Saint John Baptist de La Salle and Our Lady of Liesse

On May 10, 1684, the eve of the Ascension, Father de La Salle gathered twelve of his best disciples in Reims and gave them a retreat until Trinity Sunday. They needed to reflect upon whether it was a good idea to form a community and take vows. Finally, the group endorsed the founder's opinion and on Sunday, May 28th, they all met together and pronounced the vows of chastity and obedience in an oratory on the rue Neuve in Reims. The next day, after marching all night long, the thirteen pilgrims arrived at the Marian shrine of Liesse or All-Joy, about twenty-five miles north of Reims. They stood before Our Lady of All-Joy, renewed their vows, imploring the aid of the Mother of God. They chose her as the first Superior of their Institute. It was truly a pilgrimage of supplication and thanksgiving. The followers of Father de La Salle placed themselves under the protection of Our Lady, proclaimed her Principal and Queen of their schools. Subsequently, the pilgrimage became quite a habitual devotion to the holy man; when visiting religious Brothers in nearby towns, he could not pass by Liesse without paying his respects to their heavenly Protector. Arriving at the feet of Our Lady, he had great difficulty leaving. He would sometimes remain for as long as three hours in front of the altar of Our Lady, after celebrating Mass in her honor. In the chapel, later dedicated to Saint John de La Salle, at the far left-hand side of the Basilica, a marble ex-voto recalls this act of consecration of the Community made in 1684. Since then, the Brothers have kept a tender devotion to Our Lady of Liesse. In 1902, the Superior General, Brother Gabriel Mary, cured of a dangerous chest infection through the intercession of Our Lady, testified his gratitude by having the chapel re-decorated and offering a stained-glass window representing the Act of Consecration of the Institute.