Thailand's ADMA - the Archconfraternity of Mary Help
of Christians
BANGKOK: 2nd July 2006 -- When people
speak of the groups originally founded by Don Bosco himself, they
readily list SDB, FMA and Cooperators. In fact, however, there is
another group founded by Don Bosco, and it was the second such group he
founded - the Association of Mary Help of Christians (it retains the
word 'association' in its formal title) raised to the status of
Archconfraternity in 1870 by Pius IX. By 1896 the Association,
for that is the most common title under which it is known, had the
faculty to exist in any diocese in the world in association with the
'primary' group connected with the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians
in Turin.
So it was, then, that Thailand in recent times has
informed the Primary group in Turin of its own ADMA group which has as
its centre in Thailand the public church of Mary Help of Christians at
the Provincial House in Bangkok. In December last, 25 women and
five men made their solemn promise according to the renewed Regulations
for ADMA (promulgated in 2003) and by now translated into Thai.
Their spiritual director is Fr Francis Cais, Provincial Delegate for
the Salesian Family, but closely involved too, as Rector of the
Provincial House, is Fr John Lissandrin.
The Thai Province has nurtured strong bonds between
members of the Salesian Family, so it was no accident that this group,
officially a member of the Salesian Family since 1989, would take root
there too. The Province has moved forward methodically with the
group, ensuring first a regular formation (monthly).
Don Bosco founded ADMA as part of his method of
involving as many forces for good as possible in his overall project to
form 'honest citizens and good Christians' especially of the young and
the poor. His thinking behind ADMA was to enable even the
simplest of people to be part of that dream, but there is nothing
'simple' about the fascination and the aims of ADMA spirituality: it is
decidedly Christocentric, keen to draw the best fruits from liturgy
well celebrated, from Eucharist and Reconciliation. It demonstrates Don
Bosco's typical love for the Church, made concrete in love for and
defence of the Pope and bishops and clergy. Clearly it is a
Marian spirituality, fostering devotion to MHC. In fact the
Italian title suggests that members are 'devotees', a word which does
not always strike the right chord in English though the idea is
acceptable. And finally, because founded by Don Bosco, because
based at the Basilica in Turin, because it inherits all the rich
patrimony of the Salesian spirit, it is a distinctively Salesian
spirituality.
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