The Don Newsletter

Mary Helps
By Fr. Steve Ryan, SDB

Here is the story about the origin of the title Mary Help of Christians.

There was an ancient naval victory which took place on October 7, 1571. On that date the Church in Europe faced a great challenge. The Muslim Turks had already conquered the Middle East and had forced many Christians living there to turn to the Islamic religion. Many others had been killed. These Muslim Turks then moved across the Mediterranean Sea and had their sights on the Christian kingdoms of Italy. It was their intention to march all the way to Rome and eliminate the Catholic Church.

The pope at the time – Pope Pius V – called on Christian Europe to defend the faith from being taken over by Islam. He wanted to put together a military force to defeat the Islamic threat. He didn’t see it as simply a military battle but also as a spiritual battle.

The pope encouraged the whole Catholic world to pray the rosary. He saw the threat as so significant (and it was) that he cautioned: “Civilization is in desperate need of the intervention of the Blessed Mother.”

He said boldly and publicly, “PRAY THROUGH THE INTERCESSION OF MARY, HELP OF CHRISTIANS.”

A few countries in Europe stepped up and responded to the Holy Father’s plea for military assistance. Militarily, many remained apathetic and Christian forces were greatly outnumbered.

Well, only by the power of prayer, and clearly against all odds – the Christians won! Don Juan of Austria (who led the Christian naval forces) somehow miraculously won the Mediterranean Sea battle. Because of that battle – the Battle of Lepanto – Christian Europe was saved from likely forced conversion to Islam. Pope Pius V attributed this victory to the intercession of Mary.

Don Bosco in the mid-1800’s loved the title Help of Christians. He used it so much that it became largely associated with the Salesians. He told us all: Mary helps, in big stuff and small. She will never let us down.

Mary Help of Christians – pray for us.

The Memorare is a powerful prayer asking for Mary’s help and intercession. It goes like this:

“Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone who fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession was left unaided. Inspired by this confidence, we fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, our Mother! To you we come, before you we stand, sinful and sorrowful. O Mother of the Word incarnate, despise not our petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer us. Amen.”

Mary and the Eucharist
By Fr. Franco Pinto, SDB

Mother Mary is the only human being whose name is taken in the whole of the Sacred liturgy; it appears in the Confiteor (“I confess…”), the Creed (“I believe…”) and the intercessory prayers after the consecration. This is because there is a special relationship between the Holy Eucharist and Mary. Many popes have expounded on the beauty and richness of Mary in various Church documents too.

The relationship that exists between the Church and Mary can be explained in light of four points:

1. Mary, the first tabernacle – The Church has a practice of keeping the Holy Eucharist in a tabernacle. St. John Paul II finds a parallel between the tabernacle and Mary.

He says that from the moment of conception of the child Jesus in Mary’s womb, and Elizabeth adoring Jesus in Mary’s womb, the parallel can be seen through the eyes of faith. Mary became the first tabernacle in the history of salvation. When we pray before the tabernacle, pray with eyes of faith. God is present in it.

2.  Mary who made the first Eucharistic procession – Seeing Mary enter her house, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and she greeted her. Mary imparted Christ to Elizabeth. Pope Benedict XVI has this to say: “The journey to her cousin’s place, with the complete knowledge that God is within her, is the first Eucharistic procession in the salvific history of humankind.”

3.  Mary, the Apostles and The Eucharistic Sacrifice – A sword would also pierce her heart (Lk 2:34-35). A prophecy about the mother at the foot of the cross was being made. She was in unison with her Son in His passion and in the Holy Eucharist after the Easter which the apostles celebrated. Even if scripture is silent about Mary’s presence, we know that she prayed with one accord with the early Christians and the apostles. Surely for Mary, receiving the Eucharist must have meant once again welcoming that heart that beat in unison with hers and reliving the scene at the foot of the cross.

4.  Mary, the teacher of the Eucharist – Mary is the greatest teacher who understood and lived the

Eucharist with faith and love. When we receive the Body and Blood of Christ, we become united to Mary and cling to the wood of the cross which Jesus changed from an instrument of brutal torture to the instrument of salvation. Pope Paul VI declared that the Church is the home where Mary is the Mother. In the commemoration of the Eucharist, we accept the gift of Mary like the beloved disciple John did. This means that to conform to Christ, we must place ourselves in the school of Mary and allow her to accompany us. The Eucharist is the center of our life, and Mary is the path through which we come closer to Christ, as an intercessor. She helps us have greater intimacy to Christ. She shares the divine wish of Christ to impart salvation to everyone. St. Bernard said, “Run to Mary, she is the stairway of the poor sinner to Christ; and I say this without doubt because the Son listens to His mother.” If you find yourself far from the Eucharist, come to Mary (pray to her): she will get you to the heart of Jesus (i.e., the Eucharist).