Dear Friends  ,

As yet another sign of the growing affection towards our Celestial Mother, especially emanating from Rome, I would like to mention the “International Mariological Marian Congress”, which took place this September in the Eternal City. Organized by the PAMI (Pontificia Academia Mariana Internationalis), it took place at the “Pontifical University Augustinianum”, and it involved 600 theologians from all over the world. Naturally, the many aspects of Mary’s role in God’s plan for our salvation were fully covered, and presentations will eventually be published in the Acta. Aside from the theological discourse, three specific moments struck me as very poignant: 1) The inaugural speech of Cardinal Rolandas Mackrikas (Rector of St. Mary Major’s basilica), in which he stated that «when entering any Marian church or shrine one can feel a special warmth and presence, that make the experience uniquely inspiring». It does explain why about 90% of all shrines in the world are dedicated to Mary. 2) The findings of a very recent paper (June 2025) by the “Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate” (CARA): “Impact of Mary, Mother of the Church, on Ecclesial Vocations”. It shows the impact of Marian devotion on consolidating and maintaining the vocation of priests: especially (72%) by regularly praying the Rosary, and (62%) by visiting a Marian shrine. Hence, she truly is the Mother of Priests, as John Paul II prophetically called her (“Letter to the Priests”, 9 April 1979, n.11). 3) Pope Leo’s final address to the participants, when he beautifully said that the Church which «has a Marian face, a Marian praxis, a Marian heart, always better preserves and understands the hierarchy of truths of faith, integrating mind and heart, body and soul, universal and local, person and community, humanity and cosmos». In other words: devotion to Mary ensures that faith attains its full human dimension (Benedict XVI; book-interview with Vittorio Messori; 1984).

Yours truly, Umberto

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