Elle in ICU (but doing well)

****The doctor said her intestines were extremely inflamed. He has sent off biopsies to be tested for cancer and Crohn's disease. He is leaning toward the diagnosis of Crohn's disease

Thank you all for your concern.

I'm very tired!

Diego Rodríguez de Silva y Velázquez

1599-1660

The Immaculate Conception

1618

Oil on canvas

National Gallery, London

PRAYER OF POPE PIUS

****Enraptured by the splendor of thy heavenly beauty, and impelled by the anxieties of the world, we cast ourselves into thine arms, O Immaculate Mother of Jesus and our Mother, Mary, confident of finding in thy most loving heart appeasement of our ardent desires, and a safe harbor from the tempests which beset us on every side.

****Though degraded by our faults and overwhelmed by infinite misery, we admire and praise the peerless richness of sublime gifts with which God has filled thee, above every other mere creature, from the first moment of thy conception until the day on which, after thine assumption into Heaven, He crowned thee Queen of the Universe.

****O crystal fountain of faith, bathe our minds with the eternal truths! O fragrant Lily of all holiness, captivate our hearts with thy heavenly perfume! O Conqueress of evil and death, inspire in us a deep horror of sin, which makes the soul detestable to God and a slave of Hell!

****O well-beloved of God, hear the ardent cry which rises up from every heart. Bend tenderly over our aching wounds. Convert the wicked, dry the tears of the afflicted and oppressed, comfort the poor and humble, quench hatreds, sweeten harshness, safeguard the flower of purity in youth, protect the holy Church, make all men feel the attraction of Christian goodness.

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****In thy name, resounding harmoniously in Heaven, may they recognize that they are brothers, and that the nations are members of one family, upon which may there shine forth the sun of a universal and sincere peace.

****Receive, O most sweet Mother, our humble supplications, and above all obtain for us that, one day, happy with thee, we may repeat before thy throne that hymn which today is sung on earth around thine altars: Thou art all-beautiful, O Mary! Thou art the glory, thou art the joy, thou art the honor of our people! **Amen.

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Feast of the Immaculate Conception

Hail, Full of Grace

Over the past few years, our Protestant brothers and sisters have been holding Mary in higher regard than in the past. For some, however, it is still a very sticky point of doctrine they just don’t want to wrap themselves around.

For Mary to be born without original sin is, in particular, difficult for them to understand, or for that matter, want to believe. Even many Catholics today do not understand this doctrine. Far too many Catholics think today’s celebration is about Jesus being conceived without sin. And, some even think it means Mary was conceived “by the power of the Holy Spirit”, which she was not.

For Mary to be immaculately conceived means that from the moment of conception Mary was preserved from the stain of Original Sin. Mary had the potential to be born with Original Sin, but God stepped in with the redeeming grace of Christ. He is God, after all, and is perfectly capable of doing this.

We hear this most plainly when the Angel Gabriel says to Mary; “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). Many of the recent translations say something wimpy along the lines of “highly favored one.” Yes, Mary was highly favored, but “full of grace” tells us so much more. For Gabriel to recognize her as “full of grace” lets us know that this indwelling of sanctifying grace had already happened.

One of the main objections to the Immaculate Conception is Rom. 3:23 where we are told, “all have sinned.” Furthermore, Mary said in Luke 1:47; “ My spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” If she had no sin why would she need a Savior?

As to “all have sinned” we know a little baby cannot commit a sin. You have to have an awareness in order to sin, which a baby is incapable of having. St. Paul was most likely referring to Original Sin in this passage. So, we have come full circle. We are all subject to Original Sin, even Mary. At the moment of conception, however, Mary was kept spotless - a perfect vessel for Our Lord and Savior.

This woman who was cast in the role of Mother of God is also our Mother. She is someone you can turn to in times of need. She is someone who loves and understands you, and she is the one who teaches you the true meaning of obedience. When Mary said, “be it done unto me according to Thy will”, she gave us a vision for a way of life we all should be striving to live.