About Our Lady of Prompt Succor
Who is Our Lady of Prompt Succor?
Our Lady of Prompt Succor (Notre-Dame du Prompt Secours) is a Roman Catholic devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, mainly represented by a statue of the same name, commissioned and brought to New Orleans from France in 1810 by Ursuline Nun Mother de Ste. Michel Gensoul. Sister Gensoul reached out to Our Lady under this title for a miracle: to obtain a quick reply from Pope Pius VII to join her cousin in their order in New Orleans. At that time, the Pope was a prisoner of Napoleon Bonaparte. Within a short period, she received what she had requested. She gave the Pope’s response to Bishop Marie-Nicolas Fournier de La Contamine of Montpelier and told him that she had promised Our Lady that she would have a statue carved titled Our Lady of Prompt Succor to take with her. The bishop was most surprised and offered to bless the statue upon its completion. He also authorized seven postulants to accompany her to New Orleans.
They boarded the ship “Francis” on April 21, 1810, and arrived in Philadelphia, the home of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution, on June 10th. Ten days later they would travel to Bishop John Carroll in Maryland, the site of what would become the first Catholic Cathedral, named for the Assumption of Mary, where they would remain until November, when the threat of yellow fever in New Orleans had subsided. On December 31st, the statue would finally arrive at the Ursuline convent at 1112 Chartres Street on December 31st and is now enthroned in the National Votive Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor at 2701 State Street.
On January 7th, 1815, the evening before the Battle of New Orleans, an all-night vigil of prayer was begun in the Chartres convent chapel. The statue was placed above the tabernacle of the main altar by order of Mother Superior Francoise Victoria Olivier de Vezin. The vigil included the Ursuline nuns and townspeople and was led by the Apostolic Administrator of Louisiana and the Two Floridas, Haitian-born Sulpician priest Monsignor Louis-Guillaume-Valentin DuBourg.
The next morning, Sunday, January 8th, as the battle commenced, Msgr. DuBourg began the Holy Sacrifice of Mass. At the moment of Holy Communion, a courier ran in and announced the Americans were victorious, that they had defeated the British, who greatly outnumbered them. This secured the independence of the nation. Her title continues to be invoked for quick assistance in difficulties, be they societal or personal.
Leave your Intentions for Her
Your prayer intentions will be printed and placed on the OLPS Altar in the NY Archconfraternity's Chapel and remembered in our Masses and daily prayers. You can also email us with your petitions directly at promptsuccorprayers@gmail.com
WHO ARE THE SERVANTS OF OUR LADY OF PROMPT SUCCOR?
The Servants of Our Lady of Prompt Succor are members of the New York Chapter of the Archconfraternity of Our Lady of Prompt Succor; established in 2000. The Archconfraternity is headquartered at the National Votive Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, New Orleans, Louisiana.
In response to Jesus’ words on the cross to Saint John the Apostle, '(John 19:27)':“Behold, Your Mother”, our mission is to take the Blessed Virgin Mary as protectress, model and Mother, to sustain the Archconfraternity statutes and proclaim God’s unconditional love through Catholic prayer and Holy Tradition. We unite as an online community of faith, reaching out in prayer and charity, striving to bring souls to Jesus Christ through the intercession of the Mother of God.
We sponsor Catholic Masses in honor of Our Lady of Prompt Succor, as well as the Byzantine Divine Liturgy and pray the daily Eastern Canonical Hours. We also pray for those who request prayers, for the protection of human life in all its stages and for the holy souls. In addition the Servants also promote devotion to Her Eastern counterpart, 'Theotokos, Quick to Hear'.
During the first visit to the Votive Shrine, the soon to be members of the New York Confraternity encountered Her miraculous statue. Given a tour by Ursuline nun Sister Angela Murphy, she mentioned she had been praying to Our Lady of Prompt Succor for a Chapter in New York. Within 12 months, the Confraternity was established there, with approbation from the Shrine Director; who later raised it to an Archconfraternity. Its first chaplain was Father John Alphonsus Madigan, OP. At present its chaplain is Father Stephen Anthony Saffron, Knight of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St. George.
Our Lady is always seeking new members to assist in this mission.