【慈幼通訊社 ─ 2022 年5月 31 日意大利都靈訊】 ─ 在5月19至22日於華道角舉行的慈幼家庭世界諮詢大會中，都靈華道角聖母進教之佑善會(ADMA)，在一片喜樂中，向在場32個慈幼家庭組別，宣佈下屆聖母進教之佑國際大會的舉行日期及地點——2024年8月29日至9月1日在葡萄牙花地瑪舉行。
國際大會在公佈舉行之前，獲得了負責協調籌備是次大型活動的葡萄牙慈幼家庭團隊的確認。他們於2019年，在布宜諾斯艾利斯舉行的上屆大會結束後，接任負責下屆大會。
大會於花地瑪這個聖母及先知性的地方舉行，是最好不過的。1917年5月13日，三位牧童（路濟亞、方濟各及雅仙達），首次看到聖母手持玫瑰唸珠；這裡，將舉行第九屆聖母進教之佑國際大會。
聖母進教之佑國際大會，是涉及和團結整個慈幼家庭最有力的時機，整個家庭都願意將其教育、福傳及愛德服務交托於瑪利亞，與鮑思高的目標相同：「各位在耶穌內親愛的孩子，無論遠近我都想念你們。我唯一的渴望，就是看到你們在現世及永恆中都一樣快樂。」
由1988年到現在，共舉行八屆國際大會：
– 1988年在意大利都靈華道角，於慶祝鮑思高逝世百周年紀念日上舉行；
– 1995年在波利維亞Cochabamba舉行；
– 1999年在西班牙西維爾舉行；
– 2003年在意大利都靈華道角，於慶祝聖母進教之佑加冕百周年紀念日上舉行；
– 2007年在墨西哥墨西哥城舉行；
– 2011年在波蘭琴斯托霍瓦（Czestochowa）舉行；
– 2015年在在意大利都靈華道角及鮑思高崗，於慶祝鮑思高誕生二百周年的紀念日上舉行；
– 2019年在阿根廷布宜諾斯艾利斯舉行。
瑪利亞陪伴並指引著慈幼家庭的旅程，有賴這些機會，讓整個家庭共同發掘慈幼神恩的敬禮聖母深厚的幅度，並更新對聖母進教之佑的信賴，致力讓每一個世代，都不斷領受並傳授這信德之恩。
花地瑪大會亦標誌著邁出另一步，就是從布宜諾斯艾利斯大會中總結的訊息開始，即范達民神父在最後演說中所作的總結：「首先，我們要考慮到對生命的真誠，以及在生活中作見證……我們慈幼家庭，受到富有信德的瑪利亞的注視，如果我們過著健康的、令人信服及關心別人的生活，定會讓人受益……慈幼家庭成員的每個人及團體，如何成為瑪利亞人，我們可以將之總結成以下各點：
– 我們必須不斷地越來越是瑪利亞人，越來越屬於瑪利亞。
– 沒有瑪利亞，我們便不能成為鮑思高所想望的子女（我們會成為別的人物，而不是鮑思高所想望的）。
– 我們有責任宣揚並推行，絲毫沒有畏懼，以及不以耶穌及祂的母親瑪利亞為耻（鮑思高時常將瑪利亞的名字掛在口邊。早期的慈幼會士極其熱愛聖母進教之佑。今天的我們又如何？）
– 在我們的旅途中，瑪利亞不能只是裝飾品，卻要真正成為不可或缺的要素。
– 沒有她，我們的教育牧民工作將是空虛而貧乏的，毫不一致。
– 讓我們更明顯地宣揚耶穌，並要更多把瑪利亞掛在口邊。」
在聖母進教之佑的祝福下，讓這負責的團隊以及所有接受召叫參與籌備工作並促進這偉大家庭活動成功的人，展開他們的工作。
IX International Congress of Mary Help of Christians announced
(ANS – Italy–Turin, 31 May 2022) – At the final meeting of the Salesian Family’s World Advisory Council aka Consulta – held in Valdocco from May 19 to 22 – the primary Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA) of Turin-Valdocco joyfully announced the date and place of the next International Congress of Mary Help of Christians to the superiors of the 32 groups of the Salesian Family present: it will take place in Fatima, Portugal, from August 29 to September 1, 2024.
The announcement comes after confirmation by the Salesian Family Team of Portugal, which is in charge of coordinating the preparation of the event, having picked up the baton at the end of the previous Congress in Buenos Aires, 2019.
The congress in Fatima – a Marian and prophetic site par excellence, where on May 13, 1917, for the first time, three shepherd children (Lucia, Francisco, and Jacinta), saw the Virgin Mary with a Rosary in her hand – will be the IX International Congress of Mary Help of Christians.
The International Congress of Mary Help of Christians is a powerful moment that involves and unites the whole Salesian Family, which wants to entrust its educational, missionary, and charitable commitment to Mary, to aim at Don Bosco’s one goal: “My dearest children in Jesus Christ, near or far I always think of you. My sole desire, that of seeing you happy in time and in eternity.”
From 1988 to the present, eight International Congresses have been celebrated:
– 1988 – Turin-Valdocco (Italy), on the centenary of Don Bosco’s death;
– 1995 – Cochabamba (Bolivia);
– 1999 – Seville (Spain);
– 2003 – Turin-Valdocco (Italy) – the centenary of the coronation of Mary Help of Christians;
– 2007 – Mexico City (Mexico);
– 2011 – Czestochowa (Poland);
– 2015 – Turin-Valdocco/Colle Don Bosco (Italy) – the bicentennial of Don Bosco’s birth;
– 2019 – Buenos Aires (Argentina)
Mary has accompanied and marked the journey of the Salesian Family also thanks to these appointments, which have had as a common thread that of discovering the depth of the Marian dimension of the Salesian charism and of renewing the entrustment to Mary Help of Christians in the commitment that the different generations have to receive and transmit the gift of faith.
The congress in Fatima will mark another step forward, starting precisely from the concluding message of the Buenos Aires congress, which Fr Ángel Fernández Artime had summarized as follows in his final address: “First of all, what counts is the authenticity of our life and our bearing witness of life… Our Salesian Family, with the gaze of Mary the believing woman, can give something to others if we offer a way of being, a healthy, credible, sensitive life… How to be Marian, each one personally and in the Salesian Family, we can summarize in these points:
– We must always be more and more Marian, more and more of Mary.
– Without Mary, we are not the sons and daughters Don Bosco dreamed of (we will be something else, but not Don Bosco’s dream).
– We have a duty to proclaim and propose without fear and shame Jesus and his Mother Mary (Don Bosco always had Mary’s name on his lips. The early Salesians were mad with love for Mary Help of Christians. Are we today?).
– In our journey, Mary cannot be a decorative element but is, indeed, essential.
– Without Her, our education and pastoral work will be empty, poor and without consistency.
– Let us make more explicit proclamation of Jesus and keep more of Mary on our lips.”
Under the blessing of Mary Help of Christians, now begins, thus, the work of the team and all those who will be called to collaborate in the preparation and success of this great family event.