Salesian Family Celebrates Marian Day
Close to 400 members of the Salesian Family gathered at the Marian Shrine in Haverstraw, N.Y., on Saturday, May 25, to celebrate the feast of Mary Help of Christians, the 150th anniversary of the Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA, founded by Don Bosco in 1869), and their fellowship in the Family. Groups taking part included SDBs, FMAs, Cooperators, ADMA, DBVs, and young people.
Close to 400 members of the Salesian Family gathered at the Marian Shrine in Haverstraw, N.Y., on Saturday, May 25, to celebrate the feast of Mary Help of Christians, the 150th anniversary of the Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA, founded by Don Bosco in 1869), and their fellowship in the Family. Groups taking part included SDBs, FMAs, Cooperators, ADMA, DBVs, and young people.
Youths
from the Salesian presences in Hawthorne, New Rochelle, North Haledon, Orange,
and Ramsey presented skits about Don Bosco and the Salesian Family. Talks were
given on ADMA and on Mary.
In one
talk, Fr. Pat Angelucci recounted how Don Bosco had placed a statue of Mary
Immaculate atop the dome of the church of Mary Help of Christians in Turin to
act as a lightning rod, and he affirmed that Mary is our lightning rod, our
protector. He continued by describing authentic Marian devotion, according to
Don Bosco, as practical, Christocentric, traditional, and complete—going into
some detail on each point.
The
sacrament of Reconciliation was offered at two times during the day, and a good
number of pilgrims took advantage of the opportunity. There was also about an
hour of Eucharistic adoration.
Including
regular attendees of the Shrine’s noon Mass, the chapel was filled to capacity
(about 450)—standing room only. Fr. Tim Ploch presided and preached (in both
English and Spanish).
Fr.
Tim’s homily described how the Virgin Mary shows the way to holiness (“Holiness
is for you too”) and accompanies us on the way—just as she did John Bosco all
his life, starting when he was nine years old. He named three ways that Mary
does this.
1. Mary
teaches us to listen to the Word of God and to allow it to have an effect on
us, to be the sole determinant of our lives.
2. Mary
is the woman of family, the mother given to us by Jesus at Calvary and going
with her children into the Upper Room to wait for the Holy Spirit, who binds
the family together.
3. Mary
is the woman of service, rushing to the aid of her cousin Elizabeth, coming to
the assistance of young couple in trouble at their wedding (the day’s gospel
reading was that of the wedding at Cana), always sensitive to our needs and
problems.
Fr. Tim
said that Mary is a living presence who shows the Salesian Family how to be
present to the young and urges us, as she did the servants at Cana, to do
whatever Jesus tells us.
In
conclusion, Fr. Tim reminded the congregation that at the Eucharist Christ
works a greater miracle than he did at Cana, changing bread and wine into his
own Body and Blood. Our participation in this Sacrament unites us not only with
him but also with his Mother and all the members of the Salesian Family.
At the
end of Mass four Salesian Cooperators from the Ramsey center made their
promises.
The day
ended with a Rosary procession—the decades prayed in 5 languages—and the
crowning of the statue of Mary, with a major assist from the Stony Point Fire
Department.
Photos: https://pix.sfly.com/YafxVM
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