Celebrating the Solemnity of Our Mother

By Fr. Vaclav Klement, SDB

EAO, 24 May 2017 -- When Don Philip Rinaldi (1856-1931) passed away the Salesian found on his desk under a small statue of Mary Help of Christians many small sheets of paper with specific intentions for some 'desperate' cases in his office as the Rector Major and third successor of Don Bosco. Don Rinaldi use to entrust to Mary with a filial trust all 'impossible' things in his ministry.

Today started in Samoa (= far East) through the Pacific and Australia province, Japan, Korea, Philippines, China until Myanmar and Pakistan (= far West) all SDB communities in our Region with their children and youth, with the whole Salesian Family - especially FMA Sisters (Daughters of Mary Help of Christians) and ADMA (Association of Mary Help of Christians) celebrate in many different ways the Feast of our Mother: school Eucharist, procession, night with Mary, academy or other prayerful moments with the Educative and Pastoral Communities.

As Mary pointed in Cana 'They have no more wine' (John 2,3), also we put today in the hands of Mary all our necessities - lack of vocation in many countries and provinces, vocation fragility in some provinces, not-so-credible witnessing of some Salesians, new frontiers of our mission (especially the start in Malaysia - Kuching), wisdom in animation and governance for our Rectors and Provincials, protection in the most difficult or dangerous places (Pakistan....), starting and growth of Salesian family groups.

With a special prayer for our provinces that celebrate today their Patroness (Australia - Pacific, China, Myanmar and Philippines South), for our parishes and schools under her special protection, for the FMA Sisters especially in countries with very few or no vocations at the moment, for the growth of ADMA in our Region... Like Don Rinaldi we may place under the statue of Mary our most urgent needs written on one small sheet of paper with a child-like trust.

Happy Feast-Day of Mary Help of Christians to all Salesian Family members in the EAO region!

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