June 27
The Blessed Virgin Mary of Perpetual Help Feast

The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, participated intimately in the economy of salvation, especially in the mystery of the Redemption realized by Christ. She cooperated with her Son in the salvation of the human race. As a result, she is, for all, Mother of Perpetual Help.

According to an old tradition, one of her images, under this title, was brought to Rome from the Island of Crete toward th end of the XV century. It was placed in the Church of St. Matthew on the via Merula during the pontificate of Alexander VI and was venerated there for about three centuries. When the Church was destroyed during the Napoleonic invasions, the icon disappeared. when, providentially, it was found again in 1866. At that time Pius IX confided it to the Redemptorists who exposed it for public veneration in the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer dedicated to St. Alphonsus. From then on, the veneration of this miraculous image has continued to grow among the faithful, and is now widely diffused throughout the whole world.

Entrance Antiphon O Mother of God, shield us under your wings from all dangers. You are our refuge, our greatest hope. Destroy and bring to nought those who would harm us because of our sins. O most blessed One, lead us to yourself who are our haven of salvation. ( Syriac Liturgy)

The Gloria is sung.

OPENING PRAYER

Lord Jesus Christ,
you have given us your own Mother Mary,
whose wonderful image we venerate,
to be our Mother ever ready to help us.
Grant, we beseech you,
that we, who continually seek her motherly aid,
may be found worthy to enjoy increasingly
the fruit of our redemption.
You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.

FIRST READING (Is 7: 10-17)
Look, a young woman is with child and shall bear a son and shall name him Immanuel

A reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah.

The LORD spoke to Ahaz, saying, Ask a sign of the LORD your God; let it be deep as Sheol or high as heaven. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, and I will not put the LORD to the test. Then Isaiah said: "Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name him Immanuel. He shall eat curds and honey by the time he knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good. For before the child knows how to refuse the evil and choose the good, the land before whose two kings you are in dread will be deserted. The LORD will bring on you and on your people and on your ancestral house such days as have not come since the day that Ephraim departed from Judah the king of Assyria."

The word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM (Ps 71:1-4a..5a.12)

R. Help me, O Lord, in my distress.

In you, O LORD, I take refuge;
let me never be put to shame.
In your justice rescue me, free me;
pay heed to me and save me. R.

Be a rock where I can take refuge,
a mighty stronghold to save me;
for you are my rock, my stronghold..
Free me from the hand of the wicked. R.
It is you, O Lord, who are my hope,
my trust, O LORD, since my youth.
On you I have leaned from my birth;

from my mother's womb you have been my help.

My lips will tell of your justice,
and day by day of your help.
O God, you have taught me from my youth
and I proclaim your wonders still. R.

SECOND READING (Rev 12:1-6.10)
A great portent appeared in heaven.

A great portent appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birthpangs, in the agony of giving birth. Then another portent appeared in heaven: a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and seven diadems on his heads. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to bear a child, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born. And she gave birth to a son, a male child, who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron. But her child was snatched away and taken to God and to his throne; and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, so that there she can be nourished for one thousand two hundred sixty days. Then I heard a loud voice in heaven, proclaiming, "Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Messiah, for the accuser of our comrades has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God.

The Word of the Lord.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Jn 19:25.27)

R. Allelulia, allelulia

Standing near the cross of Jesus was his mother.
And Jesus said to the disciple , "Here is your mother."

R. Allelulia, Allelulia

GOSPEL (Jn 19:25-27)

Here is your son. Here is your mother.

A reading of the holy gospel according to John.

Standing near the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son.” Then he said to the disciple, "Here is your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home.

The gospel of the Lord.

PRAYER OVER THE GIFTS

O Lord,
through your kindness
and through the intercession of the blessed Virgin and Mother, Mary,
may this offering redound
to our present and eternal prosperity and peace,
We ask this through Christ our Lord.

PREFACE Mary, Image and Mother of the Church I

Priest: The Lord be with you.
People: And also with you.
Priest: Lift up your hearts.
People: We lift them up to the Lord
Priest: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
People: It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Father, all powerful and ever-living God,
we do well always and everywhere to give you thanks;
we especially praise you and proclaim your glory
as we honour the Blessed Virgin Mary.

She received your Word in the purity of her heart
and, conceiving in her virgin womb,

gave birth to our Saviour
and so nurtured the Church at its very beginning.

She accepted God’s parting gift of love
as she stood beneath the cross
and so became the mother of all those
who were brought to life
through the death of her only Son.

She joined her prayers with those of the apostles,
as together they awaited the coming of your Spirit,
and so became the perfect pattern of the Church at prayer.

Raised to the glory of heaven,
she cares for the pilgrim Church with a mother’s love,
following its progress homeward
until the day of the Lord dawns in splendour.

Now, with all the angels and saints,
we proclaim your glory
and join in their unending hymn of praise:

Communion Antiphon Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinner, now and at the hour of our death.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

We beseech you, O Lord:
may the glorious intercession
of your Immaculate Mother and ever-virgin Mary
help free us from all dangers
and by her goodness bring together in love
those upon whom she showered her never-failing blessings.
You live and reign for ever and ever. Amen.