The Redemptorist family and the faithful, we celebrate the feast of the Mother of Perpetual Help on 27 June each year, but already in the first days of the month you can see the invitations for the Novena.
In fact, the Novena in honour of our Mother is prepared and lived in all Redemptorist parishes and shrines. This is a time of grace for all to experience God’s gifts and blessings in and through the powerful intercession of Our Mother of Perpetual Help. In the days leading up to the Solemnity of Perpetual Help, many Redemptorist churches hold a special preparation in the form of a novena or triduum.
Here is a very brief selection of some of the cult centres where the Novena is celebrated with much popular devotion. It has to be said that the restrictions of the pandemic have changed the way of convocation and preparation, but the celebration is still experienced all over the world.
At the St. Alphonsus Church in Rome
https://www.perpetuosoccorso.it/
According to tradition, when entrusting the Icon to the Redemptorists (1866), Pope Pius IX expressed the wish that they make it known throughout the world. Since then, starting from Rome, the devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help has spread throughout the world and become universal. On Friday 18th the Novena in preparation for the Feast of our Mother of Perpetual Succour begins. Every evening at 6pm the prayer of the Perpetual Novena and at 6.30pm Holy Mass with Marian reflection by the fathers of the Redemptorist community.
At the Monastery of Clonard (Ireland)
https://www.redemptoristslimerick.ie/
CLONARD Monastery is once again preparing to host its annual Solemn Novena, and just like last year, the faithful will participate virtually via the Monastery’s webcam. The Novena normally attracts up to 15,000 people a day from all Christian denominations to the Monastery during the nine days. When Covid-19 struck last year, churches were closed and it was decided to work in partnership with other Redemptorists at Mount St. Alphonsus Church in Limerick, whose Novena normally begins a few days after Clonard.
At the Shrine of Baclaran (Philippines)
http://www.baclaranchurch.org/
The National Shrine of Our Mother of Perpetual Help Redemptorists in Baclaran unites 150,000 devotees who come each week to pray and ask for God’s perpetual help through our blessed mother.
At the Shrine in Singapur
On July 30, 1935, the first of many Redemptorists, Fr. Aloysius John Brennan, arrived in Singapore together with Fr. James Green, John Moran, Thomas Borthistle, brothers Denis and Felix.The first devotions of the Novena began in January 1949, in a chapel with an attendance of about 80 people. Today, thousands of people pray the Novena in Singapore.
At the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Boston, Massachusetts, USA
https://www.bostonsbasilica.com/
The Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, “The Mission Church” in Boston, under the leadership of the Redemptorists of the Baltimore Province, has been broadcasting the Novena since 1984 on CatholicTV, the American Catholic television network. This year it can be followed through their video channel:
https://www.youtube.com/user/BostonsBasilica/videos
At the Basilica of Our Lady of Perpetual Help – Brooklyn N.Y.
At of St. Alphonsus Church and Shrine of the Mother of Perpetual Help in Salta – Argentina
http://www.iglesiasanalfonso.org.ar/index.php
Parish of the Mother of Perpetual Help, Mabvuku, Zimbabwe.
https://www.facebook.com/olphmabvuku/
