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The Little Known Story of Our Lady of Laus
by Kay Mule
Benoite Rencurel was born in 1647, in a small French village high in the Alps, near the border of Italy. Benoite, a poor illiterate girl, became a shepherdess for a well-to-do family when her beloved father died when she was only seven. She was a gentle girl who devoutly prayed the rosary often but had a firm will and determination to do good. On the other hand she was quite an ordinary girl.
Benoite often led the flock to pasture at the Vallon des Fours (Valley of Kilns). There, one day in early spring of 1664, she noticed a beautiful lady with a child by the hand. Since they were near the limekilns, she asked the lady if she wished to buy lime. After a while, without answering Benoite 's questions the Lady disappeared. The beautiful lady appeared for two months without speaking.
Benoite was so happy just to see the lady. Even if she was told to be humble and meek she couldn't hide what was happening to her for long. Very soon the authorities too got involved and curious people asked for an explanation. Her employer forbade her to go to the valley because people said it was not good for grazing. Although Benoite obeyed, the sheep went to the valley anyway! The employer decided to see about it himself, went to the valley and tried all day long but could not get the sheep out! Then he noticed that the sheep were as healthy as could be so he let Benoite take them there.
Eventually the judge of the district told Benoite to ask the lady who she was. The following day the apparition answered, “I am Mary, the Mother of Jesus. My Son wishes to be honored in this valley, but not on this spot.” Then she vanished and did not appear again for a month.
A month later, while she followed the Avence River, Benoite beheld a dazzling light on top of the Pindraux rocks. She crossed a rustic bridge but the light disappeared. A delicious perfume pervaded the spot. Following the scent she found a little thatch-covered chapel of Notre Dame de Bon Rencontre (Our Lady of Happy Meeting). When she entered, she saw a bright light with the Virgin standing over the altar. Seeing the dust lying on the altar, Benoite began to remove it with her apron; but Mary stopped her saying, “Soon nothing will be wanting here – neither vestments nor altar linen, nor anything necessary for divine worship. On this spot I wish a church built, a privileged sanctuary, wherein many sinners will repent. Here I will often appear to you. Means will not be wanting, despite the poverty of the country people around you.”
Every day Our Lady came to Benoite and guided her giving her the exact dimensions of the future shrine. But Laus Valley stands high up on the mountainside, entirely surrounded by wild and rocky hills up which no horse can climb. Mary, however, had said it was to be; and, with hardy good will, the pious peasants carried the stones up the mountain. And increasing numbers of pilgrims came to help. Some people donated building stones, others donated money. One day a roll of gold coins was found in the donation box even though the slot on top was not large enough for the roll.
As soon as the church was begun a miracle took place – the cure of a young man, son of a doctor of Gap, who had been ill from birth. During the first summer as many as 60 cures were recorded by officials. Stillborn infants when placed on the altar came to life and received baptism.Laus became a pilgrimage site for people coming from far away.
Our Lady continued to appear to Benoite every day for fifty-four years. Often Our Lady appeared with the Infant Jesus; and many times she beheld the Divine Child in the Sacred Host. Our Lady showed Benoite heaven, and she received the gift of discovering all kinds of sin by the sense of smell. The hidden secrets of many lives stood out clear as daylight before her. She was thus able to warn sinners who were encouraged to repent and to receive the sacrament of Confession.
While many believed Benoite, some sought to discredit her by accusing her of pride and hypocrisy. Strange as it may seem, her most bitter enemies were priests. Some of these went so far as to imprison her; but, after fourteen days spent in fervent prayer and without tasting food, Benoite was released. Her persecutors declared their doubts unfounded, -- the prison cell having been filled with the most heavenly perfume during all that time.
She became a Dominican Tertiary and suffered the stigmata for twenty years. No illness preceded her peaceful death which occurred on December 28, 1718. Despite the snow-covered mountains and Alpine glaciers, people from far off villages somehow knew of her death and flocked to the funeral. She was buried in the church at the foot of Our Lady’s altar.
Seventy years after her death, a workman repairing the sanctuary dropped a marble tablet on the tomb. The tombstone was raised and a portion of the wooden coffin was found broken. The splinters caused a wound on Benoite’s cheek from which issued blood as fresh and red as if she were still alive. When the lid was removed, the body was perfectly preserved. In 1854, the coffin was again opened, and Benoite’s habit found intact, though of her precious body nothing remained except the bones.
On September 7, 1871, Pius IX declared her Venerable, the first step to sainthood, and in 1893 the church was declared a minor basilica by Pope Leo XIII.