Friday December 8th is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the celebration of the Virgin Mary immaculately conceived without original sin in the womb of her mother St. Anne. This celebrates Mary as a foretaste of our redemption as Our Lord Jesus gave her the special gift of redemption even prior to his expiation of all human sin on the Holy Cross. She was thus created the Blessed Ark of the New Covenant, the perfect vessel of the Son of God who became man. This feast is a Holy Day of Obligation which means that all Catholics must attend Mass as if it were a Sunday and, of course, with joy and fervor! We offer three Masses for this solemnity: 7 Dec 5:30pm (Vigil) and 8 Dec 9am & 7pm. The collection for this Mass is taken up for the local work our parish St. Vincent de Paul Society.