NV-OL of Perpetual Help

NOVENA TO OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP

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What is a Novena?
A novena is a traditional devotion consisting of specific prayers recited on nine successive days. Besides being a form of praise, a novena is frequently offered for a particular intention. The first novena took place in the Cenacle, during the nine days preceding Pentecost, or the coming of the Holy Ghost. As a regular popular custom, this practice began in 12th century Christianity and continues to be beneficial today as a way of praying for healing, protection or other blessings for ourselves or others.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help epitomizes the role of a mother, whose heart always seeks to help the children—the good and the bad. In these evil days, we need the help of Our Lady and Mother more than ever before. In fact, it is Our Lady herself who has said that in these latter days, God has decided and ruled that it is Our Lady alone who will be the one to help us. Therefore, today, more than ever, we need to foster this sense of dependency upon our Holy Mother. Hopefully this novena will help spark that increased dependency on Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

In praying this Novena, as in the case of all prayer, it is good to begin by opening ourselves wholeheartedly to God's will, offering a simple act of trust in God's wisdom and in His providential love for us all, that disposes all things for the ultimate benefit of our souls and their salvation.

How to Pray This Novena
This novena will be largely based upon Holy Scripture, the writings of the saints and the works and sermons of various theologians. Each day of the novena is divided into the following parts: (1) a relevant quote from Holy Scripture; (2) quotes from Our Lady; (3) a serialized history of the devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help; (4) a Meditation; (5) a Resolution; (6) a Prayer; (7) then, after mentioning your intention for this novena, pray the Our Father and the Hail Mary; (8) a Closing Prayer.

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St. Luke painting his image of Our Lady

The church of St. Alphonsus Liguori in Rome. This is the current location for original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass being offered at the altar in the church of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Rome, above which is found the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

FIRST DAY OF THE NOVENA (new meditations posted each day)
Topic to Contemplate: Seeking Help!

Holy Scripture
“He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord” (Proverbs 8:35).

Words of Our Lady
“So that men in the future might realize how powerful I am in placating Divine Justice and obtaining mercy and pardon for every sinner … Tell them that they should always run to their Mother with confidence and love. I will always be there ready to listen to their cries and soothe their pain” (Our Lady of Good Success, 1599).

“The righteous will suffer greatly. Their prayers, their penances and their tears will rise up to Heaven and all of God’s people will beg for forgiveness and mercy and will plead for my help and intercession” (Our Lady of La Salette, 1846).

“Continue to pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war, because only she can help you” (Our Lady of Fatima, July 13th, 1917).

“I alone am able still to save you from the calamities which approach” (Our Lady at Akita, October 13th, 1973).

The History
The original picture of Our Mother of Perpetual Help is a product of Byzantine art. It is known to be at least five hundred years old in its present form. Painted in tempera on hard nutwood and only 17 by 21 inches, the picture may date back another 1,000 years to the ancient Madonnas of Constantinople.

According to many historians, the picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help is a partial copy of the Madonna, a picture that was thought to have been painted by St. Luke the Evangelist. The history of this original icon (the partial copy of St. Luke’s painting), now enshrined in the Redemptorist Church of St. Alphonsus in Rome, can be traced back to the year 1495, when the image, already considered ancient in that time, was enshrined in a church on the island of Crete. For a long time, it was highly venerated on the island of Crete. In the fifteenth century, the island was conquered by the Turks and numerous inhabitants fled away from the island. One of them, a merchant, took the holy picture along with his belongings and went to Rome, Italy.

Shortly after arriving there, the man became grievously ill. Before his death he begged a friend to take the icon to one of the churches in Rome, so that it could be publicly venerated. Upon his death, however, the friend’s wife persuaded her husband to allow her to keep the painting in their home, where it remained for several months. One night the Blessed Virgin appeared to the man in a dream, warning him not to keep the picture. Twice Our Lady appeared to him with this message, and both times he disregarded her warning. The third time she told him that if he continued to disobey her, he would die a miserable death. This time the man tried to persuade his wife to give up the painting, but she refused. Our Lady appeared to the man a fourth time to tell him of his impending death; within a short time, he became sick and died.

Our Lady then appeared to the man’s 6-year-old daughter, telling her to tell her mother, “Holy Mother of Perpetual Help commands you to take her out of your house!” The mother, who had seen a similar vision, was terrified and was about to give the picture to a church, when a neighbor woman persuaded her that it was just a dream and that she should pay no attention to it. That night the neighbor became violently ill, and recognizing her fault, made a solemn promise to the Lady of the picture, whereupon she was immediately cured.

Again the Blessed Virgin appeared to the young girl, this time commanding her to tell her mother to place her picture in a certain church, (San Matteo or St. Matthew’s) in the famous Roman street of Via Merulana, which connects the basilicas of St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran in Rome. That very day, March 27th, 1499, the picture was taken in solemn procession to the church of St. Matthew the Apostle, where it was placed above the exquisite white-marble altar. The church itself was very small — only about 75 feet long and 35 feet wide. Nevertheless, the shower of miraculous graces began even before the image entered its walls, with a paralyzed man being cured as the procession passed by his house. Crowds flocked to this church, and for nearly three hundred years (until its disappearance during the infamous aftermath of the French Revolution in 1789) many graces were obtained through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin. The picture was then popularly called the Madonna di San Matteo. The church was served for a time by the Hermits of Saint Augustine.

Meditation
It seems that Heaven is more ready to grant help than we are to ask for it! We are reminded of this by Our Lady's apparition to St. Catherine Laboure in Paris (1830), where she showed Catherine a model of the Miraculous Medal, which Our Lady wanted making and distributing—promising "signal graces" to those who would wear it around their necks. During that apparition, Catherine noticed jeweled rings on Our Lady's fingers. Some gave off bright rays of light, others did not. Catherine was told these bright rays from the rings were graces (helps) that God gave us. The rings that gave off no rays, or dull rays, were graces that we did not receive. Why? Because we do not ask for them, was the answer. Ask and you shall receive, says Holy Scripture—which also means, don't ask, and you won't receive! We should be asking Our Lady for help incessantly, not just occasionally!

Resolution
I will make many short ejaculations every day, asking Our Lady for help—even with things that I think are trivial and insignificant. True Devotion to Mary entails depending on Our Lady for EVERYTHING!

Our Prayer
O Mary, Mother of Perpetual help, I salute thee with the filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself, and all I have, to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence O Help of Christians, O Mother of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena.

[Mention Intention]

Let us pray:
Mother of Perpetual Help, behold at thy feet a sinner who has recourse to thee and has confidence in thee. Mother of mercy, have pity on me. I hear all calling thee the refuge and the hope of sinners. Be, then, my refuge and my hope. For the love of Jesus Christ, thy Son, help me. Give thy hand to a poor sinner who commends himself to thee and dedicates himself to thy lasting service. I praise and thank God who in His mercy has given to me this confidence in thee, a sure pledge of my eternal salvation.

It is true that in the past, I, miserable and wretched, have fallen into sin because I did not have recourse to thee. But I know that with thy help I shall be able to overcome myself. I know, too, that thou wilt help me, if I commend myself to thee. But I fear that in the occasions of sin, I may neglect to call upon thee and thus run the risk of being lost. This grace, then, I seek of thee; for this I implore thee as much as I know how and as much as I can: that in all the attacks of Hell I may ever have recourse to thee and say to thee: "O Mary, help me! O Mother of Perpetual Help, do not let me lose my God!"

Say the Our Father and the Hail Mary.

Final Invocations:
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Pray for us, who have recourse to thee!

St. Luke painting his image of Our Lady

The church of St. Alphonsus Liguori in Rome. This is the current location for original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass being offered at the altar in the church of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Rome, above which is found the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

SECOND DAY OF THE NOVENA (new meditations posted each day)
Topic to Contemplate:   Our Lady Wants To Help Us!

Holy Scripture
“He that shall find me, shall find life, and shall have salvation from the Lord” (Proverbs 8:35).

Words of Our Lady
“So that men in the future might realize how powerful I am in placating Divine Justice and obtaining mercy and pardon for every sinner … Tell them that they should always run to their Mother with confidence and love. I will always be there ready to listen to their cries and soothe their pain” (Our Lady of Good Success, 1599).

“The righteous will suffer greatly. Their prayers, their penances and their tears will rise up to Heaven and all of God’s people will beg for forgiveness and mercy and will plead for my help and intercession” (Our Lady of La Salette, 1846).

“Continue to pray the Rosary every day in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, in order to obtain peace for the world and the end of the war, because only she can help you” (Our Lady of Fatima, July 13th, 1917).

“I alone am able still to save you from the calamities which approach” (Our Lady at Akita, October 13th, 1973).

The History (Part Two)
The picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, which many think is a partial copy of a picture painted by St. Luke the Evangelist, can be traced back to the year 1495, when the image was in a church on the island of Crete. It found its way to Rome when after the Turks invaded Crete and a merchant took the holy picture to Rome, Italy. At his death he bequeathed the picture to a friend and asked him to take it to one of the churches in Rome to be publicly venerated. This was not done and Our Lady had to appear several times and even threaten him to take her picture to a church. She indicated St. Matthew's church and that is where the picture finally ended up.

It remained in St. Matthew's church for around 300 years, until its disappearance during the aftermath of the French Revolution in 1789, when St. Matthew’s Church was destroyed by revolution and the holy image disappeared, remaining hidden for a period of 60 years. In the year 1866 a series of events directed evidently by Providence had as their result the discovery of the sacred image. Pope Pius IX, moved by these events, ordered the image of Our Lady of Perpetual Help to be placed in the Church of St. Alphonsus Mary Liguori, which was built over the ruins of St. Matthew’s Church.

Meditation
The Blessed Virgin herself revealed the following to St. Bridget: “I am the Queen of Heaven and the Mother of Mercy; I am the joy of the just, and the gate of entrance for sinners to God; neither is there living on earth a sinner who is so accursed that he is deprived of my compassion; for everyone, if he receives nothing else through my intercession, receives the grace of being less tempted by evil spirits than he otherwise would be. No one, therefore, unless he is entirely accursed” (by which is meant the final and irrevocable malediction pronounced against the damned), “is so entirely cast off by God that he may not return and enjoy His mercy, if he invokes my aid. I am called by all the Mother of Mercy, and truly the mercy of God towards men has made me so merciful towards them!” And then she concluded by saying: “Therefore he shall be miserable, and for ever miserable in another life, who, in this, being able to do so, does not have recourse to me, who am so compassionate to all, and so earnestly desire to aid sinners.” (quote taken from The Glories of Mary, by St. Alphonsus Liguori).

Sometimes, what deters us from confidently seeking the help and intercession of Mary, is the gravity or number of our sins. Yet as Our Lady said to St. Bridget—she is “the gate of entrance for sinners to God”  and you will not find “living on earth a sinner who is so accursed that he is deprived of my compassion.”  One saint after another tells us the same thing.

St. Germanus, recognizing Mary to be the source of every blessing, and the deliverance from every evil, thus invokes her: “O my Lady! Thou alone art my help, given me by God!”

St. Basil says: “The Lord has given us Mary as a public hospital where all the infirm, who are poor and destitute of every other help, may assemble.”

St. Thomas of Villanova calls her our only refuge, help, and protection.

St. Alphonsus Ligouri say that “Mary is incredibly good to all, even to the ungrateful and indifferent who love her but little and rarely turn to her. Hence, think of the love she must have for those who love her generously and often call upon her! … She longs to do you good much more than you could ever long to receive good from her.”

St. Bernard encourages us to have recourse to Mary for help in all things: “Remember that in this world you are tossed about on a stormy sea; you are not walking on solid ground. Remember that if you don't want to be lost at sea, you must keep your eyes fixed on this bright star and call on Mary. In danger, in trials, in doubts, think of Mary and cry out to her. Following her, you will never lose your way. Calling out to her, you will never despair. If Mary holds you, you can never fall. If she protects you, fear nothing, for you can never be lost. If she guides you, you will never know weariness, for you will work out your salvation with ease. If she is propitious, you will infallibly reach your Heaven.”

Resolution
I will daily ask for a great confidence in the intercession and help of Mary, even if I feel that I am not deserving of such a great grace! She is the Mother of Mercy and the Refuge of Sinners! What am I? I am a sinner in need of mercy! Therefore....

Our Prayer
O Mary, Mother of Perpetual help, I salute thee with the filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself, and all I have, to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence O Help of Christians, O Mother of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena.

[Mention Intention]

Let us pray:
Mother of Perpetual Help, behold at thy feet a sinner who has recourse to thee and has confidence in thee. Mother of mercy, have pity on me. I hear all calling thee the refuge and the hope of sinners. Be, then, my refuge and my hope. For the love of Jesus Christ, thy Son, help me. Give thy hand to a poor sinner who commends himself to thee and dedicates himself to thy lasting service. I praise and thank God who in His mercy has given to me this confidence in thee, a sure pledge of my eternal salvation.

It is true that in the past, I, miserable and wretched, have fallen into sin because I did not have recourse to thee. But I know that with thy help I shall be able to overcome myself. I know, too, that thou wilt help me, if I commend myself to thee. But I fear that in the occasions of sin, I may neglect to call upon thee and thus run the risk of being lost. This grace, then, I seek of thee; for this I implore thee as much as I know how and as much as I can: that in all the attacks of Hell I may ever have recourse to thee and say to thee:  "O Mary, help me! O Mother of Perpetual Help, do not let me lose my God!"

Say the Our Father and the Hail Mary.

Final Invocations:
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Pray for us, who have recourse to thee!

St. Luke painting his image of Our Lady

The church of St. Alphonsus Liguori in Rome. This is the current location for original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass being offered at the altar in the church of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Rome, above which is found the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

THIRD DAY OF THE NOVENA (new meditations posted each day)
Topic to Contemplate:   Our Lady's Conditions in Giving Help!

Holy Scripture
“Afterwards, Jesus findeth him in the temple, and saith to him: ‘Behold thou art made whole! Sin no more, lest some worse thing happen to thee!’” (John 5:14).

“He that loveth iniquity hateth his own soul” (Psalm 10:6).

Words of Our Lady
“If my people do not wish to submit themselves, I am forced to let go of the hand of my Son. It is so heavy and weighs me down so much, that I can no longer keep hold of it. I have suffered all of the time for all of you!  If I do not wish my Son to abandon you, I must take it upon myself to pray for this continually. And all you think little of this. In vain you will pray, in vain you will act, you will never be able to make up for the trouble I have taken over for all of you” (Our Lady of La Salette).“The war is going to end; but if people do not cease offending God, a worse one will break out” (Our Lady of Fatima, July 13th, 1917).

“Do not offend the Lord our God anymore, because He is already so much offended” (Our Lady of Fatima, October 13th, 1917).

With reference to prayers requesting help for a sick person, Our Lady replied: “If he is converted, he will be cured during the year” (June 13th, 1917)

The History (Part Three)
Then in 1798, the Church of St. Matthew was leveled to the ground and destroyed by Napoleon’s French revolutionary forces. The Augustinian monks who were caretakers of the church took the picture with them, but for 64 years it was lost to the rest of the world. Eventually even the monks forgot that the image had once been regarded as miraculous. One of the monks, Brother Augustine, who had had a great devotion to the miraculous image as a young religious, later recognized it in the monastery of Santa Maria in Posterula, when he was transferred there in 1840. He would often tell Michael Marchi, one of the altar boys he was training, “Do you see that picture, Michael? It is a very old picture. Know Michael, the Madonna from St. Matthew’s is the one that hangs here in the chapel... Always remember this.” And he did remember, even well after he entered the Redemptorists in 1855.

As a young priest Fr. Michael Marchi lived at the General House of the order, which, along with the Church of St. Alphonsus, was built on the same piece of land on which the Church of St. Matthew once stood. One day, while the community was at recreation, he had the opportunity of sharing this recollection from his youth with his fellow religious. One of the priests mentioned that he had learned that a miraculous image of the Blessed Virgin had once been venerated in the Church of St. Matthew, which once stood there, but that it had been lost many years earlier. At this Fr. Marchi broke in: “But it is not lost! I know that picture — it is called Our Mother of Perpetual Help. I saw it often during the years of 1850 and 1851 when I was a young student. It is in the chapel of the Augustinian monastery of Santa Maria in Posterula.” Father went on to explain what Brother Augustine had often told him about the image and its origin.

Meditation
(Taken from The Glories of Mary, by St. Alphonsus Liguori, ch. 1, section 4).
Mary assured St. Bridget that she was mother, not only of the just and innocent, but also of sinners, provided they wish to amend. When a sinner becomes penitent, and throws himself at her feet, he finds this good Mother of Mercy more ready to embrace and aid him than any earthly mother could be. This St. Gregory wrote to the princess Matilda: “Desire to cease from sin, and I confidently promise you, that you will find Mary more prompt than an earthly mother in thy behalf!”

But whoever aspires to be the son of this great mother, must first leave off sinning, and then let him hope to be accepted as her son. Richard, commenting upon the words, “Then rose up her children,” remarks, that first comes the word “rose up”, and only then the word “children”, because he cannot be a son of Mary who does not first rise from the iniquity into which he has fallen.

For, says St. Peter Chrysologus, he who does works contrary to those of Mary, by such conduct denies that he wishes to be her son. Mary is humble, and will he be proud? Mary is pure, and will he be impure? Mary is full of love, and will he hate his neighbor? He proves that he is not, and does not wish to be the son of this holy mother, when he so much disgusts her with his life. The sons of Mary, repeats Richard of St. Laurence, are her imitators in chastity, humility, meekness, mercy. And how can he who so much disgusts her with his life, dare to call himself the son of Mary?

A certain sinner once said to Mary, “Show thyself a mother!” but the Virgin answered him, “Show thyself a son!” Another sinner, one day, invoked this divine Mother, calling her “Mother of Mercy”. But Mary said to him, “When you sinners wish me to aid you, you call me ‘Mother of Mercy’, and yet by your sins make me the Mother of Misery and Grief!”

“He is cursed of God that angereth his mother!” His mother that is, Mary, remarks Richard. God curses everyone who afflicts this his good mother, by his bad life or his willfulness. I have said willfulness, for when a sinner, although he may not have left his sins, makes an effort to quit them, and seeks the aid of Mary, this mother will not fail to assist him, and bring him to the grace of God.

This St. Bridget once learned from Jesus Christ himself, who, speaking with his mother, said: “Thou dost aid those who are striving to rise to God, and dost leave no soul without thy consolation.”  While the sinner, then, is obstinate, Mary cannot love him; but if he finds himself enchained by some passion which makes him a slave of Hell, and will commend himself to the Virgin, and implore her with confidence and perseverance to rescue him from his sin, this good mother will not fail to extend her powerful hand, she will loose his chains, and bring him to a state of safety. (The Glories of Mary, by St. Alphonsus Liguori, ch. 1, section 4).

Resolution
I will refuse to make peace with my habitual sins, whether they be mortal or venial sins. The greatest evil in the world is mortal sin. The second greatest evil in the world is venial sin. There is no disaster or calamity that is more evil than these two kinds of sins. This is hard for me to accept, especially since I am at peace with most of sins. Yet that difficulty comes from my weak Faith and even weaker love. I would do well to take on board St. Dominic Savio's resolution, made at his First Holy Communion—"DEATH RATHER THAN SIN!"

Our Prayer
O Mary, Mother of Perpetual help, I salute thee with the filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself, and all I have, to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence O Help of Christians, O Mother of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena.

[Mention Intention]

Let us pray:
Mother of Perpetual Help, behold at thy feet a sinner who has recourse to thee and has confidence in thee. Mother of mercy, have pity on me. I hear all calling thee the refuge and the hope of sinners. Be, then, my refuge and my hope. For the love of Jesus Christ, thy Son, help me. Give thy hand to a poor sinner who commends himself to thee and dedicates himself to thy lasting service. I praise and thank God who in His mercy has given to me this confidence in thee, a sure pledge of my eternal salvation.

It is true that in the past, I, miserable and wretched, have fallen into sin because I did not have recourse to thee. But I know that with thy help I shall be able to overcome myself. I know, too, that thou wilt help me, if I commend myself to thee. But I fear that in the occasions of sin, I may neglect to call upon thee and thus run the risk of being lost. This grace, then, I seek of thee; for this I implore thee as much as I know how and as much as I can: that in all the attacks of Hell I may ever have recourse to thee and say to thee:  "O Mary, help me! O Mother of Perpetual Help, do not let me lose my God!"

Say the Our Father and the Hail Mary.

Final Invocations:
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Pray for us, who have recourse to thee!

St. Luke painting his image of Our Lady

St. Francisco & St. Jacinta Marto

The church of St. Alphonsus Liguori in Rome. This is the current location for original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass being offered at the altar in the church of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Rome, above which is found the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

FOURTH DAY OF THE NOVENA (new meditations posted each day)
Topic to Contemplate:   Help is Not Cheap!

Holy Scripture
“Depart not from me! For tribulation is very near! For there is none to help me!” (Psalm 21:12).

“I have lifted up my eyes to the mountains, from whence help shall come to me” (Psalm 120:1).

Words of Our Lady
Appearing to two young children on a mountain near La Salette, France, Our Lady said: “I have suffered all of the time for all of you! If I do not wish my Son to abandon you, I must take it upon myself to pray for this continually. And all you think little of this. In vain you will pray, in vain you will act, you will never be able to make up for the trouble I have taken over for all of you” (Our Lady of La Salette, September 19th, 1846).

The History (Part Four)
Fr. Marchi had revealed that the miraculous picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was currently in the chapel of the Augustinian monastery of Santa Maria in Posterula. The Redemptorists now knew where the miraculous picture could be found, but they did not know about Our Lady’s command. The time had not come for the icon to come out of obscurity. It was several years later, because of a sermon given by a Jesuit priest in one of the churches of Rome, that the icon was finally returned to the place where Our Lady wished it to be honored.

On February 7th, 1863, Fr. Francis Blosi gave a sermon about several of the famous pictures enshrined in the churches of Rome. Among them, he described the miraculous painting of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, that was once enshrined in the Church of St. Matthew. He appealed to his listeners that anyone there, who might know its whereabouts, should remind its possessor that the Blessed Virgin had commanded that it be honored between the Basilicas of St. Mary Major and St. John Lateran. When the Redemptorists heard this, they went to their superior general, Fr. Nicolas Mauron, begging him to procure the picture, from the Augustinians, for their church, which stood on the site of the old Church of St. Matthew.

Meditation
Help does not come cheap! The New York Times ran an article in 2013 on the cost incurred by patients who called out ambulances for help. We quote part of the article here:

“Kira Milas has no idea who called 911, summoning an ambulance filled with emergency medical technicians. Milas, 23, was working as a swim instructor for the summer and had swum into the side of the pool, breaking three teeth. Shaken, she accepted the ambulance ride to Scripps Memorial Hospital in La Jolla, California. The paramedics applied a neck brace as a precaution. A week later she received a bill for the 15-minute trip: $1,772. Though her employer’s workers’ compensation will cover the bill, she still was stunned at the charge. ‘We only drove nine miles and it was a non-life-threatening injury,’ she said in a phone interview. ‘I needed absolutely no emergency treatment.’

“This fall, Joanne Freedman went to an urgent care center near her home in New York City with a bad headache and a fever. The doctor recommended she go to a hospital for further evaluation and offered to call an ambulance. ‘I could have walked, but I’m feeling crummy so I think, “OK, why not?”’ she recalled. The two-block ride was billed at $900.” (New York Times, December 4th, 2013).

We read in books, like The Way of Divine Love, which gives an account of how expensive souls really are; how costly is lukewarmness, how enormous is the price of sin, and how great is the payment that has to be made to pull souls back from lukewarmness and sin. In the book we read how Our Lord puts Sr. Josefa Menendez through Hell on Earth, in order to bring help to lukewarm and sinful souls. Neither grace nor sin come cheap. It is just 'cheap' man that has a 'cheap' idea of these things. Another book, Purgatory Explained, by Fr. Schouppe, gives example of the terrifying torments undergone by souls in Purgatory even for venial sins — and we have the temerity to trivialize venial sin!

We see the same high price for help being paid by the three little children at Fatima. When Our Lady first appeared to them, on June 13th, 1917, she asked if they would show some help towards sinners, saying: “Are you willing to offer yourselves to God and bear all the sufferings He wills to send you, as an act of reparation for the conversion of sinners?” When the children agreed to help, she then said: “Then you are going to have much to suffer, but the grace of God will be your comfort.”

What was the price they paid in order to bring help to sinners? From the 1989 Decree of Beatification of Jacinta Marto of Fatima, we read: “What unexpectedly changed their life, came to pass in the year 1916. They said they had seen an Angel three times, who urged them to pray and do penance for the remission of sins and to obtain the conversion of sinners. From that moment onward, the little Jacinta made use of every occasion to do what the Angel had asked her ... She separated herself from the things of earth in order turn her attention to heavenly things … She sought silence and solitude, and at night she got out of bed to pray and freely express her love for Our Lord. In a little while, her interior life became distinguished by a great faith and by enormous charity ... She bore much, as if she had an insatiable hunger for immolation. She restrained her will and her temperament, and was obedient to her parents and to her older brothers and sisters; she deprived herself food to give it to the poor; she did not drink water, especially in the summer heat; as a form of penance she wore a rope around her waist; she endured everything that was disagreeable in a spirit of penance and oblation. She expressed her manner of acting in praying: ‘O my Jesus, it is for love of Thee, for the conversion sinners, and in reparation for the sins committed against the Immaculate Heart Mary!’” Jacinta provided much help for sinners, but it came at a high price!

Little Francisco Marto of Fatima, would have to pray many Rosaries before he would be allowed to go Heaven. Our Lady helps him get there, but not cheaply. We read from his 1989 Decree of Beatification: “He recited the fifteen mysteries of the Rosary daily, and many more times besides, in order to fulfill Our Lady's desire … He mortified his will and his character, overcoming fatigue, depriving himself of food in order to give it to the poor, not drinking water for entire days, especially in the hot weather, fasting during Lent, wearing a rope around his waist as a penance, giving up his favorite games in order to devote more time to prayer ... He sought silence and solitude in order to immerse himself totally in contemplation and in dialogue with God. He assisted at Mass on feast days, and also on weekdays when it was possible. He nurtured a special devotion to the Eucharist and spent much time in Church, adoring the Sacrament of the Altar which he called the ‘Hidden Jesus’ ...  Though he was robust and enjoyed good health, in October 1918, he was attacked by a serious broncho-pulmonary epidemic, called the "Spanish influenza". Once confined to bed he never managed to get up again; on the contrary, his health deteriorated. With great interior joy, he suffered his infirmity and severe pains as an oblation to God. When Lucia asked him if he was suffering he replied: "Quite a lot, but never mind. I am suffering to console Our Lord, and afterwards, within a short time, I am going to Heaven." In spite of being so sick, he nevertheless prayed many Rosaries, exhorting the others to pray with him.” Francisco provided much help for sinners, but it also came at a high price!

In light of this, we can perhaps understand a little better the implications of what Our Lady said at La Salette: “I have suffered all of the time for all of you! If I do not wish my Son to abandon you, I must take it upon myself to pray for this continually. And all you think little of this. In vain you will pray, in vain you will act, you will never be able to make up for the trouble I have taken over for all of you” (Our Lady of La Salette, September 19th, 1846).

Resolution
I will not take help presumptuously for granted, nor will I cheapen the price of grace and sin. Sin is the greatest evil in the world, and grace is the greatest treasure in this world — aside from Our Lord in the Holy Eucharist. I will not be discouraged if help doesn't arrive as quickly as I want it to arrive, but I will pray with faith and perseverance, as shown to me my many incidents in the Gospels.

Our Prayer
O Mary, Mother of Perpetual help, I salute thee with the filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself, and all I have, to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence O Help of Christians, O Mother of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena.

[Mention Intention]

Let us pray:
Mother of Perpetual Help, behold at thy feet a sinner who has recourse to thee and has confidence in thee. Mother of mercy, have pity on me. I hear all calling thee the refuge and the hope of sinners. Be, then, my refuge and my hope. For the love of Jesus Christ, thy Son, help me. Give thy hand to a poor sinner who commends himself to thee and dedicates himself to thy lasting service. I praise and thank God who in His mercy has given to me this confidence in thee, a sure pledge of my eternal salvation.

It is true that in the past, I, miserable and wretched, have fallen into sin because I did not have recourse to thee. But I know that with thy help I shall be able to overcome myself. I know, too, that thou wilt help me, if I commend myself to thee. But I fear that in the occasions of sin, I may neglect to call upon thee and thus run the risk of being lost. This grace, then, I seek of thee; for this I implore thee as much as I know how and as much as I can: that in all the attacks of Hell I may ever have recourse to thee and say to thee:  "O Mary, help me! O Mother of Perpetual Help, do not let me lose my God!"

Say the Our Father and the Hail Mary.

Final Invocations:
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Pray for us, who have recourse to thee!

St. Luke painting his image of Our Lady

The church of St. Alphonsus Liguori in Rome. This is the current location for original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass being offered at the altar in the church of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Rome, above which is found the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

FIFTH DAY OF THE NOVENA (new meditations posted each day)
Topic to Contemplate: Help for the Humble!

Holy Scripture
"Learn of me, because I am humble of heart" (Matthew 11:29).

“Whosoever shall exalt himself, shall be humbled; and he that shall humble himself, shall be exalted” (Matthew 23:12).

Words of Our Lady
“He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble” (Luke 1:52).

The History (Part Five)
On December 11, 1865, Fr. Mauron obtained an audience with Pope Pius IX and laid the matter before him. Pope Pius IX, had, as a boy, prayed before the picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in San Matteo (St. Matthew’s), and was very interested in the discovery. But at that time, the ruins of San Matteo were in the grounds of a convent of the Redemptorists—the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer—founded by St. Alphonsus Liguori (1696-1787).

After hearing the story, the Pope was convinced that it was God’s Will that the icon again be given public veneration, in the location specified by the Blessed Virgin, and so he decided that the Augustinians would have to relinquish ownership so that the picture could be returned to the location of St. Matthew’s—now in the hands of the Redemptorists. Meanwhile, after Napoleon’s destruction of St. Matthew’s church, the Redemptorists had built a new church near the site of the destroyed St. Matthew’s, and had named it St. Alphonsus (San Alfonso)—in honor of their founder, St. Alphonsus Liguori. According to tradition, this was when Pope Pius IX told the Redemptorist Superior General: “Spare no effort to make Our Lady of Perpetual Help known and venerated, because this Madonna will save the world.”

Meditation
The very fact that someone asks for help presupposes some degree of humility. Often, the proud are too proud to ask for help. Yet Our Lord tells us: "Without Me, you can do nothing!" (John 15:5). Look up the word "nothing" in any dictionary you want—the result will be more or less the same: "nothing" means “no thing; no share; no part; no value; no consequence; no gain; no advantage; no substance; no resources” We are lower down the totem pole than we imagine ourselves to be!

To Sr. Josefa Menendez, Our Lord says: "Little still implies some being, but, Josefa, you are less than that, you are nothingness personified. Do not worry, Josefa, about what you can and what you cannot do. You know very well that you can do nothing. But I am He who can and will do all. Yes, I will do all, even what seems to you impossible.... I will supply for all that you lack or cannot do" (Words of Love, Fr. Gottemuller).

To Sr. Consolata Betrone, Jesus says: "Poor Consolata, you have no virtue, you have no merits, you have nothing! You would have your sins, but they exist no more, for I have forgotten them for all eternity. Why then so many, many graces for you in particular? Because I am free to do good to whom I will. The little ones are My weakness—that explains everything!" (Words of Love, Fr. Gottemuller).

Our Lady said to the Venerable Mary of Agreda, concerning true benefits from God: “This is the excellence of the benefits which descend from the Father of lights, that they give assurance and confidence while making the soul humble ... Take note, that this virtue of humility was the firm foundation of all the wonders, which the Most High wrought in me” (The Mystical City of God). For why would God want to help us if the result of the help would make us proud?

As for help and graces received, Our Lady says: “He that received more ought to consider himself more needy, since his debt becomes so much the greater. All should humiliate themselves since of themselves they are nothing, nor can they do anything or possess anything. On this account they that are raised up, by the hand of the Almighty, should humiliate themselves as mere dust. For, left to themselves and to their nothingness and unworthiness, they should esteem themselves so much the more indebted and bound to thankfulness for that, which, by themselves, they can never repay ... And do not deceive thyself with the pretext of being humble; for there is a great difference between thankful humility and humble thanklessness ... Let no one become inflated, but let everyone acknowledge so much the more his unworthiness, using it as a medicine and treacle against the poison of presumption. But gratitude will agree with this humble opinion of self, since we must acknowledge, that every good gift comes from the Father of lights and cannot ever be merited by creatures ... Do not undervalue the favors and benefits, which thou receivest, nor, even under pretense of humility, belittle or forget them ... The humble heart is abased in proportion to the benefits received” (The Mystical City of God).

The humble are needy, the proud are not. The humble are grateful, the proud are not. Our Lady says: “Implore with Faith and receive His favors with humble thanksgiving! ... The help and protection of eternal Providence are shown to the humble who trust in it . Upon these, His Majesty looks with kindest love, delights in them, nourishes them at His breast, and attends to their wishes and wants.”

It is no small thing to take the favors and help of Heaven for granted! We see Our Lord allude to this in the case of the ten lepers that He cured: “And it came to pass, as Jesus was going to Jerusalem, He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as He entered into a certain town, there met Him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off; and lifted up their voice, saying: ‘Jesus, master! Have mercy on us!’ Whom, when He saw, He said: ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests!’ And it came to pass, as they went, they were made clean. And one of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorifying God. And he fell on his face before His feet, giving thanks: and this was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering, said: ‘Were not ten made clean? And where are the nine?’ There is no one found to return and give glory to God, but this stranger!’” (Luke 17:11-18).

The Apostles also say that God helps the humble, but not the proud: “God resisteth the proud, but to the humble he giveth grace” (1 Peter 5:5). “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble” (James 4:6). “God comforteth the humble” (2 Corinthians 7:6).

The help that we hope to get from Heaven will be in proportion to our humility and gratitude—two things that the world is sadly lacking today. Pride, independence and a sense of "society owes me something" reigns today. This easily transfers itself to the spiritual domain, whereby we think ourselves to be much better than we actually are, and we expect from God far more than we deserve. The words that Our Lord once spoke to one of His mystics should sober our thoughts—He said: "If you saw yourself as I see you, then you would die of fright!" Yet, if we were only to become much more humble and grateful, then we would be surprised by how much more God would give us—even though we are undeserving of it.

Resolution
I will not presume that I can do without the help of Heaven and God's Providence—not only in major things, but in all trivial things too! God looks after the tiniest details of our life—even down to the hairs on our head: “But a hair of your head shall not perish” (Luke 21:18). I will remind myself frequently of Our Lord's words: "Without Me, you can do nothing!"

Our Prayer
O Mary, Mother of Perpetual help, I salute thee with the filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself, and all I have, to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence O Help of Christians, O Mother of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena.

[Mention Intention]

Let us pray:
Mother of Perpetual Help, behold at thy feet a sinner who has recourse to thee and has confidence in thee. Mother of mercy, have pity on me. I hear all calling thee the refuge and the hope of sinners. Be, then, my refuge and my hope. For the love of Jesus Christ, thy Son, help me. Give thy hand to a poor sinner who commends himself to thee and dedicates himself to thy lasting service. I praise and thank God who in His mercy has given to me this confidence in thee, a sure pledge of my eternal salvation.

It is true that in the past, I, miserable and wretched, have fallen into sin because I did not have recourse to thee. But I know that with thy help I shall be able to overcome myself. I know, too, that thou wilt help me, if I commend myself to thee. But I fear that in the occasions of sin, I may neglect to call upon thee and thus run the risk of being lost. This grace, then, I seek of thee; for this I implore thee as much as I know how and as much as I can: that in all the attacks of Hell I may ever have recourse to thee and say to thee: "O Mary, help me! O Mother of Perpetual Help, do not let me lose my God!"

Say the Our Father and the Hail Mary.

Final Invocations:
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Pray for us, who have recourse to thee!

St. Luke painting his image of Our Lady

The church of St. Alphonsus Liguori in Rome. This is the current location for original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass being offered at the altar in the church of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Rome, above which is found the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

SIXTH DAY OF THE NOVENA (new meditations posted each day)
Topic to Contemplate: Help in All Things

Holy Scripture
“Whatsoever they shall ask, it shall be done to them” (Matthew 18:19). “And in all things whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive” (Matthew 21:22).

“We desire that whatsoever we shall ask, thou wouldst do it for us” (Mark 10:35).

Words of Our Lady
“The Most Holy Virgin, in these last times in which we live, has given a new efficacy to the recitation of the Rosary, to such an extent, that there is no problem, no matter how difficult it is, whether temporal or, above all, spiritual, in the personal life of each one of us, of our families, of the families of the world, or of the religious communities, or even of the life of peoples and nations, that cannot be solved by the Rosary. There is no problem I tell you, no matter how difficult it is, that we cannot resolve by the prayer of the Holy Rosary. With the Holy Rosary, we will save ourselves, we will sanctify ourselves, we will console Our Lord and obtain the salvation of many souls.” Sr. Lucia of Fatima recounting what Our Lady had said to her).

The History (Part Six)
When Pope Pius IX told the Redemptorist Superior General: “Spare no effort to make Our Lady of Perpetual Help known and venerated, because this Madonna will save the world”, the Holy Father at once took a piece of paper and wrote a short memorandum ordering the Augustinian Fathers of St. Mary in Posterula to surrender the picture to the Redemptorists, on condition that the Redemptorists supply the Augustinians with another picture of Our Lady or a good copy of the icon of Perpetual Help. The short note read as follows:

“December 11, 1865. The Cardinal prefect will call the Superior of the little community of Santa Maria in Posterula, and will tell him it is Our will that the Image of the most holy Mary, of which this petition treats, be returned between St. John’s and St. Mary Major’s. However, the Superior of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer is obliged to substitute another suitable picture. [sgned] Pope Pius IX.”

The Augustinians were stunned to see the note from the Holy Father, for they had no idea that what a treasure they had had in their possession. The Icon meant much to the Augustinians, but when the two Redemptorists came armed with the Pope’s signed memorandum, what could they do but obey? Although they were sad to see the picture leave their monastery, they rejoiced to see it returned to the place where the Blessed Virgin desired it to be honored. In place of the original picture, they were given an exact replica within a short time.

Meditation
“If Jesus is the King of the whole world, Mary is also Queen of the whole world. If therefore, says St. Bernardine of Sienna, all creatures who serve God ought also to serve Mary; for all angels and men, and all things that are in Heaven and on Earth being subject to the dominion of God, are also subject to the dominion of the glorious Virgin. Hence Abbot Guerric addresses the Divine Mother thus: ‘Continue, Mary, continue in security to reign; dispose, according to thy will, of everything belonging to thy Son, for thou, being mother and spouse of the King of the world, the kingdom and power over all creatures is due to thee as Queen!’” (St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary).

“God has ordained that all the favors, which He dispenses, should pass through the hands of Mary, according to the opinion of St. Bernard, which may well be considered at the present day the common opinion of doctors and innumerable learned authors. Even Father Noel Alexander, an author usually very reserved in his assertions, declares it to be the will of God that we receive all favors through the intercession of Mary. In confirmation of this, he quotes the celebrated passage of St. Bernard: ‘This is the will of Him, Who would have us receive all things through Mary! ... She is in all things kind, lovely, and compassionate!’ … For thou canst not but be graciously heard, as God, in all things, conforms to thy wishes, as to those of a true and pure Mother” (St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary).

Among his many beautiful prayers to Mary, St. Alphonsus, we glean the following phrases: “In a word, if thou dost protect me, I hope all things, because all things are possible with thee! … We ask great things of thee, but canst thou not obtain them all for us? Are they greater than the love God has for thee? Thou hast only to open thy lips in prayer to thy Son, and He will grant thee all things … Thy love is unfailing; thou canst and wilt obtain all things for me.”

St. Anselm addresses Our Lady in prayer, thus: “We pray thee, O most Blessed Lady, by that grace which God bestowed on thee when He so greatly exalted thee, rendering all things possible to thee with Him; we pray thee to obtain for us…” And St. Anselm, before, had said: “All things by this Virgin are reclaimed and restored to their pristine state.”

St. Bernard writes that Mary becomes all things to all men, and opens to all the bowels of her mercy, that all may receive of her; the captive his freedom; the sick man health; the afflicted consolation; the sinner pardon, and God glory: hence there is no one, since she is the sun, who does not partake of her warmth … In a word, whatever appertains to Mary, is full of grace and mercy; for she, as Mother of Mercy, has become all things to all. (St. Bernard, Homily: “In Signum Magnum”).

St. Thomas Aquinas says that he who loves God, loves all things which God loves. St. Catherine of Genoa one day said to God: “O Lord, it is Thy will that I love my neighbor, and I can love none but thee!” God answered her in these words: “He who loves Me, loves all things loved by Me!” But as there never has been and never will be one who loves God more than Mary; so there never has been, and never will be, one who loves his neighbor more than Mary. Love of God, of course, comes first—but we cannot separate love of God from love of neighbor, since our neighbor was made by God and is love by God. Hence, Our Lord says: “Amen I say to you, as long as you did it to one of these My least brethren, you did it to Me … Amen I say to you, as long as you did it not to one of these least, neither did you do it to Me” (Matthew 25:40, 45).

If it is true that those who show mercy will receive mercy--“Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy … For judgment without mercy to him that hath not done mercy" (Matthew 5:7; James 2:13)—then, likewise, we could say: “Blessed are those who help others, for they shall receive help from Heaven! But no help shall be given to those who give no help to others!” This is simply summed up by the words: “All things therefore whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you also to them. For this is the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12) … “And as you would that men should do to you, do you also to them in like manner” (Luke 6:31). “Give, and it shall be given to you: good measure and pressed down and shaken together and running over shall they give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you shall mete withal, it shall be measured to you again” (Luke 6:38).

You may protest that you are poor and the ability to help others is beyond your means. Help is more than just giving money or material goods. In fact, if the soul is more important than the body, then spiritual help is more important the material help—though it is not a case of one or the other. There is nobody who can claim that they cannot help others spiritual in one or more ways. The Spiritual Works of Mercy are a springboard of ideas on how this can be done: to instruct the ignorant; to counsel the doubtful; to admonish sinners; to bear wrongs patiently; to forgive offenses willingly; to comfort the afflicted; to pray for the living and the dead.

Resolution
We are quick to ask Heaven for help, but slow in giving help to others. That is the instinctive trait of every man, woman and child—unless grace overcomes that selfishness. Pride and selfishness is one of the most common reasons that we fail to secure the help of Heaven. Another preventative to having our prayers answered is "Badness." As St. Augustine says, our prayers for help are not answered because of one or all of the following faults: (1) we are bad; (2) we ask badly, or (3) we ask for bad things. Let us resolve, at least, to change the first two of these pitfalls—let us become better and pray better. The third, we can sometimes be deceived upon—it is better to leave that in Our Lady's hands, for she will not grant us anything that will risk our salvation; and if she does not grant what we ask, she will grant something more beneficial. Let us then help others if we wished to helped.

Our Prayer
O Mary, Mother of Perpetual help, I salute thee with the filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself, and all I have, to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence O Help of Christians, O Mother of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena.

[Mention Intention]

Let us pray:
Mother of Perpetual Help, behold at thy feet a sinner who has recourse to thee and has confidence in thee. Mother of mercy, have pity on me. I hear all calling thee the refuge and the hope of sinners. Be, then, my refuge and my hope. For the love of Jesus Christ, thy Son, help me. Give thy hand to a poor sinner who commends himself to thee and dedicates himself to thy lasting service. I praise and thank God who in His mercy has given to me this confidence in thee, a sure pledge of my eternal salvation.

It is true that in the past, I, miserable and wretched, have fallen into sin because I did not have recourse to thee. But I know that with thy help I shall be able to overcome myself. I know, too, that thou wilt help me, if I commend myself to thee. But I fear that in the occasions of sin, I may neglect to call upon thee and thus run the risk of being lost. This grace, then, I seek of thee; for this I implore thee as much as I know how and as much as I can: that in all the attacks of Hell I may ever have recourse to thee and say to thee: "O Mary, help me! O Mother of Perpetual Help, do not let me lose my God!"

Say the Our Father and the Hail Mary.

Final Invocations:
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Pray for us, who have recourse to thee!

St. Luke painting his image of Our Lady

The church of St. Alphonsus Liguori in Rome. This is the current location for original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass being offered at the altar in the church of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Rome, above which is found the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

SEVENTH DAY OF THE NOVENA (new meditations posted each day)
Topic to Contemplate: Unfailing Help

Holy Scripture
“Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to have pity on the son of her womb? And if she should forget, yet will not I forget thee!” (Isaias 49:15).

Words of Our Lady
“My daughter! Are you suffering a great deal? Don’t lose heart. I will never forsake you! My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God" (Our Lady of Fatima, June 13th, 1917).

The History (Part Seven)
On January 19th, 1866, Fathers Marchi and Bresciani brought the miraculous picture to St. Alphonsus’ church. The Redemptorists were thrilled to receive the miraculous image, but wishing to give it a fitting welcome, delayed its installation in the church until it could be cleaned and repaired, and other suitable preparations could be made. Finally, on April 26th, 1866, the solemn procession and the formal enthronement of the icon took place. Preparations were now made to inaugurate the new public reign of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. On April 26th, 1866, a great procession was staged in which the picture was carried throughout the Esquiline region of Rome. Along the procession route the buildings and the roadsides were decorated with flowers, vines and banners. Once again Our Lady showed her pleasure at the love shown her, by her children, by an outpouring of grace, for several miraculous cures took place that day, including that of that of a four-year-old boy and that of an eight-year-old girl. Since that time, many spiritual and temporal favors have been recorded, and the devotion of Our Lady of Perpetual Help has spread in a surprising way.

When the procession returned to the church, the picture was enthroned over the high altar amid much rejoicing, in a resplendent shrine-niche that had been especially constructed for it. For three days the celebration continued, with beautiful High Masses, Benediction, special devotions and sermons each day. As the word of the miracles spread, people came by the hundreds to see the picture and honor the Blessed Virgin. The report of marvelous healings spread rapidly throughout the city of Rome and people came by the hundreds to visit the shrine. Soon the whole area around the altar was filled with abandoned crutches and canes and several whole glass-covered cabinets were filled with gold and silver thanksgiving offerings in the shapes of miniature hearts, arms, legs and other votive offerings. Not even two weeks had passed when Pope Pius IX himself came and spent many long moments praying before the image. “How beautiful she is!” he said, after gazing at the picture.

Meditation
God has written into the hearts of “parents to love their children, for love towards one’s own offspring is a love so deeply planted in the heart by nature herself, that even the wild beasts, as St. Ambrose says, never fail to love their young. It is said that even tigers, hearing the cry of their whelps when they are taken by the hunters, will plunge into the sea to swim after the vessels where they are confined. If, then, says our most loving mother Mary, even tigers cannot forget their young, how can I forget to love you, my children? And, she adds, even if it should happen that a mother could forget her child, it is not possible that I can forget a soul which is my child” (St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary).

Our Lady is the “Refuge of Sinners”; she is the “Help of Christians”—we call her “Mother of Perpetual Help”, which means that her help is perpetual and unfailing. “The Blessed Virgin Mary herself revealed to St. Bridget, that: ‘As a mother who sees her son exposed to the sword of the enemy, makes every effort to save him, thus do I, and will I ever do for my children, sinful though they be, if they come to me for help.’” (St. Alphosnus Liguori, The Glories of Mary).

The devil will all that he can to make doubt, mistrust and lack confidence in the unfailing help of Our Lady, for he knows that those who truly trust in her, turn to her, rely on her, truly try to serve her—cannot be lost. The devil himself admits this, as related by St. Louis de Montfort, in his book, The Secret of the Rosary:

“When St. Dominic was preaching the Rosary near Carcassone, an Albigensian was brought to him who was possessed by the devil. The Saint exorcised him in the presence of a great crowd of people. The devils who were in possession of this wretched man were forced to answer St. Dominic’s questions in spite of themselves. For St. Dominic knelt down and said this prayer to Our Lady: “Oh, most glorious Virgin Mary, I implore you by the power of the Holy Rosary command these enemies of the human race to answer my question.” St. Dominic had scarcely finished this prayer when he saw the Blessed Virgin near at hand surrounded by a multitude of angels. She struck the possessed man with a golden rod that she held and said, “Answer my servant Dominic at once!” (It must be noted that the people neither saw nor heard Our Lady, only St. Dominic.)

"Then the devils started screaming: “Oh, you who are enemy, our downfall and our destruction, why have you come from Heaven to torture us so grievously? O advocate of sinners, you who snatch them from the very jaws of Hell, you who are a most sure path to Heaven, must we, in spite of ourselves, tell the whole truth and confess before everyone who it is who is the cause of our shame and our ruin? Oh, woe to us, princes of darkness. Then listen, you Christians. This Mother of Jesus is most powerful in saving her servants from falling into Hell. She is like the sun which destroys the darkness of our wiles and subtlety. It is she who uncovers our hidden plots, breaks our snares, and makes our temptations useless and ineffective.

“We have to say, however, reluctantly, that no soul who has really persevered in her service has ever been damned with us; one single sigh that she offers to the Blessed Trinity is worth far more than all the prayers, desires, and aspirations of all the saints. We fear her more than all the other saints in Heaven together, and we have no success with her faithful servants. Many Christians who call on her at the hour of death and who really ought to be damned according to our ordinary standards are saved by her intercession. And if that Marietta (it is thus in their fury they called her) did not counter our plans and our efforts, we should have overcome the Church and destroyed it long before this, and caused all the Orders in the Church to fall into error and infidelity. Now that we are forced to speak, we must also tell you that nobody who perseveres in saying the Rosary will be damned, because she obtains for her servants the grace of true contrition for their sins by which they obtain pardon and mercy.” (St. Louis de Montfort, The Secret of the Rosary, “Thirty third Rose”).

Resolution
We are quick to ask Heaven for help, but slow in giving help to others. That is the instinctive trait of every man, woman and child—unless grace overcomes that selfishness. Pride and selfishness is one of the most common reasons that we fail to secure the help of Heaven. Another preventative to having our prayers answered is "Badness." As St. Augustine says, our prayers for help are not answered because of one or all of the following faults: (1) we are bad; (2) we ask badly, or (3) we ask for bad things. Let us resolve, at least, to change the first two of these pitfalls—let us become better and pray better. The third, we can sometimes be deceived upon—it is better to leave that in Our Lady's hands, for she will not grant us anything that will risk our salvation; and if she does not grant what we ask, she will grant something more beneficial. Let us then help others if we wished to helped.

Our Prayer
O Mary, Mother of Perpetual help, I salute thee with the filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself, and all I have, to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence O Help of Christians, O Mother of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena.

[Mention Intention]

Let us pray:
Mother of Perpetual Help, behold at thy feet a sinner who has recourse to thee and has confidence in thee. Mother of mercy, have pity on me. I hear all calling thee the refuge and the hope of sinners. Be, then, my refuge and my hope. For the love of Jesus Christ, thy Son, help me. Give thy hand to a poor sinner who commends himself to thee and dedicates himself to thy lasting service. I praise and thank God who in His mercy has given to me this confidence in thee, a sure pledge of my eternal salvation.

It is true that in the past, I, miserable and wretched, have fallen into sin because I did not have recourse to thee. But I know that with thy help I shall be able to overcome myself. I know, too, that thou wilt help me, if I commend myself to thee. But I fear that in the occasions of sin, I may neglect to call upon thee and thus run the risk of being lost. This grace, then, I seek of thee; for this I implore thee as much as I know how and as much as I can: that in all the attacks of Hell I may ever have recourse to thee and say to thee: "O Mary, help me! O Mother of Perpetual Help, do not let me lose my God!"

Say the Our Father and the Hail Mary.

Final Invocations:
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Pray for us, who have recourse to thee!

St. Luke painting his image of Our Lady

The church of St. Alphonsus Liguori in Rome. This is the current location for original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass being offered at the altar in the church of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Rome, above which is found the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

EIGHTH DAY OF THE NOVENA (new meditations posted each day)
Topic to Contemplate:   Powerful Help

Holy Scripture
“Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to have pity on the son of her womb? And if she should forget, yet will not I forget thee!” (Isaias 49:15).

Words of Our Lady
Let “men in the future might realize how powerful I am in placating Divine Justice and obtaining mercy and pardon for every sinner, who comes to me with a contrite heart. For I am the Mother of Mercy and in me there is only goodness and love” (Our Lady of Good Success, January 16, 1599).

"Do you not realize that I am an all-powerful Queen ... Why do you doubt? Why do you tremble, when there is nothing to fear?"  (Our Lady of Good Success, January 16, 1599).

The History (Part Eight)
The miraculous picture now found itself in St. Alphonsus’ church. Pope Pius IX himself came and spent many long moments praying before the image. Later, when the Archconfraternity of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was formed, the Pope insisted that his would be the first name on the list of members. On May 12th, 1867, the Vatican ordered that the icon should be crowned. On June 23rd of that same year, after a Solemn High Mass, amid joyful hymns, two golden, jewel-encrusted crowns were blessed, with one crown being placed on the head of the Blessed Virgin and the other on the head of the Infant Jesus. The icon’s popularity among Eastern Rite Catholics was emphasized by the presence of the Latin Patriarch of Constantinople, who presided at the ceremony.

Pope Leo XIII, the next pontiff, had a copy of the picture on his desk, so that he might see it constantly during his working day. St. Pius X sent a copy of the icon to the Empress of Ethiopia and granted an indulgence of 100 days to anyone who repeated the phrase: “Mother of Perpetual Help, pray for us.”

Pope Benedict XV had the picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help placed immediately over his chair of state, in the throne room. Here it could be seen by all just over his head, as if to say: “Here is your true Queen!”

Meditation
We read in The Secret of Rosary, by St. Louis de Montfort, the incident where the devils confess to St. Dominic that the Blessed Virgin Mary is all powerful against them: “This Mother of Jesus is most powerful in saving her servants from falling into Hell. She is like the sun which destroys the darkness of our wiles and subtlety. It is she who uncovers our hidden plots, breaks our snares, and makes our temptations useless and ineffective ... One single sigh, that she offers to the Blessed Trinity, is worth far more than all the prayers, desires, and aspirations of all the saints. We fear her more than all the other saints in Heaven together” (St. Louis de Montfort, The Secret of the Rosary).

The same is communicated by the devils to an exorcist of more recent times, Fr. Theodore Geiger, a German priest who was an exorcist for over 30 years; from 1874 to his holy death in 1909. In a book about the exorcisms that he performed, Mary Crushes The Serpent, he wrote the following:

The demon is full of hatred towards all good. “With you everything is love, but with us it is all hatred” one demon said to me. He loves the bad only out of hatred for the good. A demon told me that he seduces men to different vices, not because he likes these vices, but because he despises their virtues. Whenever he sees a virtuous, or well-meaning soul, whom God might use to accomplish something worthwhile, his hatred becomes inflamed and he tries every possible device to deprive that soul of her virtue and to make her incapable of doing good. He is unable to foretell what the results of his attacks will be. Led by pride he always hopes for success and victory. “I am too proud,” he said, “to believe that I will fail in my attempt.” Thus he proceeds blindly and, to his own shame, he is instrumental in bringing about a lot of good. The demon himself told me that there are many things he would not do if he could know beforehand what the outcome would be.

The demon is aware of these virtuous souls, who offer themselves as victims, and knows that they are capable of doing much good. Driven by hatred he attacks them without knowing what the consequences will be, but he does not doubt his own success. The battle of these victim souls against the demons brings about the very sanctification of these souls. According to the confessions of the demons, they lose their power in the battle with these victim souls. According to the constant confessions of the demons it is the Blessed Virgin who leads the suffering souls against the demons and forces them to battle with the victim souls until they are overpowered. The Blessed Virgin ties a host of these to this or that victim. When one horde is made helpless, another one follows to meet the same fate.

From these confessions of the demon we may conclude that the Blessed Virgin is selecting noble victim souls who are willing to suffer for love of God. The Blessed Virgin permits them to give battle to the demons that roam about the earth suppressing the Church and ruining souls.

The Blessed Virgin provides a remedy for all our great evils in this manner: she liberates the Church and the souls from the power of these devils; she consoles and placates the Heart of her Beloved Son; she makes atonement to God's Justice in place of the sinners and implores God's mercy in their behalf. Finally, she removes from us the avenging justice of God or at least mitigates the punishments. She does not forget those noble souls she enjoins to carry out her plan. They are sanctified through the cross which they have accepted of their own choosing, and through the Blessed Virgin, a reward is prepared for them before God equal to the submission and greatness of their love.

Evidently the aims planned by the Blessed Virgin are of the greatest importance. That makes it intelligible why God should permit these selected souls to be subject to the influence and [at times] the actual possession of Satan. The final practical results measured in the scale of an almighty and all-powerful God will justify the ordeal of these terrible tests to achieve His ultimate goal. It is true that there will be innocent souls entrusted to the cruelty of the demons. Yet, did not God permit His only begotten Son, Who was innocent and holy, to suffer and die upon the cross in order to deliver the world from the power of Satan and thus bring about the salvation of souls? It was not by His teaching and prayer, but by His bitter passion and death that He redeemed us. And did not the Blessed Virgin consent to the sacrifice of her Divine Son, as she stood beneath the Cross? Did she not offer up her sorrows to crush the powers of Hell and bring about the salvation of souls? What she did so heroically for us then through the sacrifice of her Beloved Son, that she continues to do for us now. Despite the sympathy of her motherly heart she sacrifices her loving children, the victim souls, by permitting them to suffer for the benefit of the Church and for the salvation of souls in view of the glorious victory that she attains over the powers of Hell.

That is the program of the Blessed Virgin. What I have said about it is the real truth. It is not a theory fashioned by me, nor a teaching that I would foster, but it deals with a reality which I wish to make known and the veracity of which I believe I can definitely prove. The confessions of the demons prove it; the supernatural revelations give testimony to it. (Mary Crushes the Serpent by Rev. Theodore Geiger. Translated by Rev. Celestine Kapsner, O.S.B.).

Our Prayer
O Mary, Mother of Perpetual help, I salute thee with the filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself, and all I have, to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence O Help of Christians, O Mother of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena.

[Mention Intention]

Let us pray:
Mother of Perpetual Help, behold at thy feet a sinner who has recourse to thee and has confidence in thee. Mother of mercy, have pity on me. I hear all calling thee the refuge and the hope of sinners. Be, then, my refuge and my hope. For the love of Jesus Christ, thy Son, help me. Give thy hand to a poor sinner who commends himself to thee and dedicates himself to thy lasting service. I praise and thank God who in His mercy has given to me this confidence in thee, a sure pledge of my eternal salvation.

It is true that in the past, I, miserable and wretched, have fallen into sin because I did not have recourse to thee. But I know that with thy help I shall be able to overcome myself. I know, too, that thou wilt help me, if I commend myself to thee. But I fear that in the occasions of sin, I may neglect to call upon thee and thus run the risk of being lost. This grace, then, I seek of thee; for this I implore thee as much as I know how and as much as I can: that in all the attacks of Hell I may ever have recourse to thee and say to thee:  "O Mary, help me! O Mother of Perpetual Help, do not let me lose my God!"

Say the Our Father and the Hail Mary.

Final Invocations:
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Pray for us, who have recourse to thee!

St. Luke painting his image of Our Lady

The church of St. Alphonsus Liguori in Rome. This is the current location for original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass being offered at the altar in the church of St. Alphonsus Liguori, Rome, above which is found the original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.

NINTH DAY OF THE NOVENA (new meditations posted each day)
Topic to Contemplate:   Perpetual Help

Holy Scripture
“Can a woman forget her infant, so as not to have pity on the son of her womb? And if she should forget, yet will not I forget thee!” (Isaias 49:15).

Words of Our Lady
“Don’t lose heart. I will never forsake you! My Immaculate Heart will be your refuge and the way that will lead you to God" (Our Lady of Fatima, June 13th, 1917).

The History (Part Eight)
Back in 1865, Pope Pius IX had told the Redemptorists, in speaking to them of the treasure he had committed to their care: “Spare no effort to make Our Lady of Perpetual Help known and venerated, because this Madonna will save the world.” It seems as though they hardly needed the exhortation.

It is only in the past 150 years that devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help has increased dramatically on a universal scale. In 1865, Pope Pius IX entrusted the miraculous icon to the Redemptorists and told them to "Make Her Known Throughout the World."

As they have criss-crossed the globe, Redemptorist priests and brothers have erected churches and shrines to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. They have encouraged people to gather each week to pray the novena prayers and then to pray daily in their homes to Mary, Our Mother of Perpetual Help. In the United States, they built the first Our Lady of Perpetual Help church in the Roxbury section of Boston, and it was eventually raised to the honor of a “Papal Basilica” by Pope Pius XII.

Prior to the 1960’s and beyond, many parishes had weekly devotions in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. Tuesday was a popular day for the devotions. Countless miracles, healings, and conversions are attributed to Mary by those who pray to her as Our Mother of Perpetual Help. Sadly, today, much of that has been lost—with very few parishes continuing along those lines—which is also a loss of many and great spiritual graces the devotion brought. Let us, at least in the 'parishes' of our homes and hearts, renew and restore the age old devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help and seek to propagate the devotion in our circle of relatives and friends. We cannot outdo Our Lady in generosity! And doesn't everyone need her help?

Meditation
We all know the saying: “If at first you don’t succeed—try and try again!” Holy Scripture says a similar thing: “But he that shall persevere to the end, he shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13). In other words, “He who perseveres perpetually shall succeed!” and Our Lady is perpetually there to help us. Yet “help” is the operative word! She will HELP us, but she won’t do it for us!

Though Our Lord said: “Without Me, you can do nothing!” (John 15:5), He did not mean “Since you can’t do anything without Me, I will do EVERYTHING for you—just sit back, put your feet up and watch!” As the saying goes: “God helps those who help themselves!” The same is true of Our Lady. We must do what we can on our part—then, if necessary, Our Lady will take care of the rest. Her help is perpetual, but our efforts must be perpetual too! “WORK out your salvation … Faith without WORKS is dead” (Philippians 2:12; James 2:20).

To save souls from Hell, Our Lady of Fatima asked that we pray and offer sacrifices for the souls of poor sinners—strictly speaking, Our Lady has no need of our prayers, for, as the saints say—the prayers of Our Lady are more powerful than those of all the angels and saints put together―“one single sigh that she offers to the Blessed Trinity is worth far more than all the prayers, desires, and aspirations of all the saints” (St. Louis de Montfort, The Secret of the Rosary).

Yet, it is for our good that we are asked to contribute our pittance to the cause—just like a parent has no real need for the three-year-old to carry their plate from table to kitchen sink, but is good for the child to learn discipline, a sense of duty, to contribute to the common good, even if imperfectly. The load, the duties, responsibility and accountability are gradually increased over the years.

Likewise in the spiritual life—the load placed upon beginners is lighter than that placed upon those making progress; while the load placed upon those entering perfection is even greater: “Unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more” Luke 12:48).

The problem is that we are ungrateful for Heaven’s help in general and Our Lady’s help in particular. We are reminded of Our Lord’s disgust for ingratitude in the incident with the ten lepers: “And as Jesus entered into a certain town, there met Him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off; and lifted up their voice, saying: ‘Jesus, master! Have mercy on us!’ Whom when he saw, He said: ‘Go, show yourselves to the priests!’ And it came to pass, as they went, they were made clean. And one of them, when he saw that he was made clean, went back, with a loud voice glorifying God. And he fell on his face before His feet, giving thanks: and this was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering, said, ‘Were not ten made clean? And where are the nine? There is no one found to return and give glory to God, but this stranger!’” (Luke 17:12-18). “Know also this, that, in the last days, shall come dangerous times. Men shall be lovers of themselves, covetous, haughty, proud, ungrateful” (2 Timothy 3:1-2).

Our Lady complained of this ingratitude at La Salette: “I have suffered all of the time for all of you! If I do not wish my Son to abandon you, I must take it upon myself to pray for this continually. And all you think little of this.” The more grateful we are, the more we are likely to get—this is true on a human level as well a divine level.

However, this should not make us greedy and covetous. Gratitude for such selfish purposes will not work. Yet a lack of gratitude will invariably cause us “to shoot ourselves in the foot.”  With St. Alphonsus Liguori, let us promise Our Lady: “I will no longer be ungrateful; I will make amends by perpetual praises and by all the affection of my soul for my past ingratitude, and will make some return for the love thou bearest me” (St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary).

Let us remember that “many good things are prepared for those who praise her and speak in praise of Mary; let us endeavor always, with heart and tongue, to celebrate this our divine Mother, that we may be conducted by her to the kingdom of the blessed” (St. Alphonsus Liguori, The Glories of Mary). Our Lady of Perpetual Help pray for me! Our Lady of Perpetual Help, help me praise thee perpetually!

Our Prayer
O Mary, Mother of Perpetual help, I salute thee with the filial devotion. I renew the consecration of myself, and all I have, to thee. I thank thee for thy maternal protection and for the many blessings that I have received through thy wondrous mercy and most powerful intercession. In all my necessities I have recourse to thee with unbounded confidence O Help of Christians, O Mother of Mercy. I beseech thee now to hear my prayer and to obtain for me of thy divine Son the favor that I request in this novena.

[Mention Intention]

Let us pray:
Mother of Perpetual Help, behold at thy feet a sinner who has recourse to thee and has confidence in thee. Mother of mercy, have pity on me. I hear all calling thee the refuge and the hope of sinners. Be, then, my refuge and my hope. For the love of Jesus Christ, thy Son, help me. Give thy hand to a poor sinner who commends himself to thee and dedicates himself to thy lasting service. I praise and thank God who in His mercy has given to me this confidence in thee, a sure pledge of my eternal salvation.

It is true that in the past, I, miserable and wretched, have fallen into sin because I did not have recourse to thee. But I know that with thy help I shall be able to overcome myself. I know, too, that thou wilt help me, if I commend myself to thee. But I fear that in the occasions of sin, I may neglect to call upon thee and thus run the risk of being lost. This grace, then, I seek of thee; for this I implore thee as much as I know how and as much as I can: that in all the attacks of Hell I may ever have recourse to thee and say to thee:  "O Mary, help me! O Mother of Perpetual Help, do not let me lose my God!"

Say the Our Father and the Hail Mary.

Final Invocations:
Our Lady of Perpetual Help
Pray for us, who have recourse to thee!

CONSECRATION TO OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP
Feast day June 27th

ACT OF CONSECRATION TO OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP

Most Holy Virgin Mary who, to inspire me with the fullest confidence, hast been willing to take the sweet name of Mother of Perpetual Help, I. N. N. (say your name) acknowledge that my sins render me unworthy to be admitted among the number of thy privileged children. Nevertheless, desirous of enjoying thy merciful favor, I cast myself at thy feet and humbly prostrate before thee, I consecrate to thee my understanding, that I may always think of thee; I consecrate to thee my heart in order that, after God, I may love thee above all things.

O my Sovereign Lady, deign to receive me among the number of thy favored children, take me under thy protection, help me in all my spiritual and temporal wants, but especially at the hour of my death.

O Mother of Perpetual Help, I know that thou lovest me more than I can love myself, I entrust all my interests to thy care: dispose of me, and all that belongs to me, according to thy good pleasure.

O Mother, bless me, and by thy powerful intercession support my weakness, so that having been faithful in serving thee during this life, I may praise thee, love thee and thank thee eternally in the next. Amen.

LITANY OF OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP

Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.

God the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Holy Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Virgin, conceived without sin, pray for us.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help, pray for us.
We sinners call to thee, O Mary, ever help us.

That we may love God with our whole hearts, O Mary ever help us.
That we may be comfortable in all things to thy Divine Son, O Mary ever help us.
That we may have a tender and heartfelt devotion to thee, most holy Virgin, O Mary ever help us.
That we may hate with all our strength sin; the only evil, O Mary ever help us.
That we may frequently remember our last end, O Mary ever help us.
That we may often and; worthily receive the Most Holy Sacrament, O Mary ever help us.
That we may avoid with all our strength proximate occasions of sin, O Mary ever help us.
That we may not neglect prayer a single day of our lives, O Mary ever help us.
That we may have recourse to prayer in the hour of temptation, O Mary ever help us.
That we may generously forgive our enemies, and wish well to all men, O Mary ever help us.
That we may not defer our conversion from day to day, O Mary ever help us.
That we may zealously labor to overcome our bad habits, O Mary ever help us.
That we may live and die in the grace of God, O Mary ever help us.

In all concerns of soul and body; in sickness and pain, O Mary ever help us.
In struggles against the inclinations of corrupt nature, O Mary ever help us.
In assaults of evil spirits, O Mary ever help us.
In temptations against the holy virtue of purity, O Mary ever help us.
In all danger of sinning, O Mary ever help us.

When we have reached the end of our earthly course, O Mary ever help us.
When lying on our death-bed, and the thought of our approaching dissolution shall fill us with fear and horror, O Mary ever help us.
When in the hour of final separation from all, evil spirits shall try to drive us to despair. O Mary ever help us.
When the priest of the Lord shall give us the last absolution and blessing, O Mary ever help us.
When our relatives and friends surround our bed, weeping and praying for us, O Mary ever help us.
When our eyes grow dim and our hearts cease to beat, O Mary ever help us.
When we breathe forth our spirit into the hands of our Creator, O Mary ever help us.
When our poor soul appears before our Divine Judge, O Mary ever help us.
When the terrible judgement is about to be passed, O Mary ever help us.
When suffering in the flames of Purgatory, and longing for the vision of God. O Mary ever help us.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world: Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world: Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world: Have mercy on us.

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

LET US PRAY:
O God, Who hast willed that the Mother of Thy only-begotten Son should be the perpetual help of Christians on earth, grant us the grace to call on her with confidence in all our necessities of soul and body, so that, saved through her protection and assistance, we may be brought to the everlasting vision of Thy Glory in heaven: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.