During Coronavirus times getting closer to our Mother

By Fr. Pier Luigi Cameroni
ADMA spiritual guide

Valdocco, Turin, 15 March 2020 -- The worldwide and extraordinary novena to Mary Help of Christians is an event that comes from the heart of the Rector Major, who wants us all united to She who knows our needs. Don Bosco had to face tough problems: war, hunger, violence, and even cholera, which killed many people in Turin in 1854.

"In the face of 'borderline' situations for human life, we entrust ourselves to God," says Fr Cameroni. "We put ourselves completely in the hands of the One who is the master of life. Don Bosco always entrusted himself to Mary Help of Christians. During cholera he invited his young people to live in God's grace, to go to confession and to wear the medal of Mary Help of Christians. On various occasions and in particular moments - as during the cholera of 1854 - he expressed the belief that Mary is our help. And this applies also and, above all, in times of trial and difficulty, such as those we are experiencing at this moment."

"The Extraordinary World Novena to Mary Help of Christians (March 15-24) is meant to be recited on a personal and family level. Today it is easy to communicate with millions of people and it is possible to stay in touch even without leaving one's own home. This is why I invite you to make this moment of deep prayer. We will unite in praying to the Lord through Mary Help of Christians. In this way we will be united as a Salesian Family all over the world, to ask God to help us in the most urgent needs."

The worldwide spiritual animator of ADMA invites everyone to look for a medal of the Virgin Help of Christians, to hold the Holy Rosary in hand and to place the image of Mary in a clearly visible place. “It is time to make the figure of Mary our Mother even more beautiful, remaining calm in the awareness that She walks by our side. I would say that, as Don Bosco himself said, we must have a lot of faith in Mary Help of Christians and in Jesus Eucharist, and thus we shall see what miracles are. In the hour of trial, the Church and humanity must have as support the two pillars of Don Bosco's dream, the Eucharist and Our Lady. I ask you to join us worldwide under the invocation of Mary Help of Christians and to be in spiritual communion with Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament: it is time to recover and discover the beauty of spiritual communion with Jesus Eucharist."

• Three Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory and praise to the Blessed Sacrament with the phrase: Be praised and thanked at all times, the Most Blessed and Divine Sacrament.
• Three Hail Mary, Holy Queen and conclude with the phrase: Mary, Help of Christians, pray for us.

We believe that it is you who guides the course of human history and that your love can change our destiny for the better, whatever our human condition may be. This is why we entrust the sick and their families to you: for the Paschal mystery of your Son gives salvation and relief to their body and their spirit.

Help each member of society do their job by strengthening the spirit of mutual solidarity. Support doctors and health workers, educators and social workers in the performance of their duties.

You who are comfort in fatigue and support in weakness, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary and of all the holy doctors and healers, keep all evil away from us.

Free us from the epidemic that is affecting us so that we can calmly resume our usual occupations and praise you and thank you with a heart renewed.

We trust you and address our plea to you, for Christ our Lord. Amen.

CONSECRATION of the world to MARY HELP OF CHRISTIANS (March 24)

Most Holy and Immaculate Virgin Mary, our tender and powerful Mother of Christians, we consecrate ourselves entirely to you, so that you may lead us to the Lord. We dedicate our spirit to you with its thoughts, our heart with its affections, the body with its feelings and all its strength, and we promise to always want to work for the greater glory of God and for the salvation of souls.

Meanwhile, O incomparable Virgin, you who have always been the Mother of the Church and the Help of Christians, continue to show yourself thus, especially these days.

Enlighten and strengthen bishops and priests, keep them always united and obedient to the Pope, infallible teacher; increase priestly and religious vocations so that, also through them, the kingdom of Jesus Christ is preserved among us and extend to the very ends of the earth.

We ask you once again, sweet Mother, to always keep your loving eyes on the young exposed to so many dangers, and on the poor sinners and the dying.

Be for all, o Mary, sweet Hope, Mother of mercy, Door of heaven. But we also beg you, O great Mother of God, for ourselves. Teach us to copy in us your virtues, especially your angelic modesty, your profound humility and your ardent charity.

Mary Help of Christians, make us all gathered under your Mother's mantle.

Grant that in temptations we immediately invoke you with trust: in short, let the thought of you - so good, so kind, so dear, the memory of the love you bring to your devotees - grant such comfort that it makes us victorious against the enemies of our soul, in life and in death, so that we can come to be your crown in beautiful Paradise. Amen.

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