6.27.2010

Our Lady of Perpetual Help ~ ~ June 27th

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Today Catholics honor Our Lady of Perpetual Help (Succour).  The original images of her are painted in the Byzantine style and illustrates our Blessed Mother of God holding her Divine Child, Jesus.  The Archangels Michael and Gabriel are presenting Jesus, Our Lord with the instruments of His Passion.  In Greek, are the names Mother of God, Jesus Christ, Archangel Michael, and Archangel Gabriel.
Prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Help
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Mother of Perpetual Help, you have been blessed and favored by God.
You became not only the Mother of the Redeemer but the Mother of the redeemed as well.
We come to you today as your loving children.
Watch over us and take care of us.
As you held the child Jesus in your loving arms, so take us in your arms.
Be a mother ready at every moment to help us.
For God who is mighty has done great things for you, and His mercy is from age to age on those who love Him.
Our greatest fear is that in time of temptation, we may fail to call out to you, and become lost children. Intercede for us, dear Mother, in obtaining pardon for our sins, love for Jesus, final perseverance, and the grace always to call upon you, Mother of Perpetual Help

~ ~ From the Novena to Our Lady of Perpetual Help
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The Message of the Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
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The child Jesus has just seen the angels who have shown him the instruments of his passion. St. Michael the Archangel holds the lance and gall-sop. St. Gabriel the Archangel holds the Cross and the nails. Frightened by the sight, Jesus has run to his mother’s arms so quickly that he almost lost one of His tiny sandals. It dangles from his foot. Mary holds Him lovingly but her eyes look at us - pleading with us to avoid sin and love Her Son.  His hands are in hers to show that, as a child, Jesus placed Himself in Mary’s hands for protection and to remind us that He now has placed into Her hands all graces, to be given to those who turn to His mother and ask.  The star on Mary’s veil shows her to be the one who brought the light of Christ to the darkened world - the beacon that leads the way to Heaven.  The falling sandal symbolizes a soul clinging to Christ by one last thread--devotion to Mary.  The golden background is symbolic of Heaven and shines to show the heavenly joy Jesus and His mother can bring to tired human hearts.
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Front of Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church in Scottsdale, Arizona

When I lived in Scottsdale, Arizona in the late '80s, I was so fortunate to be able to send my daughter to Kindergarten at this wonderful Catholic school.  She had the most incredible education with a Catholic foundation.  Sadly, I could not send her to OLPH after her first year enrolled as my husband left me and abandoned my two children.  Without the funds and far too much pride to take charity from the Church, my daughter left the halls of OLPH to attend first grade in public school where both of my children completed their pre-university years.  Both my daughter and I were heart-broken over the move to a different school, but the Lord and Our Lady continued to help and take care of us and her little brother. We never once felt alone or abandoned.  We always felt safe and protected and watched over.  I feel the same today!  Our beautiful Catholic faith, the Holy Trinity, the Blessed Mother, and all of the angels and saints were (and are) with us each and every day that we were a broken family.  The Lord sent me a most loving man who raised my children as if they were his own.  Never lose the faith my friends!


Prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Help

O Mother of Perpetual Help,
grant that I may ever invoke thy most powerful name,
which is the safeguard of the living and the salvation of the dying.
O Purest Mary, O Sweetest Mary, let thy name henceforth be ever on my lips.
Delay not, O Blessed Lady, to help me whenever I call on thee,
for, in all my needs, in all my temptations I shall never cease to call on thee,
ever repeating thy sacred name, Mary, Mary.

O what consolation, what sweetness,
what confidence, what emotion fill my soul
when I pronounce thy sacred name, or even only think of thee.
I thank God for having given thee, for my good,
so sweet, so powerful, so lovely a name.
But I will not be content with merely pronouncing thy name:
let my love for thee prompt me ever to hail thee,
Mother of Perpetual Help.

Amen.

13 comments:

Adrienne said...

Our Lady of Perpetual Help was a favorite of my mothers and now of moi. I wear a custom made medal 24/7. When people ask who it is (which happens often), after I tell them I add, "and I need all the help I can get."

Beautiful post. Thanks

Roz | La Bella Vita Cucina said...

Thanks Adrienne, she means so much to me too! And you are most welcome!

Crystal E. said...

Thank you so much for explaining the story of O.L.O.P.H. I came across her candle in a store at ahard time in my life and now the world needs her. I light this candle to help the victims of the coming Tsunami's on the west end of the world. Thank you again, and God Bless!

Anonymous said...

Lovely blog! I will come back to it often to recite the prayers posted, especially the one to Our Lady Of Perpetual Help. My dear sweet mother first told me about Our Lady Of Perpetual Help when i was a child and I grew up with Our Lady close to my heart and in my home. Thank you for such a rich filled, beautiful site.

Anonymous said...

My name is Teresita Garcia and I have written a Spirit inspired Invocation To Saint Michael The Archangel. This is the prayer in case you would like to use it in your blog.


Invocation to Saint Michael the Archangel written by Teresita Garcia

St. Michael the Archangel, by the intercession of the Lord, the Most High, I ask of this day for your highest protection and guidance for my friends, family, enemies, as well as myself. Please protect us from all evil, keep us safe from all harm and guide us to your most loving light. Please give us the strength and the health to do God’s bidding. Lord I beg of thee this day and everyday of our lives here on Earth and in the hereafter, to please send a ring of your Angels to surround us all, to protect us from all evil, to keep us safe from all harm and to guide us to your most loving light. Lord, I thank you for all help that you have given us so far and for any help that you may give us in the future in this life and in the hereafter, but first and foremost I want to thank The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, The Virgin Mother of God, and all the Angels and Saints and Spirit Guides who do God’s bidding, especially Saint Michael The Archangel and our Guardian Angels, who light and guard, who rule and guide. Amen.

lauren howell said...

When I was 10 my mom told me OLPH never lets anybody down. She gave me the book of prayers and told me to light a candle whenever I am making a novena.

Anonymous said...

You don't post a contact page, so i couldn't figure out how to send this to you. I follow your blog and am a recent convert to the Catholic faith (grew up Lutheran). I learn so much keeping up with your blog! I wanted to share a resource for Catholic gifts with you that maybe you could share on the blog? It is BlessedSources.org Thank you and keep up the good work!

God Bless,
John

chandra hamid said...

chandra, santa cruz, trinidad.

I was taught to pray to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, in school by my dutch teacher Mrs Stimm-Kamp. I have prayed to her ever since. She means a lot to me. My hope, my love, my mother, my refuge and my life. I have taught my children to always pray to her.

June 13, 2011.

blue said...

I, too, have a special devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help". Before my parents were married back in 1940, they participated in the novena to her and were married on June 29th that year. This is the day my mother died six years ago and I am praying to Our Lady, knowing she is my own dear Mother too. It's grand being a Catholic, I must say. I am so glad my parents gave me this great gift. I respect other people's paths but feel that Catholicism is right for me - and I love it - even when I might disagree with certain things, I wouldn't consider not being a Catholic. Thanks for your website - I am enjoying it very much. ~~ Mary

REUBEN KAMAH said...

HI
I HAVE ALWAYS INVOKED OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP IN MY PERIODS OF NEEDS, AND SHE HAD NEVER LET ME DOWN.
THIS PERIOD OF MY TRIBULATION, I PROMISED TO CONTINUE MY DEVOTION TO HER, EVEN AFTER MY PRAYERS ARE ANSWERED.........PLEASE JOIN ME IN PRAYERS, MY FELLOW CATHOLIC FAITHFULS.
REUBEN KAMAH

REUBEN KAMAH said...

OUR LADY OF PERPETUAL HELP PRAY FOR ME!!!!!!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I agree with blue...The faith is of great comfort and consolation to me and I hope to bring others gently to (greater)faith in time by my example over time. We all need perpetual help. God bless to all who read this and remember the souls in Purgatory.

Anonymous said...

O Mother Of Perpetual Succor - Pray For Thy Children