Province of Mary, Mother of the Americas

Fr. Clément Moussier (1860-1919)

(l to r) Frs. William Breault (1894-1974) and Aloysius Spielman (1892-1948)

For almost 110 years various La Salette Missionaries have directly impacted American mission efforts. They were men of vision and personified the La Salette mission spirit. They were men who recognized that, alone, they could do very little. They requested, and generously received support from numerous Co-Missionaries – Laity, Religious and Priests.

 

The first La Salette to depart from the USA to minister in a mission country was Fr. Clément Moussier, a native of France. In 1904 he left from the parish of St. James in Danielson, CT to serve in the parish of Santa Anna in Sâo Paulo, Brazil. La Salette presence in the North America was barely 10 years old. Bolstered also by La Salette confreres from other countries, he worked tirelessly and in 1934 both the USA and Brazil would be among the first four areas of the Congregation to become Provinces. 

Virginia Leveille, left, and Janet Millian, play a game of cards while passing the time away in the community room at the Wrentham police station Tuesday. (Chronicle staff photo by Mark Stockwell)

In what can only seem like a nightmare to residents so close to Halloween, thousands across the area remained without power Sunday night with no clear timetable on when service will be restored.

 

A storm system that moved through the area Saturday night, Oct. 29, 2011, dumped 2.5 inches of wet, heavy snow in Attleboro, breaking the previous October record of 2 inches in 1979, according to the city’s water department. The snow snapped tree branches and power lines across the area, leaving thousands of residents in the dark and those who rely on electric heat in the cold.

 

Shelters opened up around the area to help those in need and the darkness forced some of the harder-hit areas to cancel school today and, in some cases, even postpone trick-or-treating. With it becoming clear that power would not be restored Sunday night, and fearful that those who depend on electric heat would be in danger on a night with frigid temperatures in the forecast, officials opted to open emergency shelters for those who needed a warm place to stay.

 

La Salette National Shrine on Park Street in Attleboro opened at 6 p.m. to serve as a regional shelter for several area communities. The shelter was staffed with public health personnel from Attleboro and Norton and offered guests cots and warm surroundings.