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Tomorrow, December 8, is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
This feast has been observed on December 8 perhaps as early as the fifth century.
Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1854 issued a Papal Bull defining the Dogma.
It holds that Mary is preserved from the effects of the fall of Adam and Eve and that she has always been in the state of grace. Because of original sin, everyone has to be baptized to restore them to the state of grace. Not so for Mary. She was from her conception in the state of grace. Satan never has had a claim on her. In Genesis 3:15 God says to Satan, "I will put enmity between you and the woman"God has protected Mary from Satan. St. Gabriel at the Annunciation affirms that Mary is "Full of grace". When Mary appeared to St. Bernadette at Lourdes she said, "I am the Immaculate Conception."Mary has a special relationship with God and also with us. She is uniquely positioned to be a mediator. She is our mediatrix with God. The Miraculous Medal is actually the Medal of the Immaculate Conception. It is called the Miraculous Medal because of the many miracles assoated with it. In our Legion opening prayers we invoke the Immaculate Heart of Mary. At the Catena we pray the prayer from around the perimenter of the Miraculous Medal, O Mary conceived without sin, |