Grotto of Mary, Help of Christians blessed at Don Bosco Provincial House, New Delhi
13th February, 2022 will be engraved as a red letter day in the annals of the Salesian Province of New Delhi. On the eve of the commencement of 9th Provincial Chapter of Jesus, the Good Shepherd Province, New Delhi, the statue of Mary, Help of Christians was blessed by Rev. Fr. Davis J. Maniparamben, the Provincial of the Salesian Province of New Delhi, in the presence of the members of Provincial Chapter.
The blessing ceremony began at 4.40 PM at the entrance of the Provincial House, where the statue of Mary Help of Christians has been placed. Fr. Vijay Soy, the Vice Provincial welcomed the gathering on behalf of Fr. Provincial.
Fr. Vargeshe Palattykoonathan, the Rector of the Provincial House, expressed his happiness and gratitude for having the presence of Our Blessed Mother at the Provincial House.
Fr. Provincial then offered a prayer of thanksgiving and blessed the statue of Mary, help of Christians and entrusted the province under the maternal care and protection of our Blessed Mother. In his short homily Fr. Provincial highlighted the role of Mother Mary in the Salesian Congregation and more especially in the 25 years of life of the Salesian Province of New Delhi by stating “It all began with Mary”. He encouraged the Confreres to spread devotion to Mary, remain ever faithful as her beloved children, offer Jesus to others like Mary did and work towards the establishment of God’s Kingdom on earth. He quoted the words of St. John Paul II, “Totus Tuus” emphasizing the need to place oneself totally to the Blessed Virgin Mary. ‘The statue is a jubilee gift to the Province, he said, reiterating the fact that the Salesian Province of New Delhi is celebrating the Silver Jubilee of its existence.
On a special note, Fr. Provincial thanked Br. Cyriac Kurias, Fr. Biju Abraham Akkilettu, the Provincial Economer and Fr. David Rayappa for their contribution in actualizing this project and presenting the Grotto of Mary, Help of Christians as a Jubilee gift to the Province.
Fr. Ashok Kujur