The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary – December 8, 2022
My dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
On the eve of this Solemnity, exactly eighty-one years ago, the Empire of Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. The next day, President Roosevelt announced that we were at war, “the day that will live in infamy.” Thus began our participation in the sad events of World War II, which had already begun in Europe in 1939. We would be at war until the defeat of Japan on August 15, 1945. A whole generation would be formed by these tragic years of war. Years ago, one commentator rightly described this age group as “the greatest generation”, because of the many sacrifices they were asked to make before, during, and after the war.
Through it all Catholics trusted that Our Lady in her Immaculate Conception, patroness of the United States, would intervene on our behalf to bring us victory over the powers of darkness. Many have remarked that for us the war began on the Feast of Mary’s Immaculate Conception and ended on the Feast of Mary’s Glorious Assumption.
From its earliest days, our bishops have placed our nation in the loving embrace of Immaculate Mary, Mother of God. During these difficult times, let us renew our consecration to Jesus through Mary. The Immaculate Conception is always a holyday of obligation. Masses will be celebrated on Thursday, December 8 at 815am, noon, and at 7pm.
The Immaculate Conception of Mary is a countersign to a secular and permissive mentality. She affirms the faithful in a humble, pure, obedient service to God. Though battles are being lost in the struggle between good and evil, we remain confident that in the end Mary will lead us to ultimate victory in the final war to be fought. Every day we should pray the Holy Rosary, especially in our homes. Mary always calls us back to the Gospel. In the end her Immaculate Heart will triumph.
Tota pulchra es, Maria, et macula originalis non est in te. Tu gloria Jerusalem, tu laetitia Israel, tu honorificentia populi nostri; You are all beautiful, Mary, and the original stain (of sin) is not in you. You are the glory of Jerusalem, you are the joy of Israel, you give honor to our people’
O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!
Yours in the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Fr. Mark G. Mazza