Today is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception - Holy Day of Obligation

In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
Amen.

O God,  who by the Immaculate Conception 
of the Blessed Virgin Mary, 
did prepare a worthy dwelling place for Your Son, 
we beseech You that, as by the foreseen death of this, Your Son, You did preserve Her from all stain, 
so too You would permit us, purified through Her intercession,  to come unto You. 
Through the same Lord Jesus Christ,  Your Son, who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, 
God, world without end. 

Amen.

The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen


Hail Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!
our light, our sweetness, our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor, banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious Advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us;
and after this our exile show unto us
the blessed Fruit of Thy Womb, Jesus;
O clement! O loving! O sweet Virgin Mary!


+In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Beautiful picture - thanks for the post.

had a beautiful Feast day!

Church to Mary and that this was the 150th anniversary of the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. Thought you guys would like to know, too. It'll probably be in our archdiocesan newspaper but it's not arrived yet this week.


VATICAN CITY, Vatican, Dec. 08, 2004 (CNA) - Appearing in a good form on Wednesday, Pope John Paul presided over the 150th Anniversary of the Immaculate Conception and consecrated the Church tu Mary. The Pontiff reminded Catholics that the dogma proclaimed by Pope Pius IX is a central element of their faith.

The 84-year old Pope, flanked by lines of cardinals and bishops, highlighted the feast on its 150th anniversary and called for Catholics to renew their devotion to Mary for the "peace and salvation of all people".

"The Immaculate Conception is lighthouse for humanity in every time. At the start of the third millennium, it is the beacon to show us the way to believe and hope in God," the Pope told thousands of pilgrims gathered at St. Peter's square.

To you, Immaculate Virgin, chosen by God over all creature to be the advocate of grace and model of holiness for his people, I renew today in a special way the consecration of the whole Church," the Pope said.