Thousands of devotees from Mumbai, the capital of the western Indian state of Maharashtra, and neighboring regions gathered at St. Michael's Church in Mahim on June 27 to celebrate the annual Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, one of the city's largest Marian observances.
To accommodate the large number of pilgrims, the shrine celebrated 11 Eucharistic liturgies throughout the day. The principal Feast Day Mass was presided over by Archbishop John Rodrigues of Bombay and concelebrated by Auxiliary Bishop Stephen Fernandes, about 30 priests, and numerous women and men religious.
In his homily, Archbishop John reflected on the theme, "Collaboration Between God and Humanity," inviting the faithful to become active partners in God's plan of salvation.
Using examples from sports, orchestras, and scientific research, Archbishop John explained that although God is all-powerful, He freely chooses to work through human cooperation. He pointed to the prophet Isaiah's encounter with King Ahaz as a reminder that God continually calls His people to trust in divine providence rather than relying solely on human strength.
Archbishop John presented the Blessed Virgin Mary as the perfect model of cooperation with God's will. Mary's response to the Angel Gabriel, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord," he said, marked a decisive moment in salvation history and demonstrated how God's grace bears fruit when embraced with faith and humility.
He also drew inspiration from the life of St. Francis of Assisi, encouraging the faithful to prayerfully discern God's purpose for their lives by asking, "Lord, what do you want me to do?" He reminded the congregation that nothing is impossible for those who entrust their lives completely to God.
Following the Mass, Archbishop John led the traditional Novena Prayer to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. The revered icon of the Blessed Mother remained available for public veneration until the following afternoon, giving pilgrims additional time for prayer and thanksgiving.
At the conclusion of the celebration, Fr. Richard, Rector of St. Michael's Church, thanked God for the peaceful completion of the 10-day novena and feast, despite the extraordinary number of pilgrims. He also expressed gratitude to Our Lady for her intercession and noted that the celebrations concluded without incident.
Fr. Richard thanked Archbishop John for presiding over the Feast Day Eucharist and welcomed Bishop Stephen, whose presence added to the solemnity of the celebration.
The annual Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour is among Mumbai's most significant Marian celebrations, drawing thousands of Catholics and other devotees each year to seek the Blessed Mother's intercession and renew their faith in Christ.
