(ANS – Częstochowa) – In the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Jasna Góra in Częstochowa, all is ready for the VI International Mary Help of Christians Congress. There are 1100 participants representing the various groups in the Salesian Family. The opening ceremony is being broadcast live on missionidonbosco.tv

This important event for the Salesian Family begins today, 3 August, organised by the Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA). This, the sixth such congress, celebrates the common devotion which the 28 groups of the Salesian Family have for Mary Help of Christians, a fundamental aspect of the Salesian charism. The theme of the congress, which will end on Saturday 6th August, is ‘Totus Tuus’, the famous motto of John Paul II.

Very many nations have sent delegates: Italy, Spain, Colombia, Chile, Congo, Russia, Thailand, Japan, Poland, Argentina, Austria, Germany, Angola, Sudan, Zambia, Guatemala, England, Philippines, Bolivia, Turkey, Honduras, Portugal, Ukraine, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Venezuela, Mexico, Brazil, Belgium, Belarus, South Korea, Peru, Switzerland and Hungary.

The various delegations, which arrived a few days ago, have had the opportunity to visit various places of religious, historical and cultural interest in Poland: the Sanctuary of Divine Mercy in Krakow, the Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz, the birthplace of John Paul II, and of course the sanctuary of Jasna Góra.

Since 1988, the centenary of the death of Don Bosco, there have been five International Congresses: Turin-Valdocco (Italy) in 1988, Cochabamba (Bolivia) in 1995; Seville (Spain) in 1999, Turin-Valdocco in 2003, on the occasion of the crowning of the painting of Mary Help of Christians; and Mexico City in 2007.

The Congress will open with an address from Don Adriano Bregolin, Vicar of the Rector Major and leading animator of the Salesian Family, and in the evening the Rector Major will give the traditional Salesian ‘Goodnight’ reflection.

The official languages of the Congress are Italian, English, Spanish and Polish. The ADMA website will publish the texts of the reports as they become available. The opening ceremony may be seen at 16:50 local time (GMT+2) on www.missionidonbosco.tv

Published 3/8/2011