The story behind the celebration:
+ Devotion to Mary under her title “Our Lady of Prompt Succor”—“Quick Help”—dates back to 1727 and the establishment of a community of Ursuline Sisters in New Orleans, Louisiana.
+ Although this community suffered extreme difficulties in their early years, the sisters persevered and, in 1809, Pope Pius VII gave permission for more sisters to travel to America to help the struggling community in New Orleans. Having entrusted their hope for additional sisters to the Blessed Virgin, the Ursuline superior commissioned a statue of “Our Lady of Prompt Succor” in thanksgiving and began to promote devotion to Mary under this title.
+ In 1810, the completed statue was brought from France and placed in the convent chapel. The sisters have credited Our Lady of Prompt Succor with protecting them in times of fire, during the Battle of New Orleans, and during various storms and hurricanes over the years.
+ Our Lady of Prompt Succor is honored as the patron of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana.
For prayer and reflection:
“Praise the Lord our God, for in Mary his handmaid he has fulfilled his promise of mercy to the house of Israel.”—Communion Antiphon from the Common of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Spiritual bonus:
On this day we also remember the English priest and martyr Blessed Edward Waterson. In 1588, after traveling through Rome, he converted from Anglicanism to Catholicism and entered the seminary the following year. Edward was ordained in 1592 and returned to England where he began a clandestine ministry to the country’s persecuted Catholic community. He was arrested for the “crime” of being a priest and was eventually hanged, drawn, and quartered on January 8, 1593. He was beatified with other English martyrs in 1929.
Prayer
O Mary, Mother of God, who amid the tribulations of the world, watch over us and over the Church of your Son, be to us and to the Church, truly Our Lady of Prompt Succor. Make haste to help us all in our necessities, that in this fleeting life you may be our succor, and obtain for us (here ask the particular favor you desire). As you once saved our beloved city from ravaging flames and our country from an invading army, have pity on us and obtain for us protection from hurricanes and all other disasters. Be to us truly Our Lady of Prompt Succor now and especially at the hour of our death.
(from the website of the National Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor)
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