to our consecrated life passionately and diligently. Recognizing Christ as our source of happiness, we live out our charism joyfully so as to draw others to Christ and to the Church. Shrines can be a source of new vocations to the consecrated life by this faithful living out of Gospel values and through the ministry we offer to youth. We commit ourselves to promoting vocations to religious life and the priesthood at our Shrines.

We affirm the Christo-centric dimension to the ministries of the Shrine. It is the Word of God that is “studied, meditated, preached, lived and witnessed to”* in our Shrines. There is a “Marian style”* of ministering at the Shrines, where we care for everyone with a sense of justice, tenderness and compassion. In this task we work together as a community and collaborate with La Salette Laity, who are drawn to our charism and share our spirituality and ministry. We open ourselves to the pastoral conversion that will make our shrines “field hospitals,”* where the wounded come to be welcomed, listened to, understood, affirmed, evangelized, converted, renewed and ‘sent forth’ to be messengers of hope, justice, peace and reconciliation. We recognize that we are wounded healers gifted with the ministry of reconciliation for the salvation of the human person. We seek to make our shrines ‘islands of mercy* and reconciliation’ for the Church.

We call the Provincial Administrations to support us in this renewed understanding and appreciation of our ministry. Together we can respond to the call Mary entrusted to us at La Salette. In her tender mercy may she, Star of Evangelization and Mother of Reconciliation, continue to guide us as we seek to remain faithful.


Signed: Jean Pierre Rakotonirina- Madagascar Manuel dos Reis Bonfim- La Salette-France Amador Marugan- España-Italia Pawel Raczynski- Polska Marcos Almeida– Brasil Marcos Reis- Brasil Louis de Pontbriand– France Jan Ozog- Polska Ronaldo Guzman- Philippines Henryk Kuman- Polska Stanislaw Kowalski– Polska Daniel Aguirre– Brasil Cyriac Mattathilanickal- North America

Ordinations to the Priesthood

On May 16, 2015, Rev. Edwin Ariola, MS (L) and Rev. Gabriel Chiniona, MS (R) took their ordinations to the Holy Order of Presbyters at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette in Silang, Cavite. The Eucharistic celebration and the Rite of Ordination was officiated by Archbishop Socrates Villegas,D.D., Archbishop of Lingayen-Dagupan in Pangasinan and President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines.

Members of the Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette and other religious congregations as well as friends from various Provinces and nearby parishes were in attendance. –Fr. Gabriel Chiniona, MS

Perpetual Profession and Renewal of Vows 2015

On the 1st of May 2015, Bro. Aldrin H. Cenizal, MS of Ina ng Pag-asa (Mother of Hope) Province had his Perpetual Profession of Vows. The celebration was held at the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette, Silang, Cavite, Philippines. The Eucharistic celebration was presided by Rev. Fr. Rosanno Soriano, MS, the Provincial Superior, who at the same time accepted his profession in the name of the Congregation.

Along with the perpetual profession was the renewal of vows of our 12 scholastic Brothers as seen in the picture: L-R Bros. Sergio Ganado, Jr., Clifford Manalo, Martin Peralta, Jeffer Perez, Marlon Dolar, Romnick Casio, Vincent Clemente, (Aldrin Cenizal), Rolando Ocampo, Pacifico Misajon, Christopher Navarro, John Carlo Tiu, and Rene Celedina, MS. (Back Row: L-R - Frs. Job Callarackal, Rosanno Soriano, and Eugene Andaya, MS) On the same occasion, around 100 members of La Salette Laity renewed their commitment.

Some members of the La Salette Laity (Lay Associates) who graced the occasion.

The celebration was attended and witnessed by the members of the Ina ng Pag-asa Province, Sisters of Our Lady of La Salette, La Salette Laity, other religious, families, friends, collaborators and representatives from parishes where the scholastic brothers are having their weekend apostolates. --Bro. Aldrin Cenizal, MS