In the long history of the Church, devotion to Mary has expressed itself under many titles. This afternoon I wish to focus our attention on two such titles - Mary, Mother of the Church and Mary, Help of Christians. It is not a difficult step to see that the second title is but an extension of the first, for what is the role of a mother if not to help and to protect. Yesterday, 24th May, Catholics throughout Australia honoured Mary under the title of Mary Help of Christians. It is under this title that she has been declared Patroness of the Australian Church. This decision was made by the First Provincial Synod of Sydney in 1844 and approved by the Holy See in 1852 - no internet in those days!- and it reflected the strong devotion to Mary practised by those early Australian Catholics as they held onto their Faith without benefit of priest and pastor. The first Catholic grave in Sydney is marked by a headstone with the rosary engraved on it; and it is little wonder that the first Church in Sydney would be dedicated to Mary - now St. Mary's Cathedral, Sydney. Others soon followed this example, including our own Perth cathedral.
The history of this Feast of Our Lady Help of Christians goes back to 1571. Turkish forces were threatening to conquer Europe until a decisive sea battle - the Battle of Lepanto - was won by the Christian forces calling on the intercession of Mary with ceaseless recitation of the rosary. Pope Pius V added the title, Mary Help of Christians to the Litany of Loreto as a result of this victory. It was much later, in 1814, that a Feast day honoring Mary Help of Christians was extended to the universal Church; and, 30 years later in 1844, the Australian bishops requested that Mary be declared patroness of the Australian Church as Mary, Help of Christians.
The title of Mary, Mother of the Church, however, goes back much further. The early Church had the mother of Jesus in its midst. The Gospels, particularly Luke and John, speak of her as always being present at the critical moments - the Annunciation with her "Be it done according to your word"; the Crucifixion - [John 19:26] When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing beside her, he said to his mother, "Woman, here is your son." [John 19:27] Then he said to the disciple, "Here is your mother." And from that hour the disciple took her into his own home"; and at Pentecost .- [Acts 1:12] Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet,... they went to the room upstairs where they were staying... together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus". It does not take a great deal of imagination to understand the significance of this constant presence. She is the living personification of the Church - that great association of people seeking a common goal - the presence of God in their lives - using common means, the teachings of Christ. In his conclusion to the Apostolic Constitution presenting the Catechism of the Catholic Church, Pope John Paul 11 invoked the intercession of Mary in these words - " I beseech the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Incarnate Word and Mother of the Church, to support with her powerful intercession the catechetical work of the entire Church on every level"
This Shrine, too, has a special affiliation with Mary, Mother of the Church, for it is dedicated to "Virgin of the Revelation, Mother of the Church". This is the title given to the visionary, Bruno Cornacchiola, during an apparition of Our Lady on 23rd February, 1982 - 35 years after the original apparitions of 1947. The Blessed Mother requested that a shrine be built at Tre Fontane dedicated to her under her title of "Virgin of the Revelation, Mother of the Church". "My home" she said "will be open to all so that all may enter into the house of salvation and be converted. Here the thirsty and the lost will come to pray. Here they will find love, understanding and consolation, the true meaning of life". On a visit to Perth, Bruno selected this site for a similar shrine to be erected to serve the same purpose - a home etc.,
Devotion to Mary helps us to see Jesus with new eyes and reach him more easily. She is, truly, the way to the Lord. The believer hears Jesus saying -"Son, behold your mother"; but we hear also the words, "Mother, behold your son" reminding us that, like all relationships, this relationship is mutual. We cherish Mary, but Mary cherishes us, the children of the Church of which she is the Mother. - Mary Help of Christians - pray for us.