MARIAN CONGRESS AT FATIMA
Dear friends of the ADMA,
From the 29th August to the 1st September 2024, Fatima will host the 9th International Congress of Mary Help of Christians. Promoted by our Association and open to all the groups of the Salesian Family, it aims to make known, deepen and spread the devotion to "Our Lady of Don Bosco".
With open invitation to all groups of the Salesian Family, the International Congress of Mary Help of Christians celebrates two charismatic aspects of the Salesian spirit: Devotion to Eucharist and devotion to Mary Help of Christians.
The first Congress was convoked by Rev. Fr. Egidio Viganò, Don Bosco's 7th Successor, and was held in Turin in 1988, the centenary of Don Bosco's death. Since then, seven more International Congresses have been held.
In the last of these meetings which took place in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2019, on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of the foundation of ADMA, it was announced that the 9th International Congress of Mary Help of Christians would be held in Fatima, a Marian pilgrimage place par excellence.
The theme chosen for the 9th International Congress of Mary Help of Christians, "I will give you the Teacher", reflecting on Don Bosco's Dream at the age of 9, whose 200th anniversary is celebrated in 2024. Reflecting on that dream, the aim is to make Mary better known as Mother and Teacher who accompanies and guides the whole Salesian Family on the path towards Jesus and towards the young people most in need.
The formation itinerary, conceived as a preparation for the Congress, will seek to deepen the "Dream at the age of 9" and will be divided into five themes in ten stages.
The first theme in the dream is, of course, the Oratorian mission: here the educational charism and the Preventive System as a path to holiness will be analysed. (see ADMA online in September and October)
The second theme will stress the mystery of life as vocation and mission, something that is in us but greater than us. It will therefore reflect on the theme of faith, vocational discernment, spiritual struggle and Christian life. (see ADMA online in November and December)
In the third theme, the invitation is to reflect on the experience of God as presence and mystery, an experience that involves the themes of encounter and proclamation, conversion and faith, contemplation and action, liturgy and apostolate.
The fourth theme presents the style of the Salesian charism, loving-kindness. The objective will be to promote a pedagogy of love, totally inspired by God's charity, and therefore a relational style characterised by humility and gentleness, benevolence and affability.
The last theme provides an opportunity to reflect on the maternal face of the Church in the whole of God's plan.
Registration is individual and can be done through the form available on the congress website, where all the details and costs of participation are also available: https://mariaauxiliadora2024.pt/it
Considered by St. John Paul II as 'the altar of the world', Fatima, and more precisely the Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary of Fatima, is the spiritual centre of Portugal. In 1917, between May and October, Our Lady appeared there six times, manifesting herself to three simple and poor shepherd children: Francisco and his sister Jacinta Marto and their cousin Lúcia dos Santos. The Shrine of Our Lady of the Rosary in Fatima responds to the request made by Our Lady in the apparition of 13 October 1917: "I want to tell you to build a chapel here in my honour, because I am the Lady of the Rosary". The Little Chapel of Apparitions was erected in 1919 on the site of the 1917 apparitions at Cova da Iria and, since then, the shrine has been developed in response to the large influx of pilgrims.
We proceed on our journey in communion with the entire Salesian Family. We wish you a fruitful novena and feast of Don Bosco and we look forward to seeing you in Fatima.
Renato Valera, President, ADMA Valdocco.
Alejandro Guevara, Spiritual Animator, ADMA Valdocco
