Our Lady Of Perpetual Help (click picture for novena prays)
In the year 1948, Fr. Edward placidus Fernandes returning from a trip to Europe , and seeing the wonderful devotion to our lady of Perpetual succour at Belfast , Ireland brought with him a picture touched to the original Picture at Rome. On the 8th of September , 1948, the Birthday of our Lady - which happened to be a Wednesday that year - after a triduum of preparation by the Redemptorist Father the first Novena services were held in the Church of St. Michael's Mahim , of which Fr. Fernandes was the vicar. Only two services were held by every Wednesday and it took three months before the devotion could take deep roots among the people. It was a very modest beginning without any pretence to citywide publicity or patronage. Msgr. Eddie Fernandes left Mahim in June 1950,but not before the Lord and the good mother had shown him the fruit of his endeavours to make her better known and loved for so rapidly had the devotion captured the enthusiasm of the people that in a sort time the services not only increased in number but the crowds that attended them far exceeded the good priest's sanguine expectations.
Today from 8:30 in the morning to 10:30 at night the unceasing streams of devotees for the thirteen services held in English, Konkani, Marathi, Tamil & Hindi and between these, acts of devotions, more than testify to the popularity of the devotion among our good people; and while in the course of years many other churches in Bombay have adopted this devotion for the convenience of their respective flocks, the crowds at Mahim show no sign of decrease.
To even a casual observe it will not be a surprise to see Our blessed Mother reward the faith of those who visit her shrine with singular favours; for people of all communities and creeds, all walks of life, all ages, all aliments and all needs find their way to the devotions proclaiming the universal Fatherhood of God and the Motherhood of our blessed Lady - and that at great inconvenience and sacrifice.
And from the Church of Mahim the devotion has spead across Continents and Oceans-her devout clients carrying with them fond recollections of the benefits they have received and in their own way proclaiming her goodness to their other needy brethren. Thus making the church at Mahim the center from whence radiates the warmth and light of this devotion, making the Mother of God really a Mother of Perpetual Succour to all.
