The Joyful Sisters of La Salette in Lamastre, France

The Changing History of the Area and their Religious Sisters

One the La Salette Sisters with a group of parishioners on a nearby mountaintop Lamastre is a commune of about 2,300 people in the Ardèche department in southeastern France, just west of Grenoble and a good distance from the Italian border. The Benedictines of St. Chaffres, came to Macheville in 961. They built and fortified the priory and occupied it until 1593.

The priory of Macheville became important. In 1587, the surroundings of the priory were the scene of bloody massacres but this town resisted the assaults of the Huguenots. In  593, the priory was confiscated by the state. After the French Revolution , the Sisters of Saint Joseph settled in the priory and established a school there. However in 2011, these sisters also left the priory.

Then in 2012, the inhabitants of Lamastre gratefully welcomed the Sisters of Our Lady of La Salette.

Helping the Younger Members of the Town

The sisters are involved with the youth in their religious education and they assist the local chaplain of their youth group.

Of course, the sisters lead the preparation f\or the various sacraments and accompany the children as they discover the meaning of their own life. By giving of our time and attentive listening, we enrich each other as we move on the path of belief in the Lord.
 
They attach great to their ministry of  visiting the  dependent elderly near the local hospital. If they encounter refusals on their first visit, they soon seek out the sisters from curiosity and eventually begin to depend on their support and understanding. The sisters help the elderly attend Friday Mass regularly.

During their frequent visits home visits, the sister can bring communion to those who we ask. For others, they offer to pray with them for their own personal needs.
The ancient Priory building
Above all, the La Salette Sisters bring joy to those with whom they meet and often listen to the many stories of the elderly, as they recount their life’s story remembering happy days gone by and their many loved ones of past and present.

Living "The Good News" on a daily basis

During the parish feasts, the La Salette Sisters participate in festive meals and interact with neighbors of other religions. In a true spirit of reconciliation, the sisters give great importance to building bridges between people of all faiths, strengthening ties in a spirit of conviviality and friendship. The sisters agree that “living our charism of reconciliation is a daily calling wherever we go.”
 
In 2012, Mgr. François Blondel welcomed us into the Parish of Saint Basile between Doux and Dunière in the Lamastre area. They arrived in a parish which has 25 steeples. The priory having remained closed for more than a year, the inhabitants of the city were happy to welcome a new religious community. They established themselves in this new situation, remembering Mary’s invitation at La Salette, "Come near, my children, do not be afraid. I am here to tell you great news." 

The Sisters’ Maternal Presence

A Sister at the home of a local familyThe La Salette Sisters –Berthine, Bénédicte and Irène—attest in their own words, that: “Following Mary, we are sent here to live with everyone. We try to be available and attentive on a daily basis, as we get to know each other. Our differences enrich us both.”
 
As the people of the towns in which the La Salette Sisters minister say: "With the sisters, there are no differences between us. They have always the smile. Relationships are easy ; we can tell them anything. They spend a lot of time with us and we truly appreciate their presence. They have brought new life and joy to our town. We feel their strong desire to want to be with us and get to know who we are.

Their attitude is pleasant and approachable. We've yet to see them angry. It is really a pleasure to be able to walk with them through our simple life. We love to discover their songs and their dances. They bring us an experience of another culture. We just love them!”