A Holy Day of Obligation
When a holy day falls on a Monday, we are often excused from the Mass requirement. The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is an exception. The reason is this:
It is one of the most significant Marian dogmas: The Immaculate Conception is a fundamental Catholic belief, celebrated on a specific day each year.
It is the patronal feast of the United States: Mary, under the title of her Immaculate Conception, was declared the patroness of the United States by the U.S. bishops in 1846, making it a special feast day for the country.
Mass Schedule
Monday, December 8, 2024
6:45 a.m., 9:00 a.m., 4:00 p.m., and 6:00 pm – There is no vigil Mass
The Immaculate Conception Explained
The Immaculate Conception is a Catholic dogma that states that Mary, whose conception was brought about the normal way, was conceived without original sin or its stain. That’s what “immaculate” means: without stain.
It’s important to understand what the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is and what it is not. Some people mistakenly think that the term refers to Christ’s conception in Mary’s womb without the intervention of a human father. Others think the Immaculate Conception means Mary was conceived “by the power of the Holy Spirit,” in the way Jesus was, but that, too, is incorrect.
The essence of original sin consists in the deprivation of sanctifying grace, and its stain is a corrupt nature. Mary was preserved from these defects by God’s grace; from the first instant of her existence she was in the state of sanctifying grace and was free from the corrupt nature original sin brings.
Taken from https://www.catholic.com/tract/immaculate-conception-and-assumption
