Province of Mary, Mother of the Americas

The La Salette Missionaries have a formation house in Washington, DC, in the northeast area of the city, a poorer part of the city. Whenever I go down for a meeting or a visit, I try to get out to see some of the sights, sometimes a museum, at other times something new.

 

Just after the opening of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial, I went to do “the tourist thing” but I was pleasantly surprised how uplifting and touching my experience was. On a beautifully pleasant summer day I went with a few other La Salettes and we walked through the new memorial nestled on the shores of the Tidal Basin, the sight of the yearly Cherry Blossom Festival. I remember my mother telling me about the Depression years and World War II but I was far too young to remember. Now it was my turn to learn about my country and “the days that try men’s souls.”

 

I remember my mother telling me about this man and how he led the U.S. through some very trying times. Well, this memorial was massive but personal, much of it etched in rock but tender as the soft grass of summer. As we walked around these stone monoliths, the president’s sayings were so powerful, so “to the point.” He seemed to mince no words. Amidst the occasional waterfalls we saw his famous words that will travel down the halls of history forever. “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” Another is “I never forget that I live in a house owned by all the American people and that I have been given their trust.” His words seemed to sear themselves into my mind and heart.

 

With the recent Arab Spring, some of his words ring so true: “They (who) seek to establish systems of government based on the regimentation of all human beings by handful of individual rulers… call this a new order. It is not new and it is not order.” 

 

And with our recent withdrawal from Iran, and our involvement in other war-torn areas of the world, his words bring great wisdom: “Unless the peace that follows recognizes that the whole world is one neighborhood and does justice to the whole human race, the germs of another World War will remain as a constant threat to mankind.”

 

Also: “The structure of world peace cannot be the work of one man or one party, or one nation… It must be a peace which rests on the cooperative effort of the whole world.”

 

One of my favorites says: “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today. Let us move forward with strong and active faith.”

 

And in our days where the needy seem to multiply beyond our imagining, we hear President Roosevelt speak of the four freedoms: “Freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, freedom from fear.”

 

My visit was several years ago but the President’s words echo still in my mind. As we La Salettes finished our tour it already evening and the walls of water were bathed in light. What a wonderful meditation on the family of humankind, much like the words of Mary at La Salette when she spoke about “all my people” and her Son’s words: “I will draw everyone to myself” (John 12:32). 

 

As we enter this election year, we as a nation have much to reflect upon. Perhaps the words of this past President will strengthen our reserve to choose a leader who can lead us safe and strong into the future by the grace of God.

 

I invite you to take a tour through the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial by watching a brief slide show