The Holy Shrine

The Shrine of
Our Lady of La Salette
Ipswich Massachusetts

If you are a first time visitor to my website it is very much in your interest to read this page. A heavy price was paid to share it with you. I swear on my mother's grave that everything I am speaking here is true, including all reference to this so called Higher Power.

Make no mistake, when you speak of such things, if you are not telling the truth the ramifications to you are catastrophic. Which brings us to another one of life's great secrets. You never sell your integrity for greed and power. The path to the kingdom of heaven is not for sale and can only come from within you. Your integrity is the key to the door and your faith is the way to the kingdom. His word is his promise and his promise is never broken.

My November pilgrimage to

The Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette

Of course we can't find it!

It's gone?

First the bad news, I got lost! No surprise here, I was looking for it in Topsfield, MA but The Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette is in Ipswich, MA.

You see, it's the first time I've been back to this sacred and holy place since I recovered from major depression, over five years ago. My old hiding spot and sanctuary has not changed over the years.

I'm an ex commercial fisherman, the forest and trees all look alike to me, but with some help I finally did locate it. Sadly, I found the church is now closed. The property and grounds are now owned by Turner Estates/Properties.

It still so beautiful and peaceful there, Turner Estates/Properties does a magnificent job of maintaining these lands and the Holy Shrine itself. The Shrine of Our Lady of La Salette's main branch is located in Altramont, New York.

Here's the good news, I walked out into those woods and I was humbled. Then I saw it, the Church of La Salette standing by itself up high on the hill. That day was raining, dark and cloudy here in New England. I swear on my mother's grave this is exactly what happened next. I walked up the hill towards the church and I completely broke down, my knees got weak and I could not stop crying. This caught me totally off guard. I am not a man prone to tears or I would have been dead long ago.

Then out of those dark clouds came the sun and I looked straight up into it. No words could ever describe the experience, it was the single greatest thrill of my life - I'll never forget it.

In loving memory of my mother, Shirley E. Wildes

This page is dedicated to my adoptive mother, Shirley E. Wildes who, over a period of 67 years, took care of hundreds of foster children for the state of Massachusetts. During this period my mother would overcome and beat three totally different, fatal, cancers. At her eulogy, which I was very honored to read, most of her dear friends and the public in attendance (they were many) knew what Shirley did with total selflessness, dedication and love for all us abandoned children. Many did not know about her triumphs and silent victories over cancer that all us children beared witness to. My mother, God bless her, was not alive during my own near fatal illness. She no doubt would have beaten major depression in one year or less, not the five years it took me.