The Feast of Mary Help of Christians by Brazil Salesian Network

Brazil Salesian Rede Brasil (RSB) – the Salesian Network which includes the Schools, Universities, Pastoral Care, Social Works, and Communication of the Provinces of the Daughters of Mary Help of Christians and of the Salesians of Don Bosco in Brazil – in collaboration with the Salesian Houses from all over Brazil and the Salesian Youth Movement (AJS), celebrated the Feast of Mary Help of Christians with initiatives on the social networks for the duration of ten days.

The event began on May 15, 2020, with the beginning of the Novena, until the day of the Feast, on May 24, with an evening of songs in homage to Mary Help of Christians sung by AJS youth from all over Brazil.

Rede Salesian Brasil, with the people who collaborated, thought of the Novena as a spontaneous, live moment, so that Mary’s message could reach the greatest number of people through a word of optimism, comfort, and faith in this difficult time due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Every day, a Daughter of Mary Help of Christians and a Salesian of Don Bosco or a lay person animated the Novena through a live broadcast on social media. On the first day, Sister Cassiana Ferreira and Fr. Rafael Galvão were present; on the second day, there were Sister Celene Couto and Fr. Denis Dutra; on the third day, it was the turn of Sister Ana Maria Ribeiro and Fr. José Ivanildo; on the fourth day, the animation was curated by Sister Vânia Ojeda and Robson dos Santos; the fifth day, by Sister Cláudia Regina and the young Renan Demeterko; the sixth day, by Sister Quitéria Rosa and Fr. José Sávio; on the seventh evening, there were Sister Luz Inês Valdés and Fr. Eudes Barreto; on the eighth day, a trio consisting of Sister Silvia Aparecida, Fr. Waldomiro Bronakowski, and Victor Silva; and on the ninth and last day, Sister Marcia Koffermann and Fr. João Carlos Ribeiro, Responsible for RSB Communication, ended the Novena.

On May 24, the celebrations closed with a surprise for the public. The RSB Communication Team, the Salesian Youth Ministry, and the Salesian Youth Movement organized an online party, bringing together young people from all over Brazil, who met on the digital platforms of the Salesian Rede Brasil to pay homage to Mary Help of Christians.  The party, presented and coordinated by the young RSB collaborator Victor Silva, started at 20:00 and highlighted many talents scattered across the country. In all, twenty songs were sung by young people from different Provinces, who expressed their gratitude and affection for Mary Help of Christians, involving all those who were connected to social networks.