24/05/2026
Almighty ever-living God, who placed the love of Our Lady, Help of Christians in the hearts of those who brought the Catholic faith to these shores, grant, through her intercession, wisdom to our leaders and integrity to our citizens, so that, under her protection, Australia may know harmony, justice and peace. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
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Under the title of Help of Christians, Mary was chosen as Patroness of Australasia by the First Provincial Synod, convened by Archbishop John Bede Polding, in Sydney in 1844. The fledgling colonies needed Mary's help at that time, as the nation does today. We are helped through Mary's powerful intercession, and through the example of her life that we find in the Gospels.