Mary, Mother of Mercy

As the Mother of Jesus, our Merciful Redeemer, Our Lady is rightly named Mother of Mercy.

The origin of this feast day dates back to the Middle Ages and the foundation of the Order of Our Lady of Mercy after Our Blessed Mother appeared to a young nobleman in France. Responding to her appeal for compassion and mercy for the men, women and children who were taken as prisoners from Europe to Africa as slaves by the Moors, Saint Peter Nolasco set out to redeem these people. He and his companions dedicated their lives and possessions to gathering alms to free them from their cruel captors. These slaves would otherwise have been forced to deny their faith. Protecting the faith of the captives who were persecuted because of their Christianity was the main objective of the heroic priests of Our Lady of Mercy who even offered and gave their own lives as ransom when there was not enough money.

The Blessed Virgin appeared in 1218 in separate visions to Saint Peter Nolasco, Saint Raymund of Penafort, and James, king of Aragon, asking them to found a religious order dedicated to freeing Christian captives from the barbarous Saracens, who at that time held a great part of Spain. The Mercedarians' pious work spread everywhere and produced heroes of charity who collected alms for the ransom of Christians, and who often gave themselves up in exchange for Christian prisoners.

As their numbers grew, some of the priests extended their works of Mercy to include missionary work. Traveling with Columbus on his expedition, one of their numbers made devotion to Our Lady of Mercy the first Marian devotion in America! Their work now has been expanded to those exposed to the dangers of denying their faith, the social, political and psychological forms of captivity in today’s world. The mission is thus multiple: missions, parishes, education, prison and hospital work.

Mother of Mercy
I walked in darkness, yet felt no fear; for through the void I knew her near. She bound my wounds that lightless day and cooled my fever midst battle's fray. Not only I have seen her there, but many others through painful tear have felt her tender, soothing, healing hand, I looked long and clearly into eyes that understand the pain and anguish of death to come, for man did this to her only Son.

O Mary, Mother of Mercy, pray for us and for all those for whom we pray through this prayer ministry.