Why Our Lady Of Laus Still Matters Today

A forgotten mountain valley in the French Alps became a place where thousands rediscovered peace, not through spectacle, but through confession, mercy, and a Mother’s steady patience. We walk through the approved Marian apparitions of Our Lady of Laus and the life of Benoîte Rencurel, a poor teenage shepherdess whose simple prayer and obedience became the doorway to one of the longest-lasting apparitions in Church history.

We talk about what makes Laus unique: Mary’s title “Refuge of Sinners,” the consistent call to conversion of heart, and the way the shrine becomes a sanctuary built around the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Along the way, we explore why this message feels surprisingly current for modern Catholic life, especially when anxiety, distraction, and wounded relationships make it tempting to drift from the sacraments instead of running toward them.

We also touch on the blessed oil of Laus and the wider role of Catholic sacramentals as visible reminders of God’s care, plus the Church’s careful discernment that culminates in the official approval of the apparitions in 2008. If you want a practical, hope-filled nudge back to confession, deeper devotion to Mary, and a calmer, steadier walk with Jesus in the Eucharist, this journey is for you.

Subscribe for more stories of saints, shrines, and Catholic tradition, and if this helped you, share it with a friend and leave a review.

Our Lady of Laus items at Journeys of Faith

Open by Steve Bailey

Transcript

Welcome And Why Laus Matters

SPEAKER_00 0:11

Hello family, welcome to Journeys of Faith Super Saints Podcast. I am Brother Joseph, your narrator. Be sure to look at the description for special information of interest to you. Why Our Lady of Laos Still Matters for Catholics today In a world often bustling with noise, distraction, and competing directions for the heart, Catholics continue to search for signs of God's nearness, a mother's presence that reassures and invites deeper conversion. Amid the great tapestry of Marian apparitions recognized by the Church, the quiet beauty and enduring message of Our Lady of Laos offer a gentle invitation that resonates across centuries. How does an apparition from the misty alpine valleys of seventeenth century France still speak to the faithful today? At journeys of faith, where every story, shrine, and saintly encounter is an invitation to grow closer to Jesus, Our Lady of Lao stands as a testament to God's patience, mercy, and unwavering desire for the healing of his people. From the humble shepherdess Benoit Rin Kurel to the thousands of pilgrims who make their way to Laos annually, the messages entrusted to this peaceful sanctuary are as relevant and vital now as they were centuries ago. With a reverent heart and a storyteller spirit, let us journey together through the miraculous events that unfolded at Laos, rediscovering their meaning for our lives, families, and our own path to holiness. In a time when the Church encourages us to return to confession, to foster devotion, and to walk ever more closely with our Lord through his mother, the story of Our Lady of Laos becomes not only a cherished memory, but a living call, a call to healing, reconciliation, and the joys of sacramental life. The Humble Beginning. Born in 1647 to a poor family in the tiny hamlet of Saint Etienne d'Avansong, Benoit's early life was marked by hardship. Her father died when she was still a child, leaving her mother to raise six children alone. Benoit herself grew up tending sheep, climbing steep hillsides in search of pasture, her rosary never far from her work worn hands. Yet from this life of poverty and simplicity sprang an extraordinary openness to grace. Benoit longed for God and clung to our lady in daily prayer. She was known among villagers for her gentle, compassionate nature, often sharing her meager food with those still poorer than herself. Though she could neither read nor write, Benoit carried within her heart a deep faith, nurtured by the catechism lessons she received at her parish. It was in this quiet and hidden existence, away from the splendors of courts or the learned debates of scholars, that heaven chose Benoit to be a herald. At the age of seventeen, while watching her sheep near the valley of Laos, she began to experience mystical visions. The most significant came in May 1664. A beautiful lady, clothed in dazzling light and surrounded by a heavenly fragrance, appeared to her and introduced herself as the mother of God. Our Lady's visits to Benoit would span fifty-four years, unfolding not before the powerful, but among the humble. Benoit became the gentle voice by which Mary spoke to the world, appealing for conversion, penance, and tender care for wounded hearts. Undergirded by obedient faithfulness, Benwat's life reminds us that holiness is not reserved to sanctuaries or the learned, but is found wherever hearts are open to God's call, no matter how ordinary the beginnings may seem. Experience the beauty of Our Lady of Lo with journeys of faith. Let the message of Our Lady of Laos touch your heart and draw you closer to Christ through the treasures of Catholic tradition. At Journeys of Faith, we are committed to helping you deepen your devotion and nurture your relationship with Mary, the saints, and above all, our Lord in the Eucharist. Explore these opportunities to bring the grace of Laos into your daily life. Discover our books and videos, immerse yourself in the full story of Binwat Ren Carel and the apparitions of Our Lady of Lowe with our carefully researched resources, perfect for personal prayer, family catechesis, or parish groups. Pray with sacramentals from Laos. Find beautifully crafted rosaries, metals, and scapulars inspired by Marian apparitions through our online store, a tangible reminder of our Lady's loving presence and maternal care. Join our email community, receive uplifting stories of saints, apparitions, and Eucharistic miracles, plus practical devotions and the latest ministry updates delivered straight to your inbox. Share the journey, gift books or devotional items to loved ones, and invite them to walk with you on the path of faith. Bring the peace, hope, and motherly guidance of Our Lady of Laos into your home today. Browse our selections and start your journey with Mary. Where is Laos, and why did heaven choose this place? Tucked away among the tranquil foothills of the French Alps lies the quiet village of Laos, a place that might have escaped history's notice if not for a miracle destined to echo through the ages. Laos, near the Provencal border and nestled above the town of Gap, is unassuming, a hidden corner hemmed in by meadows, forests, and the gentle singing of mountain streams. In the seventeenth century, Laos was little more than a cluster of stone dwellings and a humble countryside chapel dedicated to our lady of good encounter. The story of why heaven chose Laos begins with its extraordinary ordinariness. It was not a grand basilica or a bustling medieval city, but a simple, forgotten parish church that became Heaven's doorway. Here, in May of 1664, a young shepherdess named Benoit Rencurell was gathering her flock when something radiant pierced the alpine air. Over the next fifty-four years, Benoit would receive countless visits and messages from a lady of ineffable kindness. Why law? The answer seemed woven into the fabric of Catholic spirituality itself. God often chooses the meek, the poor, and the hidden for his greatest works. The apparitions at law, recognized officially by the Church in 2008, unfolded in a place untouched by glamour or fame. Heaven's preference for law highlights the supernatural reality that God's grace comes not where the world expects, but where faith is ready and hearts are humble. Over centuries, Laos has become known as a sanctuary of mercy and healing. Its location and the simplicity of its people were perfectly suited for the message our Lady wished to bring, a call to repentance, reconciliation, and the quiet beauty of daily conversion. From its very beginning, Laos has reminded the faithful that no corner of the world is too remote for the gaze of the Mother of God, and that perhaps, in the silence and seclusion of places like Laos, heaven finds hearts most ready to listen. The apparitions of Our Lady of Laos 1664 to 1718. The story of Our Lady of Laos begins in the humble alpine village of Laos, nestled in the remote mountains of southeastern France. In the spring of 1664, a simple seventeen-year-old shepherdess named Benoit Rencarel was tending her flock when she was drawn by a mysterious fragrance, one she would later describe as celestial, that filled the air. Little did she know that this heavenly scent was the herald of a series of Marian apparitions that would transform not just her life, but the spiritual destiny of countless souls. Over the course of more than five decades, Benwat was graced with regular visits from the Mother of God. Our Lady appeared to her under the title Reconciler and Refuge of Sinners. The Blessed Virgin's message was gentle yet profound, a call to conversion, penance, and unwavering trust in God's mercy. She spoke as a loving mother who wants nothing more than to gather her children into the embrace of her son. Unlike the brief intense apparitions at Lourdes or Fatima, the appearances at Lost unfolded almost daily during certain periods, marking loss as a site of one of the longest lasting, approved Marian apparitions in church history. Our Lady instructed Benwat to encourage people to seek sacramental reconciliation and healing, promising that those who come here with faith and repentance will find comfort and the conversion of their hearts. She asked that a chapel be built where sinners could experience the grace of confession and the consolation of spiritual doctors, the priests God would send to lause. The apparitions were also marked by touching moments of intimacy and maternal care. Our lady would often appear standing near a small chapel lamp, awaiting her little shepherdess, radiating gentleness and concern, inviting not just Ben Wat, but all souls to return home to Christ and his church. What truly sets Laws apart is the steady flow of miracles and conversions reported at the shrine, from physical healings to profound interior peace, the sacrament of confession became and remains the beating heart of laws, just as Our Lady desired. Here, through the humility of a shepherdess and the enduring presence of Mary, pilgrims feel anew the motherly care and urgent invitation of our lady to reconciliation, prayer, and holiness. Mary's Title at Laws, Refuge of Sinners. In the quiet valley of Los France, when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to a humble shepherdess named Benoit Rancarel in 1664, she revealed herself not with grand gestures, but with gentle words and a mother's concern for all her children. Among the many titles our lady holds in Catholic tradition, the one she claimed at Los has a unique tenderness, refuge of sinners. This title was not chosen lightly. The people who flocked to Loss were often weighed down by guilt, carrying heavy burdens in their hearts. Some traveled great distances through the rugged alpine foothills, not to witness supernatural wonders, but in the hope of finding peace, forgiveness, and a new beginning. Mary's message to Benoit was simple yet transformative. She desired Los to be a place where sinners would discover compassion, mercy, and reconciliation with God. Here Mary was not distant or untouchable. She spoke to Benoit for seventeen years, guiding her, instructing her to encourage pilgrims to go to confession, and reminding everyone who came that her son's heart is always open to the repentant. The Virgin at Laos didn't perform dazzling miracles or prophesy world events. Her miracle was her patient, loving presence, drawing souls back to the sacraments, especially the sacrament of reconciliation. For centuries Laos has been known as a sanctuary where the lost and wounded receive hope. Our Lady's title as refuge of sinners is both a promise and an invitation. She stands at the door of every heart, ready to welcome us, show us the way home, and lead us into the embrace of her divine Son, no matter how far we have wandered. In her gentle apparitions at Laos, Mary assures us that there is no sin too great, no sorrow too deep that cannot be healed by God's mercy, if we simply trust in her intercession and take those first steps back to Him. The Central Message Conversion of Heart. When the Blessed Virgin appeared to the humble shepherdess, Ben Wat Renkurel, in the beautiful mountain hamlet of Lao, her words and presence were imbued with the maternal solicitude that only our heavenly mother can offer. Through Ben Wat, Mary invites all her children to return to her son with humility, penance, and trust, embracing the mercy of God with open arms. The story of Laos is, at its core, a story of reconciliation. Pilgrims, both in Benwat's day and our own, are gently urged to approach the sacrament of confession, what the church calls the sacrament of conversion, not with fear but with hope. As Benwat lovingly guided pilgrims to the priests of Laos, seeking forgiveness and healing, our lady's motherly love shone forth in every gesture and word. Again and again she called her children back from the shadows of sin to the radiance of Christ's love. The apparitions also emphasize the importance of persevering prayer, especially for sinners. Rather than grand miracles or prophecies, what marks the grace of Laos is the quiet transformation of souls, ordinary men and women moved to true repentance, broken hearts made whole through encounter with divine mercy. In a world marked by distraction and doubt, Laos stands as a perpetual invitation from our blessed mother. Be reconciled, be renewed, let your heart be changed. Our Lady of Laos teaches us that every act of repentance is in truth a journey home, and on that journey, Mary, the refuge of sinners, walks beside us, always pointing the way to her son, the fout of all forgiveness and peace. The role of the Sacrament of Penance at Laos. The story of Our Lady of Laos unfolds around a deep invitation to conversion and healing. When the Blessed Virgin appeared to young Benwat Rancarel in 1664, her message was strikingly simple, yet profound. Turn away from sin, embrace God's mercy, and seek the peace that comes only from reconciliation with the Lord. At the heart of the Lao's apparitions, the sacrament of penance, confession, took on a new prominence. Our Lady specifically called pilgrims to receive sacramental absolution, telling Ben Lot to encourage all who came to the little chapel to pray and do penance. This gentle, maternal urging echoed Christ's own invitation. Repent and believe in the gospel. Soon Los became known as a place of spiritual renewal. People traveled from nearby villages and distant towns, drawn by accounts of miraculous healings and profound peace. Yet what truly distinguished Los was not merely the wonders, but the visible fruit of conversion in thousands of hearts. Stories from the shrine record that entire families would leave behind bitterness and grudges, reconciled with God and one another at the foot of the confessional. Confessors at Laos soon found themselves dedicating hours each day to the sacrament, astonished at the streams of penitence. Some accounts recall priests moved to tears by the sincerity and depth of contrition they witnessed, especially among those estranged from the church for years. Our Lady promised Bin Wat that many sinners will be converted at Laos, and so it was. The sacrament of penance became a living sign of heaven's mercy in the mountains. The shrine today upholds this call. Pilgrims still come, not only seeking physical healing, but longing most of all for the healing of the soul. In this sacred place, our Lady's message of penance gently draws each person closer to her son Jesus, echoing through centuries. Come home, seek reconciliation, and be healed. The Blessed Oil of Laos and its spiritual significance. Among the many treasures that come to us from the apparitions of Our Lady of Lao, one stands out for its gentle healing power, the blessed oil of Lao. When Our Lady appeared to the humble shepherdess Benwat Rencarel in the secluded alpine valley of Lao in the late 17th century, she asked that oil from the sanctuary lamp be applied to the sick as a sign of her maternal intercession. For centuries the faithful have made pilgrimages to Lao, seeking this oil and the grace that flows from it, a simple sacramental yet a tangible sign of heaven touching earth. The use of blessed oil at Lao unfolds like a living parable of the gospel healing miracles. Our Lady's request mirrored the ancient Christian tradition recalled in the letter of James. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. The oil itself, humble in substance, is set apart through blessing for a spiritual purpose. In this Marian shrine, it has become an instrument of both bodily and spiritual consolation, offering comfort to all who approach with faith. What makes the Laws oil so cherished isn't just its connection to miraculous physical healings, though these have been documented, but its deeper role as a channel of hope and encouragement. Pilgrims journeying to Laws, carrying the burdens of illness, sorrow, or spiritual fatigue, have found in this simple oil a gentle reminder that our lady walks with her children. She leads them, as she led Benwat, to her son Jesus, who is the true source of all healing. In our own day, the blessed oil of Laos invites us to reclaim the richness of Catholic sacramentals. It reminds us that God meets us in concrete ways through visible signs, and that no prayer or gesture of faith is too small for his loving gaze. Whether applied in times of sickness or kept as a sign of Mary's ongoing care, this oil remains a balm for body and soul, connecting generations of Catholics in a living chain of faith, hope, and trust in the intercession of Our Lady of Laos. A message of mercy for modern times. When Our Lady appeared to Benwat Rencarel in the humble valley of Lowe's in the late 1600s, her message resounded with a motherly tenderness that transcends time, a message of mercy and reconciliation for broken souls. The shrine at Lowe's became a sanctuary, not only for the villagers, but for the countless pilgrims who have journeyed there across the centuries, drawn by Mary's promise to intercede for sinners and guide them back to Christ. The drama of Benoit's life is echoed in the struggles of Catholics today. She was a shepherdess, simple and unnoticed by the world, yet she was entrusted with a mission at the heart of the gospel, to call her neighbors to conversion, comfort the afflicted, and remind them that no one is beyond the reach of God's mercy. With gentle persistence, Mary encouraged Benwat to pray for sinners, to offer sacrifices, and to lead souls to the sacraments, especially confession and the Eucharist, the fountains of healing still available to every Catholic. Even now at Laos, pilgrims gather seeking the same mercy emphasized in Mary's apparitions. The oil from the sanctuary lamp, used for anointing the sick, remains a tangible sign of the Blessed Mother's Compassion. It is a living catechesis. Our Lady longs to embrace each of her children, no matter how lost, with the love and forgiveness of her son. In a world made restless by anxiety, distraction, and woundedness, the message of Laos stands as a gentle summons to trust in Christ's mercy and to make room for him in the heart. Mary's words at loss invite us to rediscover the sacraments as real encounters with divine mercy. She does not promise freedom from suffering, but rather offers solace and strength, showing that true. Peace is found in reconciliation with God and one another. This message, rooted in the Church's perennial teaching, speaks just as powerfully now as it did over three centuries ago, calling Catholics to conversion, hope, and a deeper devotion to the merciful heart of Jesus. Church approval and discernment of the apparitions. The events at Los, which began in 1664 with the humble shepherdess Benoit Rencurell, unfolded in a time when the Church exercised careful discernment regarding mystical claims. Benoit's experiences, her visions of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the fragrant signs of grace, and messages calling to conversion, did not immediately receive broad acceptance. Instead, church authorities approached these phenomena with both spiritual openness and prudent skepticism, guided by tradition and pastoral responsibility. For over half a century, the apparitions of Our Lady of Laos underwent a slow, rigorous process of evaluation. Local bishops observed the lasting fruits of Benwat's devotion, countless conversions, miraculous healings, and an ever-growing number of pilgrims seeking reconciliation and peace. At a time when the church was wary of spiritual excesses, Laos became known as a sanctuary of confession and forgiveness. Priests were sent to minister to the faithful flocking there, affirming the spirit of penance so central to Mary's messages. The Church's ultimate recognition of Laos as a place of authentic Marian apparition did not arrive until 2008, centuries after the original events, when Bishop Jean Michel Di Falco officially approved the apparitions on behalf of the Diocese of Gap. This careful discernment reminds the faithful that while authentic private revelations can illuminate and encourage, they stand always in harmony with sacred scripture and the magisterium. The example of Laos testifies to the wisdom of the Church in shepherding both miraculous events and the souls who seek God through them, ensuring that all authentic devotion leads us closer to Christ and the sacraments. Family, there is more to this post, so please see the link in the description for the rest of the article. Be sure to click the link in the description for a special news item. And since there is more to this article, finish reading and check out the special offer. Visit Journeysoffaith.com website today.