The sanctuary in La Salette

GIS: I would like you to say a little about the Sanctuary of La Salette in France. We have a colleague of ours travelling as a pilgrim there, Eduardo, who has recently sent us a letter telling his passage by the Sanctuary.

Father Perin: The Sanctuary of La Salette is on Salette mountain, where Our Lady appeared. A few people are able to live in that reality. For example, people who have heart problems or diabetes have extreme difficulties to live there. The Sanctuary has existed since 1852, starting small one, but that today it has a complete hotel service. There’s nothing there but the church and the hotel. There isn’t any house. Today there are already priests of other nationalities, who work as a team to serve the pilgrims of other countries. We also have a Brazilian there, Father Attic, besides Eduardo, who is there. I saw him when he arrived, and started working in the kitchen of the hotel, always very enthusiastic. There’s other young woman from São Paulo going there in August. We have people that work as effective employees and as volunteers. The volunteers are young people who are on vacation, and retired people who usually retire early in Europe, and then go to the Sanctuary. The staff is, 40 employees in the complex. They are people who, as well as the volunteers, also have their time to attend to lectures of formation and be in contact with people who speak other languages... I think this is very important, therefore people can enrich themselves a lot with this kind of experience. In the summer, there are 40 effective employees and 100 or 120 volunteers taking care of all local necessities, such as to serve food, arrange the rooms and welcome the pilgrims. There are people coming and leaving every day.

GIS: Does the movement increase a lot around September 19?

Father Perin: The biggest pilgrimage is on August 15, because after this the winter process starts, and by September the snow and the fog starts around the mountain, what makes the access much harder. Where we are, we are above the fog, because we are 1800 meters height. It is an interesting landscape because, from above, we look at the fog below us.

GIS: So the arrival there, becomes difficult...

Father Perin: Oh, yes. Comparing to other sanctuaries, such as Fatima and Lourdes, there’s no possible comparison. In those sanctuaries, the means of transport leave you at the sanctuary’s door. The nearest train station is 80 km from La Salette Sanctuary. The one who goes there, is really going for a day of prayers and reflection. At night, there isn’t any option to go out or entertainment. You have to stay there.