CAPG's Blog 

"On this day the Church honours the B. V. Mary, under the special title of the Help of Christians. The faithful have often experienced in wonderful ways the help of the holy Mother of God in defeating the enemies of religion. It was after the celebrated victory over the Turks in the battle of Lepanto, miraculously obtained through the intercession of the B. Virgin, that the pope, St. Pius V. ordered those words, Help of Christians, to be inserted in the Litany of Loretto.

But in more recent times, when Pope Pius VII. had been kept a close prisoner for upwards of five years, and deprived of all means of exercising his sublime commission to govern tho Church of God, he was suddenly and unexpectedly restored to his pontifical throne. And being soon after obliged to fly from new troubles, he was a second time happily restored, to the great joy of the whole Church. The holy pontiff always attributed these remarkable events to the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, whose help he had himself continually invoked, and had particularly recommended the faithful to implore. Therefore to perpetuate the memory of these distinguished favours, and to keep alive a grateful sense of them in the minds of all the faithful, the same Pope Pius VII. appointed a feast to be kept on this day in honour of the ever Blessed Virgin Mother of God, under the particular title and character of the Help of Christians.

While you celebrate this festival with a grateful sense of the benefits received by the faithful in every age of the Church, through the patronage of the B. Virgin, fail not to cast yourselves with confidence at her sacred feet, and beg her favourable intercession for yourselves also. She wants neither the power nor the will to assist all by her patronage and intercession. She is full of kindness and mercy, full of mildness and compassion towards all. Through her the sick and infirm may obtain relief, and the sorrowful consolation. She will procure pardon for the penitent sinner, grace and perseverance for the just. All therefore may pray for her intercession, and hope to obtain help through her patronage. And more especially on this festival are all encouraged to honour the holy Mother of God, and fly to her patronage as the powerful Help of Christians." The Catholic Year by Fr. John Gother