Msgr. J. Gaston Hebert
She appeared as a globe of fire. The children were understandably afraid. Melanie and Maximim had been sent out to the mountains to shepherd the cows. It happened on the mountainside near Grenoble on Sept. 19, 1846. The lady spoke to the children of how she would like to help those who journeyed through this world so often filled with sinfulness. The children said she cried the entire time she spoke to them, so deep was her sadness at the sinfulness of the world. The lady was our Blessed Mother.
On Sunday, July 22, a group of 49 pilgrims from Poland had made a pilgrimage to the shrine of Our Lady of La Salette where she spoke to the children 160 years ago. They had also traveled to Fatima and Lourdes.
Doubtlessly the three priests accompanying the pilgrims led them in prayer and celebrated Mass for them at the shrine. They had long anticipated this spiritual journey and each must have presented many petitions to Our Lady, their hearts lifted up by their shared prayer and the beauty of the place hallowed by the prayers of so many holy people over the years. They probably hated getting on the bus as it meant a long journey home and leaving that place where they had found such spiritual comfort.
As the bus went down a steep road, the driver recognized that something was wrong. He yelled for the people to steady themselves just before the bus careened through the guard rail and fell 65 feet to the river bed below and burst into flames. Once again, “a globe of fire,” frightened children and tears.
Most of the people on board were older, but there were also a few children and some young adults. Twenty-six died; 24 were injured. The bodies that could be recovered were placed in white body bags, side by side. The bags reminded me of the white baptismal dresses the parents of the deceased once dressed them in, and now the white funeral palls soon to be placed upon their coffins by grieving loved ones in Poland. And, once again, Our Lady of La Salette cried, and so many of us shared her tears.
Officials of the governments of Poland and France immediately responded to the tragedy. Both nations grieved, and both simply did what they could to comfort, to help, to pray. Lech Kaczynski, the president of Poland, knelt on the river bank beside the shell of what had once been a bus, made the sign of the cross and prayed as he lit a candle to remember those who had died.
There are no words to explain away the hurt sustained by the loved ones of these good, pious children of Mary. In the midst of such a holy moment in their lives, why would this tragedy happen? I believe with all my heart that purpose of life is to be with God, not only here but, most importantly, for eternity.
I believe that all the suffering, physical and emotional, that this world has to offer is nothing, as St. Paul tells us, “compared to the glory that is yet to be revealed.” Our Lady of La Salette, pray for us that we may have faith in the face of the tragedies of this world. We do not understand, but we believe and we trust in the loving providence of God.
After having completed this column, a sad postscript must be added. Again, a bus filled with pilgrims. This time in Brazil on Thursday, July 26. They were returning from Bom Jesus da Lapa. A truck collided with the bus in the early hours of the morning. Ten pilgrims were killed. My prayer is our brothers and sisters from Brazil and Poland experience the fullness of God’s love in heaven.
