All Invited to Celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, a Holy Day of Obligation, on December 8, 2023

On December 8, 1854, in the Apostolic Constitution Ineffabilis Deus (Latin for “Ineffable God”), Pope Pius IX declared and defined that the Blessed Virgin Mary “in the first instance of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by Almighty God, in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful.”

Original sin is what humanity faces as the result of Adam and Eve’s succumbing to temptation in the Garden of Eden. But Mary was given sanctifying grace before sin could take effect in her soul, and, as a result, she was conceived without it. As a result, she is full of grace. What God desires is holiness. He wants purity of heart, like Mary’s. Her response to God was perfect, unlike Eve’s. Mary’s focus was to fulfill God’s plan. She is a model for all of us who seek to do the will of God.

To listen to a podcast that offers a wonderful reflection on the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception – one that encourages us to allow the Lord to work through us and inspires us to turn away from sin and seek His will – please click here.

Click here to start a novena on November 30 in honor of the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Holy Day Mass times on December 8 are at 6:30 a.m., 8 a.m., 12:10 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.