EAST ASIA – OCEANIA – ADMA IS GROWING IN THE REGION WITH NEW AND YOUNG MEMBERS
Since the second Congress of the Association of Mary Help of Christians (ADMA) of the Salesian Region of East Asia - Oceania (AEO) was held in September 2021, with the countries and Circumscriptions that compose it, a consistent and enthusiastic growth of this important group of the Salesian Family is being noted with new groups, new aspirants, new ADMA youth and even the first ADMA members in some countries such as Pakistan and the Solomon Islands. There are three key words in this process: Growth - Youth - Formation.
After the ADMA Congress in the AEO Region in 2021, Fr. Godofredo Atienza, the former Provincial of FIS, was appointed Regional Coordinator of Spiritual Animators. Many Salesians and Daughters of Mary Help of Christians (FMA) have been guided and inspired in their task of accompaniment at the local or Provincial level. And now that there are fewer restrictions on movement and meeting, the ADMA of East Timor is also preparing for its National Congress (October 2022).
Here are some concrete and recent signs of the charismatic growth of ADMA in the AEO region:
The Northern Philippines Province (FIN) held the ADMA national leadership training in Manila on the last 16th July with the presence of Salesian and FMA spiritual animators. The aim was to strengthen the motivation and identity of the respective leaders of ADMA centres throughout the country.
The ADMA leaders of the South Philippines (FIS), with the animation and training of the ADMA leadership of both the lay leaders and the provincial spiritual animator including Fr. Atienza, are accompanying a new local centre being set up on the island of Olango, with a majority of ADMA members being young. This new centre is among the few ADMA centres far away from any Salesian or FMA community, and thus constitutes a true “ADMA missionary experience”.
The ADMA Youth group of East Timor (TLS) is growing. Recently, the ADMA centre in Venilale is coming up with its formation programme for ADMA youth. In a national context of a strong presence of the Association with over 900 members in East Timor but mostly elderly, the presence of youth groups has an inspiring impact. The spiritual animator of the FMA groups, Sr. Caroline, is also always available.
In Papua New Guinea (PNG), in Port Moresby, the second formation course for ADMA Youth started, with sessions animated by Sr. Alice Fulgencio, FMA, the spiritual animator of the group.
In South Korea (KOR), the two ADMA centres - in Gwangju and Seoul - both mark new additions and new aspirants who begin their formation. With new spiritual animators from the Salesians and the FMA and the support of both Provincials, a bright future is in sight.
In Thailand (THA), the ADMA Centre in Bangkok is engaged in formation and apostolic activities, accompanied constantly with patience by Fr. Aaron Alcoseba and the lay animators of the centre.
On closer look, devotion to Mary Help of Christians is a treasure common to the whole Salesian Family, but ADMA is called to cultivate and spread it in a special way. In addition to the central ADMA website, the new international website dedicated to Mary Help of Christians, open to all the 32 groups of the Salesian Family, has also been active since 2022: https://ausiliatrice.org
According to the World Spiritual Animator of the ADMA, Fr. Alejandro Guevara, SDB, “This new space wants to be a simple way of thanking God for the great gift he has given us in the Blessed Virgin Mary, making us all her children; it is an opportunity to renew our Marian devotion, received and transmitted in the style of Don Bosco, and also an invitation to gather around Mary who gathers us and brings us together.
