6:15 AM Latin* Mass   |   8:00 AM English Mass
 6:00 PM Spanish Mass   |   7:30 PM Latin* Mass

*The Mass according to the liturgical books of 1962

On December 8, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary. This feast reminds us of the great gift God gave to Mary at the very moment of her conception: she was preserved free from original sin, by the merits of Jesus Christ, her Son. This privilege prepared her to become the Mother of our Savior, a pure vessel through whom the Son of God would enter the world.

The dogma of the Immaculate Conception was officially defined by Pope Pius IX in 1854, though Christians had long honored Mary as the sinless one, the “all holy.” Just a few years later, in 1858, the Blessed Mother appeared to St. Bernadette in Lourdes and identified herself with the words: “I am the Immaculate Conception.”

This solemnity holds special importance for us here in the United States, since Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception is the patroness of our country. She is a model of holiness for every disciple, showing us how to respond with complete openness and trust to God’s plan.

Because of the importance of this mystery, December 8 is a Holy Day of Obligation. All Catholics are invited and obliged to attend Mass on this day to honor Mary and give thanks to God for the gift of salvation that begins to unfold in her.

Let us ask Mary, the Immaculate Conception, to intercede for us, for our families, and for our nation, that we may grow in purity of heart and in love for her Son, Jesus Christ.