On the 19th of September, our movement joyfully gathered with the universal Church to celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of La Salette, our beloved Patroness. Across the world, in parishes where the Mothers Who Pray for Their Children Movement is present, Holy Masses were offered in honour of Our Lady. These celebrations were marked with prayer, thanksgiving, and moments of fraternity that reflected the deep love we hold for the Blessed Mother who intercedes for our children and families.
Preparing in Prayer and Fasting
In the days leading up to the Feast, mothers from every corner of the world united spiritually in preparation. Together, we prayed the Novena to Our Lady of La Salette and many also embraced fasting, offering these sacrifices for the intentions of our children, priests, and families. These moments of preparation echoed the heart of our mission: to entrust all that we carry as mothers to Mary, who knows the depths of a mother’s heart.
The Message of La Salette
Our Lady appeared on September 19, 1846, to two shepherd children, Mélanie and Maximin, in the small village of La Salette, France. Clothed in light and weeping, she brought a message of reconciliation, conversion, and return to her Son. Her maternal plea reminded the world of the importance of prayer, repentance, and fidelity to God—calling us back when we drift into indifference and forgetfulness of His love.
This message resonates deeply with the mission of our Movement. As mothers, we are entrusted with the sacred duty of leading our children to Christ. Like Our Lady at La Salette, we weep in prayer for them, interceding for their conversion, their protection, and their sanctification. We echo Mary’s call to never abandon prayer, to live with faith, and to draw our families into deeper communion with God.
Celebrations Around the World
On the Feast itself, parishes across many nations celebrated Holy Mass, giving thanks for Our Lady’s maternal care and for the gift of our Movement. After Mass, communities gathered for morning tea, continuing the celebration in fellowship and joy.
In several parishes, priests who have shown great love and support for the Movement were surprised with a special gift: a new chasuble to commemorate the occasion. These gestures expressed the gratitude of mothers for their spiritual fathers, who daily walk alongside us in prayer and in guiding our families toward holiness.
Homilies preached on the day highlighted the message of La Salette, reminding us of Our Lady’s tears and her urgent call to conversion. Just as she wept for a world that had forgotten God, mothers today are called to weep and to pray—transforming those tears into a fountain of hope, healing, and intercession.
A Movement in the Heart of the Church
The Feast of Our Lady of La Salette was not simply an event, but a reminder of why she is our Patroness. Her tears mirror the tears of mothers who pray unceasingly for their children. Her message of reconciliation strengthens us in our mission to bring our families back to the heart of God.
As we look back on these celebrations, we give thanks for the unity of our Movement across continents. United under the mantle of Our Lady of La Salette, we continue to pray with perseverance, trusting that every prayer, every sacrifice, and every Mass offered will bear fruit in the lives of our children and in the renewal of families everywhere.
Our Lady of La Salette, Reconciler of Sinners, pray for us!Click here to add text.
Written by: Felise D'Costa
Communications Coordinator
Photos provided by all parish groups