SPECIAL REPORTS
(ANS – Rome) – We stay in Asia for the third stop among the Salesian shrines dedicated to Mary Help of Christians: from the National Shrine of Parañaque City, in the Philippines, illustrated yesterday, we move today to South Asia, to be precise to India, where the shrine at Matunga, near Mumbai, also known among the locals as the Shrine of "Don Bosco’s Madonna" is located.
(ANS – Rome) – On the second leg of the journey to discover the churches dedicated by the Sons of Don Bosco to Mary Help of Christians, attention goes to the national shrine erected in Parañaque City, Philippines: a spiritual centre that has been a driving force behind devotion to “Don Bosco’s Madonna” throughout the country.
(ANS – Rome) – Don Bosco 's devotion to Mary Help of Christians found one of its highest forms in the construction of the Shrine dedicated to her at Valdocco: a sign of Don Bosco's gratitude to Our Lady, of entrusting the Salesian work to her intercession, and above all of fulfilling the will of Mary, who had expressly requested this work from Don Bosco in one of his famous dreams. But Don Bosco's devotion was later embodied in many other similar works throughout the world, and today there are several churches and basilicas dedicated to the Help of Christians. In view of the annual celebration of the Feast of Mary Help of Christians on 24 May, we present some of these churches, real homages to the Don Bosco's Madonna, starting with the one in the Eternal City.
(ANS – Rome) – On 16 May 1887, Don Bosco celebrated his first and only Mass at the altar of Mary Help of Christians at the church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the Castro Praetorium, in Rome, the church whose construction cost him so much effort and suffering in the last years of his life. In that Mass, interrupted by tears 15 times, Don Bosco, now close to the end of his mortal life, had the grace to understand the entire journey made in the thousand apostolates and in the infinite initiatives for young people throughout his life, and his childhood Dream suddenly became clear to him, thus also giving fulfilment to the prophetic affirmation of that dream: "In due time you will understand everything".