Our Lady of La Leche

Nuestra Señora de la Leche y Buen Parto (Our Lady of the Milk and Happy Delivery) is the official name of the Shrine in Florida dedicated to Our Lady. This is also the site of the “official” first Mass in the United States around 1596. (Note: Other Masses were offered before this time frame—but this is the first official location that has a shrine.)

The statue was rescued by irreverent hands around 1598. A married couple placed the Statue of Our Lady in their home. The mother was dying and babe (about to be born) was supposedly dead (stillborn). The father prayed to Our Lady and the mother delivered safely her newborn baby. The couple spread the devotion to Our Lady of La Leche. Philip II himself helped construct a shrine in honor of the statue in Spain. The Spaniards then spread the devotion to Florida when they started their missions in Florida a few years later. The Spaniards then chose to erect a shrine in honor of Our Lady of La Leche in Florida.

So, when is the Feast day of Our Lady of La Leche?

At the Council of Ephesus, we have the doctrine defined of Our Lady being the Mother of God. This Feast Day set up for the Divine Maternity of Our Lady is October 11>th. The Filipinos have adopted this feast day for the Feast of Our Lady of La Leche as well. So, this would be the proper day to celebrate Our Lady of La Leche.

Note: However, this feast day has now been transfered to January 1st, so it is also a day when we can celebrate Our Lady of La Leche at the beginning of the year. We could also as a secondary consider celebrating Our Lady of La Leche up to the February 2nd Feast of the Purification of Mary too.

Our Lady of La Leche is a great patroness for any Catholic/Christian mother. She is seen in her statue holding the Baby Child Jesus nursing Him on her right breast. It is a beautiful picture to contemplate Our Divine Lord feeding on His Beloved Blessed Virgin Mary. She is rightfully the Patroness of all nursing mothers (and even non-nursing moms!)

Include some prayers in her honor below.

Sources for this article: http://our.lady.of.la.leche.tripod.com/about.htm

>http://our.lady.of.la.leche.tripod.com/divine.htm

>http://missionandshrine.org/?page_id=80

>http://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=3185

>http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/lv/lvdec97jan98p141.html