Marija, Mara ta’ żminijietna 
by Tonino Bello, translated by Francesco Pio Attard, Ta’ Pinu Publications, Gozo 2020, 204 pp.

Don Tonino Bello (1935-1993), bishop of Molfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi, in Italy, was not an ordinary priest in as much as he lived his priestly vocation from a prophetic perspective. He made it a point that he wanted to live his priesthood to the full, meaning that it would, at times, be quite uncomfortable to be faithful to his calling. This became clear when he gave himself entirely to the poor by becoming an instrument of peace, hope and spiritual sustainment for them. His life was based on the basic calling of the Gospel – the calling to look after the poor, the needy and those forgotten or put aside by mainstream society and to protect them whatever the cost. He went to the essence of things and he had the God-given gift of reading the signs of the times.

Don Tonino knew what stood at the core of being a human being. These inner experiences made it possible for him to open his own home for those families that found themselves without food and shelter.

In his own words, his book Mary, Woman for our Times was inspired by a phrase from the Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity of Vatican Council II, Apostolicam actuositatem. He felt the following assertion was quite courageous: “Mary, while she walked this earth, lived a common life, one like that of all the others, truly looking forward to her family and to her work.”

His book consists of a collection of Marian thoughts: thoughts that form a witness to what the journey of faith meant for him, of how the Church should be and act in today’s world. The book consists of 31 chapters and each section of the book is dedicated to an aspect of Mary or a Marian title.

The collection of thoughts has not been presented in a systematic manner but are all gleaned from daily live

Don Tonino Bello

The collection of thoughts has not been presented in a systematic manner but are all gleaned from daily live. The book is, at times, poetical since it includes dialogues full of passion and docility inspired by direct contacts with ordinary human beings. Don Tonino presents the reader with a new vision of Mary, the woman who lives in a real world and who is very much in touch with reality. For each and every section, he is inspired by the Word of God about Mary. He allows the Virgin Mary to accompany him and every other person in our daily ups and downs.

Don Tonino invites Mary to enter the hustle and bustle of our ordinary lives and inspire us in our choices. For Don Tonino, Mary is the woman who knew how to live every moment of her daily life in all its depth and fullness. He calls the Virgin “St Mary, woman of the daily life”.

At the same time, he perceives Mary as the woman who “roams into the wide deep waters” of life. He states clearly that we who often “limit ourselves to the coast of life, very often try to limit her mobility to our poor navigational levels”. However, Mary helps us to live without fear “the adventure of the ocean full of freedom”. Mary is then presented as the woman who takes away our unwanted fears and allow ourselves to let go and accept the will of God.

Don Tonino’s book is the product of various concrete experiences of the author who lived his live among the poor and the unwanted. It was thus that he recognised God’s will for him and put it into practice by answering Mary’s calling from above.

Through Ta’ Pinu Publications, these reflec­tions have been visualised in a set of 32 paintings by local artist Nathanael Theuma, which feature both in the book containing the Maltese translation and in an exhibition at Dar Karmni Grima, in Għarb which is open during this month. For more information, contact rector@tapinu.org.