Tuesday, December 8, is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it is NOT a holy day of obligation this year, but we will of course celebrate our usual 12 noon daily Mass on the feast.

Since she was chosen by God to be the mother of His Son, the Blessed Virgin Mary was given a unique grace. By God's action, she alone among all human beings was preserved completely without sin from the moment of her conception in the womb of her mother, St. Anne. Thus she, unlike the rest of humanity, was untouched by original sin, the weakness and imperfection that characterizes all of the rest of us. Once she reached the age of personal responsibility she was able to continue to cooperate wth the grace of God to remain completely without sin her whole life long.

Under this title of the Immaculate Conception, Mary is the patroness of the United States of America. Please join us on this special feast day, when we shall pray for Mary's intercession with God for us, that each of us become more holy and that our nation also advance in the ways of God.