Happens every time, never fails

In the past ten years I've had the opportunity to visit more than forty La Salette Communities in North America to preach parish missions, to attend meetings of one kind or another, or to simply visit with confreres. In every instance I was proud to identify with and belong to the La Salette Community that ministers throughout the whole world. It was good to revisit Bloomfield, Chesire, and our cemetery plot in Hartford and hear Peter Collins recall the names of La Salettes who contributed so much to who we are today.

This issue of our newsletter includes the "Somerville Rule of Life". We are doing well in some areas, struggling in others. It will give you an idea of what we are trying to do together as a community.

A brief article from Transformation, the newsletter of the Religious Formation Conference, was also included. Why? Because it speaks to our Province's restructuring situation in an upbeat, positive, and hopeful way. It was good for me to read this article and I thought many of you would also enjoy it.

The four students will be going to Attleboro for two Steubenville weekends before leaving for St. Louis on July 27. As you rejoice and celebrate over the four choosing to continue on to the next stage of formation, you are maybe wondering about the next class? To date we have had eight serious inquiries and another twenty or so requests for information. As of now we have three possible candidates for next year. Wish we had six, which would be a full house, with another dozen fighting to come in!

Since our last newsletter we have had a number of La Salette visitors ... Dennis Loomis, Dennis Meyer and Terrence Niziolek, James Kuczynski, Skip Negley, David Cook, Mark Gallant, Ron Taylor, Leonard Melanson and Ray Tetreault, Paul Belhumeur, Gil Genest, Peter Collins, Moe Linehan, Jim Aherne, and Roland Nadeau. Bro. Ron disagrees with my list. To be a visitor according to Bro. Ron one has to sleep over and share a few meals with the community.

If some of you have any questions, comments, or suggestions concerning the Somerville Pre-Novitiate Program, please feel free to write, call, Fax, or e-mail us. We would appreciate hearing from you.

Fr. Roger Plante, M.S.

POSTULANTS VISIT THE "MOTHERHOUSE"

On May 11-13 we the La Salette postulants of Somerville went for a visit to the "Motherhouse" in Hartford, CT. Upon arrival Fr. Richard R.. Boucher greeted us cordially. A short while later all of us began a whirlwind tour for the next two days led by Bro. (Speedy) G. Peter Collins. This "Tour de Force!" included many numerous sites, e.g., Our lady of sorrows, St. Ann, cemetary, Bloomfield, Chesire, and Grandview. So quick was this tour that assimilation and recall of all the information pertaining to time, places, and events was rendered momentarily inert due to stress and trauma to our brians' synapses. However, we did our best to recall the over abundant collage of facts and figures under Bro. Peter Collins most difficult and definitive testing. The tour was concluded Saturday evening with dinner prepared by the Vicar Provincial himself, Fr. James Kuczynski at his Grandview mansion. Overall the brothers and priests that we met at the "Motherhouse" were more than hospitable and friendly.

Another aspect of the weekend I found grace filled was the realization that God communicates with His people in forms other than words. It was at the "Motherhouse" that I came to believe God spoke to me softly during my visit. How so? The tears welling up and rolling down the left cheek of Fr. Dressell spoke to me of his deep and abiding love of the Burmese people, and his call to serve the people of Burma as a Missionary of La Salette. In that grace filled moment of self-disclosure I accept as true that Fr. Dressell's tears spoke on behalf of Our Lady and all his missionary brothers of La Salette. His tears spoke deeply of all Missionaries of La Salette in their passionate response to Jesus' call, his invitation to serve others no matter who they are, or where they are. His tears truly were a living symbol and testament of the love, joy, and sorrow for the people of God to who the Spirit of God has granted all the Missionaries of La Salette the grace to serve. Our Lady of La Salette may have been the first missionary of this illustrious group to go forth and respond to God's call by making God's message known to all his/her people throughout the world through two small children, but through Fr. Stephan's tears, I have met, and seen most intimately, every Missionary of La Salette from Hartford and beyond.

Fr. Dressell is an eighty-year-old resident of Hartford, but his spirit resides in Burma. His hope and dream is to witness the first La Salette ordinations in that country, and as bold and brash as this may seem, I promised him that if he was alive after my ordination (God willing) that I would ask the provincial and his council to allow me to take him home there to witness this blessed event. His hope and dream is that this truly will become a reality. He knows the stakes are high, but like Zechariah he hopes to live long enough to witness the ever-present power of God in their lives, in this case God's salvific activity manifested in the Sacrament of Holy Orders for a select group of young Burmese men. However, only God, time, and the provincial council will tell.

Peter Neagle, Jr.

BLESS THE CHILDREN!

After the christening of his baby brother in church, little Johnny sobbed all the way home in the back seat of the car. His dad asked him three times what was wrong. Finally, amid great sobs the boy replied, "That priest said he wanted us brought up in a Christian home, and I want to stay with you guys!"

His Sunday School teacher asked, "Now, Johnny, tell me frankly, do you say prayers before eating?" "No Miss Grace," replied Johnny. "I don't have to. My mom is a good cook."

A little boy was overheard praying, "Lord, if you can't make me a better boy, don't worry about it. I'm having a real good time like I am."

Click here for page two