The Catholic Defender: Our Lady Help of Christians

May 12: On this day in 1874, Our Lady appeared to shepherd children:

Vincenzo Scossiera (12), and Angela Berruti (13).

Angela saw the Virgin Mary in a cloud wearing a brown colour dress and veil,

she beckoned her to come closer.

Vincenzo saw the lady in blue but became scared and ran to his house.

Later, others saw Our Lady, she was even seen dressed in black. She asked for a chapel to be built upon that site despite opposition from authorities.

Our Lady is one who assists Christians as a community, through her intercession, in fighting against anti-Christian forces.

To thee do I come, before thee I stand, sinful and sorrowful, O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in thy mercy hear and answer me. Amen. Mary, Help of Christians, you are the Queen of Martyrs. Help us to be devoted Christians in life and through death.

After the battle of Lepanto on October 7, 1671, at which a Turkish fleet was feated by a Christian fleet, Pope Pius V, who had previously called upon Catholics to invoke Mary's assistance so that the Turkish threat may be averted, inserted the title “Help of Christians”

Saint Pius V gave Mary the title: "Help of Christians," after the victory of the Christian fleet over the Turks at Lepanto on October 7, 1571, and he added this invocation to her litany.

Prayer to Mary Help of Christians composed by St. John Bosco

O Mary, most powerful Virgin,

great and illustrious defender of the Church,

wonderful Help of Christians, formidable as an army in battle array,

you who have overcome every heresy in the world,

in our anguish, in our combats, in our difficulties,

defend us from the Enemy, and at the hour of our death

receive our souls into Paradise.  Amen.