Patrizia Cattaneo

ORIGIN OF THE DEVOTION
TO OUR LADY OF PROMPT SUCCOR

During the French Revolution, priests and religious were persecuted and often had to go into hiding in order to administer the Sacraments and keep their vocation. This is what happened with the Ursuline nuns of the Convent of Pont-Saint-Esprit. One of them, Mother St. Michel, still lived her vocation, starting a school with another Ursuline.

Mother St. Michel had a cousin who was an Ursuline also, but lived in America, in New Orleans. Fearing French persecution, Mother St. Michel, applied to the bishop for the transfer to New Orleans, but he told her that the Pope would have to approve her move. He, however was under house arrest. Mother St. Michel immediately wrote a letter to Pope Pius VII, but after three months, she was still without means to send it.
One day, while praying before a statue of Mary, she was inspired with this prayer: "O Most Holy Virgin Mary, if you obtain a prompt and favourable answer to my letter, I promise to have you honoured in New Orleans under the title of Our Lady of Prompt Succor".

She not only found a way to send the letter a few days later, but the Pontiff replied within a month and granted his permission, blessing her new undertaking, which surprised the bishop who blessed the statue that Mother St. Michel had carved to take with her to New Orleans.
The statue was enshrined in the Ursuline convent of this town on December 30, 1810.
Two years later a terrible fire ravaged the city, and the wind was driving it in the direction of the convent of the Ursulines. One of the nuns placed a small replica of Our Lady of Prompt Succor in her window that faced the approaching fire, while Mother St. Michel prayed aloud, asking Our Lady for help. Immediately the wind changed direction of the flames.
Mary's help has been sought from the shrine ever since, both in time of war [the Battle of New Orleans] and during the threat of hurricanes, a persistent danger on the Gulf Coast. Feast is January 8.

LITANY OF OUR LADY
OF PROMPT SUCCOR

After Recitation of the Rosary

Lord, have mercy on us.Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us.
Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God the Father of Heaven, have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, one God, have mercy on us.
Holy Mary, pray for us.
Mother of the Infant Jesus, pray for us.

Our Lady of Prompt Succor, pray for us
Our Lady of Prompt Succor of all who invoke you with confidence,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor of all who are devout toward the Infant Jesus, Our Lady of Prompt Succor for obtaining a lively faith,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor for sustaining the hope of Christians,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor for obtaining and persevering in charity,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor for observing the law of God,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor for observing perseverance in virtue and good works,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor in every spiritual necessity,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor against the revolt of self-will,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor in the occasion of sin,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor in every temptation,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor against the evil spirit,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor for obtaining contrition,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor of those wishing to re-enter the path of salvation,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor for the conversion of sinners,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor in every temporal necessity,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor in every affliction,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor of afflicted families,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor of the sick and the poor,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor against contagious diseases and epidemics, Our Lady of Prompt Succor in every accident,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor against destruction by fire,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor against lightning and tempest,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor against destruction by flood,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor of travellers,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor of navigators,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor of the shipwrecked,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor against the enemies of our country,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor in time of war,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor of those aspiring to the holy priesthood and the religious life,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor of labourers in the Lord's vineyard,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor of missionaries who spread the faith,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor of our Holy Father the Pope,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor for those searching for the faith,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor against the enemies of the Church,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor at the hour of death,
Our Lady of Prompt Succor for the deliverance of the Souls in Purgatory,

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.

V: Our Lady of Prompt Succor, pray for us.
R: That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

O Almighty and Eternal God, Who sees us surrounded by so many dangers and miseries, grant in Thine infinite goodness that the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of Thy Divine Son, may defend us from the evil spirit and protect us against all adversities, that always and with prompt succor she may deliver us from every evil of soul and body, and safely guide us to the kingdom of Heaven, through the merits of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Thy Son, Who lives and reigns with Thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, world without end. Amen.

Imprimatur
Joseph F. Rummel
Archbishop of New Orleans
February 11, 1936

NINE DAYS NOVENA

Our Lady of Prompt Succor, thou are after Jesus our only hope.
O Most Holy Virgin, whose merits have raised thee high above angel choirs to the very throne of the Eternal and whose foot crushed the head of the infernal serpent, thou art strong against the enemies of our salvation.

O Mother of God, thou art our Mediatrix most kind and loving. Hasten, then, to our help, and as thou didst once save thy beloved City from ravaging flames and our Country from an alien foe, do now have pity on our misery, and obtain for us the graces we beg of thee. Deliver us from the wiles of Satan, assist us in the many trials which beset our path in this valley of tears, and be to us truly Our Lady of Prompt Succor now and especially at the hour of our death. Amen.

Our Lady of Prompt Succor, hasten to help us. (Three times.)

The Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory may be added, with the Litany of Our Lady of Prompt Succor and the following prayer:

O Mary, Mother of God
O Mary, Mother of God, who amid the tribulations of the world, watches over us and over the Church of thy Son, be to us and to the Church, truly, Our Lady of Prompt Succor; make haste to help us in all our necessities, that in this fleeting life thou may be our succor, and obtain for us [mention your request here]. Help us to gain life everlasting through the merits of Jesus, thy Son, Our Lord and Redeemer. Amen.