Our Lady of Prompt Succor

In 1803, Mother Saint Andre Madier, one of the Ursuline nuns in New Orleans, found herself in need of reinforcements as there was a shortage of teachers. She reached out to her relative, Mother Saint Michel, who was running a Catholic boarding school for girls in France. However, Bishop Fournier, faced with the aftermath of the French Revolution, was unable to send any sisters to assist. Undeterred, Mother Saint Michel obtained permission to appeal to the pope for assistance. Although Pope Pius VII was imprisoned by Napoleon and the arrival of her petition seemed unlikely, Mother Saint Michel fervently prayed for a prompt and favorable response. To honor the Virgin Mary if her request were granted, she promised to establish a devotion to Our Lady under the title of Prompt Succor in New Orleans.

On 19 March 1809, Mother Saint Michel sent her heartfelt letter, and unexpectedly, on 29 April 1809, she received a response from the pope granting her request. Overjoyed, Mother Saint Michel commissioned a statue of Our Lady of Prompt Succor holding the Infant Jesus and brought it to New Orleans together with several other sisters. The statue was then placed in the monastery chapel. The intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor soon became well-known and revered. In 1812, a devastating fire threatened the Ursuline monastery. In desperation, a lay sister carried the statue of Our Lady of Prompt Succor to a window, while Mother Saint Michel prayed for assistance. Miraculously, the wind changed direction, diverting the fire away from the monastery and saving it from destruction.

Another significant event revealing the intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor occurred during the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. Prior to the battle, many faithful, including the wives and daughters of American soldiers, gathered in the Ursuline chapel before the statue of Our Lady of Prompt Succor. They spent the night in fervent prayer, imploring her aid for the victory of Andrew Jackson's forces over the British, thus saving the city from being sacked. In a remarkably swift battle lasting only twenty-five minutes, Jackson and his men emerged victorious against a superior British force, with few American casualties. To this day, it is a customary practice in New Orleans for the devout to seek the intercession of Our Lady of Prompt Succor whenever a hurricane threatens the city.

The statue continues to be a source of hope and comfort during times of danger and distress. Our Lady of Prompt Succor is venerated as the patroness of several places, including Camerino and Castellammare del Golfo in Italy, Kercem in Malta, and the city of New Orleans and the archdiocese of New Orleans in Louisiana. Her feast day is celebrated on January 8th. The devotion to Our Lady of Prompt Succor serves as a reminder of the power of intercessory prayer and the unyielding faith of the Ursuline sisters who established her presence in New Orleans. Through her prompt succor, the Blessed Virgin Mary continues to offer her aid and protection to all those who seek her help.