OUR MOTHER OF PERPETUAL HELP BLOG

Consider that, although man needs the benign help of Mary at all times and in all circumstances, never, however, as much as in the anxieties of death, which are the greatest that can be experiences in this world. Terrible, indeed, very terrible are the afflictions of the dying. Everything conspires to make those last moments terrible – the memory of sins committed, the fear of the incomprehensible judgments of an offended God, the uncertainty of eternal salvation, everything, everything. Especially then Hell arms itself and puts into action all its forces to possess the soul that is going to pass into eternity because it knows only a little time remains before she is to be judged and, if it does not succeed in ruining her, she will be saved forever. That is why the wicked spirit, accustomed to tempting her in life, is not content solely with tempting her at the hour of death, but even calls his companions to help him. They say that, at the moment of St. Andrew Avellino’s death, ten tho...

 Perseverance! A great problem, a major question of life or death, a perpetual torment of souls who want to be saved. Have you not said trembling – on seeing yourself surrounded by so many dangers and, above all, on seeing souls who seemed confirmed in good fall away, on feeling violent passions inflamed and on examining your own fickleness – have you not said, "Oh, will I be saved? Have my sins been forgiven? I hope so. Am I in the grace of God? Will I persevere in good until the end? What will be my sentence at judgment? Will I be found among the predestined? What will be my lot in eternity?" Terrifying reflections, questions whose uncertain replies fill the heart with anxiety. St. Teresa, writing on this point, could not understand why the pen did not fall from her hand. St. Paul, after having preached to others, feared he would be among the reprobate. And St. Jerome responded beforehand to the sound of the trumpet of final judgment with cries of terror. How, then, to get ...

 If it were sufficient to avoid sin in order to be agreeable in everything to the Lord, the benign office of our Mother would stop at this. For this alone She would provide Her Perpetual Help. But God is not content with not being offended. He requires positive service. He wants us to be perfect. "Be perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect." And truly, He wants us to dedicate ourselves to the practice of these Christian virtues. But how many difficulties are encountered on the path that leads to the holy mountain of perfection! It seems that good, solely because it is good, is now contrary to our corrupt nature. Just souls who have consecrated yourselves to the practice of piety, have you not found it so? Oh, how arid and sterile is our heart, how incapable of producing any fruit worthy of eternal life if the heavenly water of grace do not fall to fertilize it. When a soul truly wishes to sanctify herself she renounces herself, advancing each day in perfection, experiencin...

  Let us consider that the world is a place of trial, a valley of tears and weeping. Who is unaware of it? "Man," says Job, "born of a woman, living for a short time, is filled with many works and miseries." His works is that of Calvary. Such is the condition of every mortal. That is why the author of the "Imitation of Christ" says, "Man needs consolation." And this consolation. . .where will our afflicted heart find it? Perhaps in our friends and neighbors? Ah, no! Usually they look with indifference upon our tribulations. Our tears do not move them. And if one of them is moved to compassion upon seeing our sorrow, often he does not know how to mitigate it in the least because he is impotent. Of whom can we ask help in poverty, consolation in affliction, counsel in doubts? Of Whom but of Her Who is the Perpetual Help of mortals. Look, afflicted soul, see how the Divine Infant clasps the hand of His tender Mother. He has seen the Cross and the in...

  Consider that one of the major difficulties in which man needs the perpetual help of Mary in a special way is in temptation, that perpetual and provoking struggle in which we are engaged against the enemies of our salvation. All of us, just and sinners, feel ourselves inclined to evil. St. Paul himself, after having been carried up to the third heaven, exclaimed saying, "Unhappy man that I am. I see another law in my members, fighting against the law of my mind and captivating me in the law of sin. . .There was given me a sting of my flesh, an angel of Satan, to buffet me." Perhaps, my friend, you could use the same language. You, too, feel this dismal law of sin seeking to dominate the spirit, those vehement impulses of passions hungering for pleasure. Satan and a deceiving world hold out chains to you, too, and at times your find yourself in great danger of succumbing to the very violence of temptation. Oh then, what constraints, what straits are those to the soul who wan...

Yesterday we saw how great is the tenderness of Our Lady with great sinners, but it is no less great with another class of souls in need, those who are called tepid and are in a state almost as dangerous as that of mortal sin. Although these negligent souls, who at times frequent the Sacraments, do indeed wish to avoid mortal sin, nevertheless they do not try to serve God, filling their lives with voluntary venial sins. With superficiality they recite their prayers and carry out other devotions. They hear Mass, perhaps they go to Confession and receive Communion, but they do it out of routine and for human considerations, without fruit, without advancing in virtue. Anger, lies, murmuring, rash judgments, nasty words, envies, laziness, vanity, impurities, dangerous and useless conversations, disordered attachment to the things of the world and other similar faults easily find their place in the hearts of tepid persons. Think of the great risk of being condemned for being in this state. ...

The Blessed Virgin Mary is called, and is truly, the Perpetual Help of all the unfortunates for whom the most loving Mother seems to reserve her most tender glances and whom She makes the special object of Her most compassionate concern: they are the poor sinners, and it is easy to understand the reason behind that predilection. The greater the misfortune of a child, the more maternal love increases. Well then, what greater misfortune is there than that of being separated from Jesus and being chained to the shameful slavery of the devil? By losing sanctifying grace, the unhappy one has made himself the target of divine anger; the ire of God's clamors against him, and if death should surprise him, oh what calamity! His lot would be among the reprobate. That is why the kindest of mothers pours out on Her children, the sinners, all the treasures of the mercy and tenderness of Her maternal Heart.  She attracts them with the sweetness of Her name: Mother of Perpetual Help; with the fame...

Did you know that among many titles under which Christians piety is pleased to invoke the Blessed Virgin Mary, there are few that are as likely to lift our hearts and fill them unlimited confidence as the sweet name of ' Mother of Perpetual Help ', a name that pleases Her so. In the temporal order, who is exempt from illness or poverty? Who does not weaken from time to time in the service of God, in the practice of virtue and who does not tire at times in the path of good? Finally, what Christian does not tremble at the thought of decisive and difficult moment of death, of the purifying fire of purgatory? In view of such miseries and necessities, the soul overwhelmed, feels itself weakening and would like to brush "into tears". But upon hearing the sweet name of Mother of Perpetual Help, it becomes serene. it takes courage, and continual joyfully on its path toward eternity. Why? In truth, the Virgin of Perpetual Help means : a remedy for all the evils that afflict u...