Dearest friends, brothers and sisters of our great ADMA family,

We’ve come together to celebrate a birthday that speaks directly to each of our hearts. Celebrating today, *April 18, 2026, means looking back at that seed planted by **Don Bosco*one hundred and fifty-seven years ago. We do so with the gratitude of those who know that his intuition hasn’t lost an ounce of its freshness or relevance.

To find our roots, let’s travel back to Turin in 1868. Don Bosco had just finished the extraordinary feat of building the *Sanctuary of Valdocco*. That "stunning and tall church," as he himself described it, was born without a penny to its name but with a downpour of graces. "It is Mary who built her own house," he would say over and over again. Yet, Don Bosco knew very well that Mary didn’t want to stay enclosed within a temple of stone, however beautiful it might be. She wanted to live in the hearts of the people, among the daily struggles of families and the hopes of the young.

That is why on *April 18, 1869, just a year after the Basilica was consecrated, Don Bosco signed the "birth certificate" of the **Association of Mary Help of Christians*. It was his way of nurturing the devotion of everyday people, turning the excitement of a feast day into a steady, lifelong journey of faith.

But why did Don Bosco feel the need to found ADMA in the first place? The answer lies in his heart as a *pastor. He saw the dangers threatening the faith during a time of great change, and he felt the urgency to protect the "little ones" and the simple at heart. He wanted ADMA so that we could be one: united in prayer, united in love for the **two pillars* of his dream—*Jesus in the Eucharist and Mary Help of Christians*. And how relevant these thoughts are today, when we stop to think about what is happening around us and in so many parts of the world!

For Don Bosco, being a member of ADMA means committing to imitate Mary in her openness to God and her service to others, especially the poorest and most abandoned youth. The Association’s task is to radiate light where there is darkness, offering everyone a *"path to holiness"* that is both accessible and joyful.

Looking at what we have become today, we can’t help but be amazed. That small group born in Turin has grown into a majestic tree reaching across five continents, with *800 local groups in more than 50 countries*. Wherever a Salesian heart beats, there is an ADMA group praying and working. The vitality we have experienced in the International Congresses of recent years is proof that Mary continues to work miracles.

The future of ADMA is in the hands of each of us and every group. Today, more than ever, we are called to be *guardians of the family* and to nurture the bond between generations, keeping a close eye on our young people. In a world that is often fragmented, ADMA must be a place of welcome—a place where everyone can find support and grow, feeling loved by a *Heavenly Mother* who never lets us down.

On this *157th anniversary of ADMA*, let’s remember the words of our charism, which urge us to witness to the gift of faith in our daily lives: at home, at work, and in all our social relationships.

Thank you to each and every one of you for your faithfulness and for the commitment with which you carry forward this wonderful legacy of Don Bosco.

Enjoy the journey, all of us, with Mary—for the good of the Church and of the youth!