9th CONGRESS OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS

Fatima 29 August - 1 September 2024

Devotion to Mary from Don Bosco’s Perspective

Fr Stefano Martoglio

The Vicar of the Rector Major

I am happy to speak at this Marian Congress, after what we have have heard and experienced in reaffirming an act of personal and institutional entrustment, according to the heart of Don Bosco and the Faith of the Church. We are closing these days with one of the spiritual aspects that Don Bosco perceived and experienced personally as something important and as a salient aspect of his work: Marian devotion. We entrust ourselves into Mary’s maternal hands. Here now, in this Holy place of Mary’s presence, we ask her to make fruitful in life what we have lived, prayed and listened to here.

So my task, after what we have heard and experienced, is to remember, starting from the beginning. Evoking memories is important: it means recognising that this is not ours; it has been entrusted to us, and we should hand it over to other generations

With great simplicity, I tell myself and tell each one of us about some central aspects of Mary’s presence for Don Bosco, for his and our devotion.