Feast of Mary Help of Christians

Fr Paul reads from the Gospel of John (19;25-27) for the Feast of Mary Help of Christians.

Our Lady Help of Christians has always had a special place in the heart of Australian Christians with many turning instinctively to Mary for help in the early years of our colony. In those very early days, the lay people would gather for readings, hymns, the rosary and other devotions while waiting for priests to arrive to minister to the fledgling community and to establish the hierarchy of the Church.

Right back at the beginning of our church in Australia, the first provincial synod of the church took place in September 1844. It was at this small gathering that Archbishop Polding of Sydney and the new bishops of Adelaide and Hobart met with other pioneering priests, making the decision to place the Church of Australia under the patronage of the Virgin Mary invoked with the title ‘Help of Christians’ (a decision confirmed by the Holy See in 1852).

Fr Paul concludes today’s reflection by praying the Prayer of Entrustment that our current Australian Catholic Bishops Conference recently sent out to the churches of Australia to again entrust our country to Mary Help of Christians during the Coronavirus pandemic.