Following a spiritually enriching nine-day novena in preparation for the Feast of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, members of the Archconfraternity gathered in great numbers on 27 June for a solemn celebration held at St. Gabriel Parish, Garbado, Niamey. The novena, held from 18 to 26 June, was animated across three parishes in Niamey: St. Gabriel Parish (Garbado), St. Michael’s Parish (Airport), and the Cathedral Parish. These days of prayer, catechesis, and Marian devotion prepared the faithful for the annual solemn feast celebrated worldwide.
The celebration also coincided with the feast of the Sisters of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, who joined the Redemptorists, lay associates, and the Archconfraternity in honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary under her beloved title.
The solemn Eucharist began at 4:00 p.m. and was presided over by Fr. Ibrahim Seidou, C.Ss.R., Vicar of the Redemptorist Vice Province of West Africa, concelebrated by the Redemptorist priests serving in Niamey.
A key moment of the liturgy was the consecration of ten new members into the Archconfraternity. Each received the Medal of Our Mother of Perpetual Help, a certificate of membership, and an icon for personal devotion. Existing members also renewed their consecration, reaffirming their commitment to Marian devotion and Christian life. Another important rite was the installation and missionary sending of the newly formed Cathedral Parish group, which received an icon and prayer manual to begin their public devotion and mission.
In his homily, Fr. Ibrahim encouraged members to keep alive the flame of devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help through prayer, especially the daily Rosary. He reminded them that consecrated members are part of the wider Redemptorist family and share in its missionary responsibility. Drawing from the tradition of St. Alphonsus and the mandate of Pope Pius IX in 1866, he urged them to continue making Our Mother of Perpetual Help known everywhere.
At the end of the Mass, the National President, Madam Muriel Lompo, expressed gratitude to the Redemptorists and presented a report on the pastoral activities of the year, acknowledging the contributions of the National Chaplain, Fr. Samuel Perry Abotsi, C.Ss.R., and Fr. Norbert Ahotom, C.Ss.R. for their teachings.
Following the Eucharistic celebration, the community processed outside for the symbolic burning of prayer intentions gathered during the novena. This was followed by a joyful fraternal meal shared among priests, religious, and the faithful, strengthening bonds of unity and communion.
The celebration continued the next day, Sunday 28 June, with a Thanksgiving Mass at St. Michael’s Parish (Airport), designated as a Cultural Day. The Mass was celebrated by the National Chaplain, Fr. Samuel Perry Abotsi, C.Ss.R.
After the Eucharist, the community shared another fraternal meal before engaging in cultural presentations, including traditional dances and performances representing the diversity of the faithful. Special attention was given to internally displaced persons who, despite having fled their villages due to terrorist attacks, participated joyfully and shared their cultural expressions, offering a powerful witness of resilience and hope.
By the end of the celebrations, many faithful expressed renewed devotion and interest in joining the Archconfraternity. The feast stood as a living testimony of faith, unity, and missionary zeal, reaffirming the Redemptorist mission entrusted by Pope Pius IX: to make Our Mother of Perpetual Help known and loved throughout the world.
Fr. Samuel Perry Abotsi, C.Ss.R.
