By Fr Leon Cruz Ratinam for BISMumbai

The Youth and Salesians expressed their love to Mother Mary through the Marian Serenade which was organised by the Don Bosco Youth Services (DBYS), Mumbai on 14 August 2022.

In preparation for the serenade, the youth beautifully decorated the statue of Mary. A love note expressing their gratitude and love for the Blessed Mother was written by each participant and stuck on a poster of Mary.

The serenade began with the DBYS youth putting up a ‘Marian Mashup’ during which they sang a series of Marian hymns. The Salesians of the neighbouring communities sang hymns and bhajans to Mary with wonderful instrumentation.

The DBYS youth put up two skits in a creative way contrasting the gospel narratives of the wedding at Cana and the visitation of Mary to Elizabeth. They highlighted how in today’s context things could be different, and Mary’s life remains an inspiration for us today. The Salesian Sisters delighted the gathering with choral singing of a medley of Marian hymns. One of the DBYS youth shared her experiences of being part of the Aarey protest movement and how the rosary had been her strength during her challenging moments. The Salesians from the Provincial House Community concluded the evening by singing the Magnificat.

At the conclusion of the programme, Fr Ivo Coelho, General Councillor for Formation, gave the ‘goodnight talk’ wherein he beautifully explained how Mary is a model for us in our present-day context. The Marian Serenade concluded with snacks and fellowship between the youth and Salesians.