La Salette Shrine in Attleboro

By DONNA KENNY KIRWAN

ATTLEBORO--Of course, there are the lights...all 300,000 of them. They are shining as brightly as ever and dazzling visitors young and old, as they have for the past 54 years.

However, there are some new reasons to visit--or revisit the National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette, from a newly constructed Welcome Center and a Christmas “Ribbon Tree” honoring fallen soldiers to narrated trolley tour of the 17 decorated acres of sprawling grounds.

The Shrine, located on Route 118 in Attleboro, is holding its 2007 Christmas Festival of Lights from now through January 1. The illuminations will be from 5-9 p.m. daily celebrating the religious traditions of the Christmas season.

This year’s Festival of Lights celebrates the Shrine’s 54th anniversary with the theme: “Love is Born”.

Brother Rev. Robert “Bob” Russell, M.S., said there has been “a lot of building going on” at the Shrine property since a devastating 1997 fire. Part of a $4.1 million rebuilding project, paid for with insurance money, is the Welcome Center, a complex that contains a new concert hall and theater, plus a soon-to-be-opened bistro and religious articles gift shop. The bistro will seat approximately 35-40 people and will offer an alternative dining experience from the cafeteria.

Russell said the concert hall and theater opened for use on Dec. 8, but the official opening and dedication for the entire Welcome Center will be held sometime in mid-to-late January. He said that with the new design, the various buildings are all connected now, from the church to the cafeteria.

He added that when the current gift shop moves into its new location, the area will be turned into a permanent display of over 600 international nativity sets. The International Display of Nativity had to be temporarily closed this year due to the construction at the Welcome Center.

 “We have hundred of beautiful nativity sets that come from all over the world,” Russell said. “We look forward to their return in a new location.

Another attraction is the trolley, which was instituted last year. Offered on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, from 5-9 p.m., the trolley brings visitors on a tour of the grounds, while Russell narrates the various points of interest and facts about the Shrine. The cost is $3. This proved popular with visitors during the 2006 Christmas display, he said.

On a somber note, inside the church stands a Christmas tree decorated entirely with ribbons. The tree honors the memory of the soldiers who have died in the military conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, and each of the 3,834 ribbons represents a fallen soldier, Russell said. By the tree stands a copy of a poem, called “Honoring our Heroes” that was penned by Russell.

“It’s a meditative place,” said Russell, of the ribbon tree and poem. “I’ve seen people standing there for a long time, just looking at it and crying,” he said.

With an obviously sky-high electrical bill, Russell said the Shrine staff has begun to experiement with the use of energy-saving LED Christmas lights. There is a new wreath at the church and snowflakes that are illuminated with LED lights, and the Shine is hoping to expand the use of the more modern lighting option one section at a time. “It’s expensive, but will save on electricity in the long run. We hope to go LED for the whole property eventually,” he said.

The National Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette is operated by The Missionaries of Our Lady of La Salette, a Roman Catholic order. The La Salette Brothers, along with maintenance staff and volunteers, put up all the lights and displays

In addition to the lighting and manger displays, the La Salette Shrine offers a variety of religious programs and services, including the daily celebration of Eucharist, Confessions, and Christmas Concerts with Father Pat. Each day there is an Opening Ceremony and Blessing at 4:55 p.m. at the Outdoor Manger.

While a visit to the La Salette Shrine is part of countless local residents’ annual holiday traditions, Russell said there has noticed that attendance has been lower than usual. “We see a decline this year. I think it can be attributed to many factors...the price of gasoline, the economy,” said Russell. However, he added, that he notes all of the people who visit the Shrine year after year--“many who used to come where they were children and are now bringing their own children,” he said.