ADMA: ASSOCIATION OF MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS

We have begun our Chapter journey starting from Turin-Valdocco the cradle of Salesian work, from the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians completely renovated. The face of Mary Help of Christians on which we gaze in the painting by Lorenzone is the sign of the journey that takes us to the beauty of a life transfigured in the glory of paradise, while the statue, kept in the niche and which is carried in the solemn and popular procession on 24 May, is the sign of Mary who accompanies us on our life’s journey, a journey at times hard and difficult, full of danger and trials.

Mary Help of Christians is known by all as Don Bosco’s Madonna, even though this devotion goes back to the early centuries of Christianity. After the battle of Lepanto (7/10/1571) the title was understood in terms of “defender of the faith”, and Pius V officially included it in the litanies. In 1683 victory over the Turks was attributed to her intercession and in Munich in Bavaria an "Association of Mary Help of Christians” was established and approved by Innocent XI. 24 May 1814, the day Pius VII returned to Rome after being imprisoned by Napoleon, was set as the day of her liturgical feast.

The origin of the ADMA is directly linked to the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin.

The Sanctuary of Mary Help of Christians arose from the heart, and the courage of Don Bosco and from his great devotion to the Madonna. It was an enterprise marked by extraordinary events and enormous difficulties: Don Bosco never tired in repeating that it was the Madonna who wanted the church and she herself, after having shown him even the place where it was to arise, also helped him to find the necessary means.

The Association of the Devotees of Mary Help of Christians, the second group founded by Don Bosco, after the Salesians, was canonically erected at the sanctuary in Valdocco in 1869 (18 April) with the intention of “promoting veneration of the Most Holy Sacrament and devotion to Mary Help of Christians”. In 1870 Blessed Pius IX raised it to an Archconfraternity and enriched it with spiritual favours, allowing it to expand in Piedmont. In 1889 Leo XIII granted the right to aggregate similar associations attached to any church or public oratory belonging to the Salesian Society, and in 1894 he authorised Don Rua and the successors of Don Bosco to establish these associations wherever there was a Salesian house. ADMA acquired a worldwide dimension, for many years alternating between rhythms of vitality, expansion, recognition and being forgotten.

In 1988, the centenary year of the death of Don Bosco, it was renewed becoming the Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA) and on 5 July 1989 it was officially recognised as a group of the Salesian Family. A significant mark of recognition came from the 24 General Chapter (1996): "Don Bosco also started the Association of the Clients of Mary Help of Christians involving them in the spirituality and mission of the Congregation, by commitments readily realizable by the majority of simple people." It is a testimony to Don Bosco’s ability to involve everyone in the education and salvation of youth and to his desire to affirm through living monuments (ADMA – Daughters of Mary Help of Christians – Work for vocations) that Mary is always present wherever the Salesians are at work. On 7 October 2003 approval was given to the New Regulations of the Association was granted by the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

Founded in Turin-Valdocco at the Sanctuary of Mary Help of Christians as the ADMA PRIMARY CENTRE, all the others are aggregated to it, forming a single Association. It is spread throughout the world, in particular in the works where the Salesians and the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians are to be found, and it has had an almost miraculous expansion in some countries thanks to the apostolic zeal of so many missionaries who had confidence and have entrusted their apostolic and educational work to the intercession of Mary Help of Christians, building all over the place chapels and churches and propagating among the people a lively and sincere devotion.

Since the Register began in 1891, until 31.12. 2007 there have been 3350 Associations aggregated, 1606 of them connected with the SDB, 1266 with the FMA, 478 with the Diocese. It is more difficult to tell the number of the associates (about 35.000 actively engaged and about 60.000 more sporadically)

Since 1988 five International Congresses of Mary Help of Christians have been held: Turin-Valdocco in 1988; Cochabamba (Bolivia) in 1995; Seville (Spain) in 1999; Turin-Valdocco in 2003 (on the occasion of the centenary of the crowning of Mary Help of Christians); Mexico City in 2007.

Personal membership of the Association (cf. art. 4 of the Regulations) implies the following commitments, particularly in the family and local environment, and in the areas of work and friendship:

- a due esteem for and participation in liturgical life, in harmony with the Church of which Mary is the type and figure; and in particular for the sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation, and in the practice of a personal Christian life;

- living and spreading devotion to Mary Help of Christians in accordance with Don Bosco’s spirit, in particular in the Salesian Family;

- renewing, strengthening and living common devotional practices:

- the commemoration of the 24^th of each month,

- the rosary,

- the novena in preparation for the feast of Mary Help of Christians,

- the blessing of Mary Help of Christians,

- pilgrimages to Marian sanctuaries,

- processions,

- collaboration in parish life: liturgy, catechesis, visits to the sick and aged, various services in the churches, etc.

- imitating Mary by cultivating in one’s own family a Christian environment of welcome and solidarity;

- being solicitous in prayer and action for poor youngsters and other persons in need;

- praying for and supporting lay, religious and ministerial vocations in the Church and in the Salesian Family in particular;

- living a daily spirituality (obedience to the will of God – Fiat) with Gospel attitudes, in particular thanking God for the wonders he continually works (Magnificat), and with fidelity to him even in times of difficulty and of the cross, following Mary’s example (Stabat).

In this way, devotion to Mary Help of Christians means imitating her life, totally dedicated to love for her Son and to the care of all the sons and daughters that Jesus on the cross gave her, and the she become to accompany in the Upper Room. In the Salesian style, this "traditional" devotion takes on a strong apostolic note, since the Mother comes "to the help" of Christians, especially when their faith is in danger. Promoting the Adma means offering a practical and simple process of sanctification and of the apostolate and promoting devotion to Mary Help of Christians as the imitation of her life of commitment to Jesus and to the Church.

Between 17 and 20 August 2007 in Mexico City the V International Congress of Mary Help of Christians was held, greatly desired by the Rector Major Fr Pascual Chavez, as a special occasion to re-launch devotion to Mary Help of Christians. The ninth successor of Don Bosco in his address on “Mary the believer, mother and teacher of the disciples,” recalled the importance of devotion to the Mother of God just as it had been promoted by the Father of Youth. “My dear brothers and sisters", said Fr Chávez, "today, as in Don Bosco`s time, social and cultural changes are profoundly and negatively affecting the family as part of the social fabric. The Church and the Salesian Family are called to offer Jesus and his Gospel as Mary did. Like Don Bosco, we members of the Salesian Family renew our vocation as pastors of the young with the mission of leading them to Christ, the only one who does not delude their deepest hopes and who is capable of assuaging their hunger and thirst for life, happiness and love. In carrying out this mission we are not alone, since Mary has been given to us as a powerful Helper against evil in the struggle for the salvation of youth; the Help of Christians who with loving maternal care looks after those who traverse this dark world as indicated at her feet in the great painting in the Basilica at Valdocco”.

In his greeting to those attending the Congress the Rector Major left three tasks:

1. ADMA is called to spread within the Salesian Family devotion to Mary Help of Christians as an essential element of the Salesian charism and identity.

2. To involve the young in the spiritual journey of ADMA, so as to help them experience the maternity of the Church and of Mary. (I believe that a particularly special place to do this would be in the formation of new families and in the pastoral accompaniment of young families).

3. To give special care to the formation of members of the Association: referring to the apostolicexhortation of Paul VI Marialis Cultus, striving in particular to put it into practice.

Devotion to Mary Help of Christians, as Don Bosco thought of it and lived it, invites us to a vision that embraces the Church and the whole world, sharing in the solicitude with which Mary takes care of the eternal salvation of all those entrusted to her by Jesus from the cross. It was in this way that Pope Benedict XVI presented it in his letter to the Christians of China on 27 May 2007:

“Dear Pastors and all the faithful, the date 24 May could in the future become an occasion for the Catholics of the whole world to be united in prayer with the Church which is in China. This day is dedicated to the liturgical memorial of Our Lady, Help of Christians, who is venerated with great devotion at the Marian Shrine of Sheshan in Shanghai ….

On that same day, the Catholics of the whole world – in particular those who are of Chinese origin – will demonstrate their fraternal solidarity and solicitude for you, asking the Lord of history for the gift of perseverance in witness, in the certainty that your sufferings past and present for the Holy Name of Jesus and your intrepid loyalty to his Vicar on earth will be rewarded, even if at times everything can seem a failure.” (n.19)

“The Association of Mary Help of Christians linked with the Sanctuary of Mary Help of Christians at Turin–Valdocco is the heir and continuation of the association founded by Don Bosco himself, and hence is called “Primary”. Because of its origin and linkage with the Sanctuary, it has the role of animation, linkage and the providing of information about the Association throughout the world. (art. 15 of the Regulations).

In this spirit and with the desire to respond in a new way to this task the Presidential Council of the Primary ADMA, in addition to the ADMA Insert in the “Maria Ausiliatrice” magazine, published by the Mary Help of Christians Sanctuary in Turin, since last October has produced ADMA ONLINE, a monthly newsletter for contact and formation, at the service especially of the associated members as a means of communion for all the aggregated groups around the world, as well as a stimulus for the Marian animation for all the groups of the Salesian Family. Each issue contains: a message for the month, a prayer to Mary Help of Christians, a biography of a witness, a life experience and the chronicle of the activities of the ADMA Primary Centre. Everything from an ecclesial, Marian and Salesian point of view. It can be read on the site: www.donbosco-torino.it/ita/adma. The next step to take will be to find people to collaborate in setting up a communication network between the Primary Centre and the aggregated sections.

In conclusion. Bringing the greetings and the prayers of the Association, of the President Sig.ra Giuseppina Chiosso, of the Presidential Council, of the ADMA Primary Centre in Turin, of my predecessor Fr Sebastiano Viotti, I express my belief that the GC26 dedicated to the theme “Da mihi animas coetera tolle”, will be able to fulfil its own apostolic project only by anchoring it to the great columns of Salesian spirituality and pedagogy: the Eucharist and Most Holy Mary. From a renewed devotion to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and to the Madonna the Help of Christians, new fraternal relationships will be built up capable of developing educative and vocational discernment and action. A real return to Don Bosco cannot prescind from devotion to the Help of Christians so dear to his apostolic heart and to the heart of his successors. It is a charismatic heritage from Don Bosco to be rediscovered and promoted especially in our days, when the struggle between God and his enemy becomes ever more relentless in a world in the terrible grip of a secularism intent on creating man without God, of a relativism that suffocates the constant and unchanging values of the Gospel and of a religious indifference that is unmoved in the face of higher benefits and the things that refer to God and the Church. This battle is claiming countless victims in our families and among our young people. The Virgin Mary is gathering together a huge network of her spiritual sons and daughters against the forces of the evil-one throughout the world and is preparing the victory of her Son Jesus Christ.

The successors of Don Bosco have given prominence to the value our founder gave to this Association as a means for spreading love for the Eucharist and for Mary Help of Christians and for the promotion of vocations, the sanctification of priests, the education of youth, family unity and the defence of life. Let us allow ourselves to be led by this good Mother and we shall experience in ourselves and in that of many of our brothers and sisters the wonder of the marvels of God and we shall make our own her praise of the Father. Entrusted to the Immaculate Heart of Mary the Help of Christians, we shall experience the power of redemption and become signs and instruments of the love of God for those who do not know his love. Mary says to us again today: I am the Mother of Jesus Christ, the Mother of the Church and of the Salesian Congregation. Let us respond without delay to the will of God, knowing that it comes to us in the mystery of the cross, where by Jesus we were given as sons to his Mother.

Fr Pier Luigi Cameroni

Spiritual Director of ADMA

Rome, 29 February 2008

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2 Istituto Salesiano

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3 Sito internet:

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4 www.donbosco-torino.it/ita/adma

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