Redemptorists and Our Lady of Perpetual Help

NPC · #1 Apr 9, '12, 7:14 am

I know that Pope Pius IX gave the Redemptorist congregation the mission of making Our Lady of Perpetual Help known to the world. Does anybody know, however, if it is only the Redemptorists who can conduct a novena or mission in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Help? Some people have told me that the Redemptorists have some sort of a "copyright" on the devotion - however the only information I can find is regarding the mission entrusted to them by Pope Pius IX, but that doesn't seem to exclude the possibility of others making Our Lady of Perpetual Help known to people too. I'd be very grateful to anyone who can provide some relevant information!

Wishing you all a blessed Easter.

voltape · #2 Apr 9, '12, 8:20 am

Does it really matter? If you really wish to propagate the devotion to the Virgin Mary, just do it! Whether it is Fatima, Lourdes, Carmel.... It is the same person. Don't try to "crumble" her into little pieces. That may have been good in the Middle Ages. What the Church needs now is a more mature approach to devotion. But be sure your plan has the approval of your bishop.

sllhouette · #3 Apr 9, '12, 8:39 am

You can't have exclusive rights to a devotion. They might claim that there are some specific graces given to their order, but they can't possibly claim that there are no graces given to someone outside their order who conducts a novena or mission in honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. I'd say, don't worry about it.

NPC · #4 Apr 9, '12, 9:09 am

Thanks for the replies so far.

However, I should clarify my reason for asking the question, because far from "crumbling" Our Blessed Mother into little pieces, I wish for devotion to her to increase in every corner of the world!

I asked the question because in my diocese there is an annual novena in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Help which is conducted by the Redemptorists. However, in recent years (5 - 7) I have become concerned that the preaching at the novena is frequently non-Catholic, and even anti-Catholic at times. Just this year a Redemptorist preacher told everyone to come and receive Holy Communion (in the context of telling a story about a homosexual man receiveing the Sacrament). The year before there were priests openly talking about ordaining women, that the Catholic Church prevents people from thinking for themselves, encouraging divorced persons to enter into second relationships. The list goes on. The liturgical abuses are horrific too. One of my chief concerns is that many of the 15,000+ people who attend the novena every day are not regular Mass-goers and they should rightly be able to assume that what they are being told during sermons is authentically Catholic and that the liturgy is actually that of the Roman Rite. What should be the best opportunity my city has for bringing back the faithful is leading countless souls astray. It was announced last week that two of the preachers are currently under investigation by the CDF for their dissenting views and publications. In short, I do not believe that the Redemptorists, who have conducted the novena here for about 30 years, should be invited back next year - the potential damage to the spiritual welfare of the faithful in my diocese does not bear thinking about.

I am in a delicate position in my diocese, and it is very difficult to air my concerns to the bishop, though it is impossible that he is unaware of what is happening, since the novena takes place in his cathedral church. A friend of mine suggested at a pastoral council meeting that another order could conduct the novena - as far as I can tell, there was no opposition from the clergy on principle, but rather because they believe that only the Redemptorists can conduct the novena in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. This is why I am looking for something concrete regarding the devotion. The situation is very grave...

Of course, I know the novena could be conducted under a different title, such as Our Lady of Lourdes, etc. etc., but the fact is that the novena has been going on for so long that people are attached to Our Lady of Perpetual Help - so I believe that it should remain under the auspices of Our Lady of Perpetual Help...

So, again, if anyone has any suggestions about my query I would be very grateful - I'm not sure where I can get a definitive answer on this, short of going to the CDWDS or something

Dorothy · #5 Apr 9, '12, 9:53 am

Wow....that is an unfortunate set of circumstances.

It is not right for those Redemptorists to use Our Lady of Perpetual Help in a situation where they are preaching wrongs at the Cathedral.

If the Bishop doesn't know about this he certainly needs to know.

If he does know and allows it, it should not be allowed to continue.

So, it sounds like this information needs to get to go where it can be helped. And a lot of prayer needs to go into this by many who know about it!

Heaven help us!

sllhouette · #6 Apr 9, '12, 1:25 pm

unfortunate.
I would not assume that the bishop knows what is going on.

"they believe that only the Redemptorists can conduct the novena in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Help." Why do they believe that? Is it something the Redemptorists said?

Dorothy · #7 Apr 9, '12, 1:41 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by sllhouette

unfortunate.
I would not assume that the bishop knows what is going on.

"they believe that only the Redemptorists can conduct the novena in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Help." Why do they believe that? Is it something the Redemptorists said?

About 35 years ago I remember attending a healing service in the coliseum on Long Island. The Redemptorists presented it, and a large framed picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help was with them.

Leon Bloy · #8 Apr 11, '12, 11:40 am

Anybody can promote the devotion. Blessed Pius IX said "make her known around the world," so "copyrighting" the devotion would not be in keeping with that.

By the way, I have visited the original image in Rome... it's so great.

Leon Bloy · #9 Apr 11, '12, 11:41 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by NPC

Thanks for the replies so far.

However, I should clarify my reason for asking the question, because far from "crumbling" Our Blessed Mother into little pieces, I wish for devotion to her to increase in every corner of the world!

I asked the question because in my diocese there is an annual novena in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Help which is conducted by the Redemptorists. However, in recent years (5 - 7) I have become concerned that the preaching at the novena is frequently non-Catholic, and even anti-Catholic at times. Just this year a Redemptorist preacher told everyone to come and receive Holy Communion (in the context of telling a story about a homosexual man receiveing the Sacrament). The year before there were priests openly talking about ordaining women, that the Catholic Church prevents people from thinking for themselves, encouraging divorced persons to enter into second relationships. The list goes on. The liturgical abuses are horrific too. One of my chief concerns is that many of the 15,000+ people who attend the novena every day are not regular Mass-goers and they should rightly be able to assume that what they are being told during sermons is authentically Catholic and that the liturgy is actually that of the Roman Rite. What should be the best opportunity my city has for bringing back the faithful is leading countless souls astray. It was announced last week that two of the preachers are currently under investigation by the CDF for their dissenting views and publications. In short, I do not believe that the Redemptorists, who have conducted the novena here for about 30 years, should be invited back next year - the potential damage to the spiritual welfare of the faithful in my diocese does not bear thinking about.

I am in a delicate position in my diocese, and it is very difficult to air my concerns to the bishop, though it is impossible that he is unaware of what is happening, since the novena takes place in his cathedral church. A friend of mine suggested at a pastoral council meeting that another order could conduct the novena - as far as I can tell, there was no opposition from the clergy on principle, but rather because they believe that only the Redemptorists can conduct the novena in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. This is why I am looking for something concrete regarding the devotion. The situation is very grave...

Of course, I know the novena could be conducted under a different title, such as Our Lady of Lourdes, etc. etc., but the fact is that the novena has been going on for so long that people are attached to Our Lady of Perpetual Help - so I believe that it should remain under the auspices of Our Lady of Perpetual Help...

So, again, if anyone has any suggestions about my query I would be very grateful - I'm not sure where I can get a definitive answer on this, short of going to the CDWDS or something

Whoah, if things are really happening like you describe, make sure to report it. Go to Rome if necessary. But don't assume the bishop knows about it...

Dorothy · #10 Apr 9, '12, 8:31 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by NPC

I know that Pope Pius IX gave the Redemptorist congregation the mission of making Our Lady of Perpetual Help known to the world. Does anybody know, however, if it is only the Redemptorists who can conduct a novena or mission in honour of Our Lady of Perpetual Help? Some people have told me that the Redemptorists have some sort of a "copyright" on the devotion - however the only information I can find is regarding the mission entrusted to them by Pope Pius IX, but that doesn't seem to exclude the possibility of others making Our Lady of Perpetual Help known to people too. I'd be very grateful to anyone who can provide some relevant information!

Wishing you all a blessed Easter.

It sounds like the Redemptorists have a special calling to promote devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Help, but that doesn't mean it cannot be promoted by others.

Every time I go for a yearly retreat at a nearby monastery I go into their gift card and buy a dozen or so holy cards of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. I like to give them to friends and tuck them inside of birthday cards, etc.