Imaculada Concepcion

Today is December 8th– a Holy Day of Obligation for a lot of folks, and a lot of other things for others. In the Philippines, it’s when the Japanese attacked Manila 64 years ago. Catholics in Korea and Japan do not have to go to church today; it is not a Holy Day of Obligation for them. In New York, Central Park’s Strawberry Fields will be filled with folks commemorating John Lennon’s 25th death anniversary. B16 granted plenary indulgence for today – kinda like a one-day shopping discount pass for forgiveness of temporal sins. It is also a tradition since 1857 that every year on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the Pope crowns Mary's statue at Piazza Spagna. Her Hotness wrote beautifully of her own December 8th experience at the Roman Spanish Steps (and NO, there were no hot, Italian-dudes-sweeping-her-off-her-feet involved!).

For me, it’s a beautiful feast, Immaculate Conception. It’s one of those low key, totus tuus Maria, sacred days. I remember having difficulties understanding its meaning from pre-first-communion catechism classes – what is original sin, how is original sin passed, if Adam and Eve didn’t know right from wrong, why were they punished anyway, if Jesus was born on Dec. 25th, does that mean he was only in His mommy’s tummy for 17 days? From a child’s standpoint, the dogma of Immaculate Conception can be really complicated.

22 years of Catholic education later, I can now distinguish between today’s Feast of the Immaculate Conception and the Annunciation:

December 8th: Sts. Joaquim & Ann = X & X Chromosomes + No Sex = Mary
March 25th: Mary & Holy Spirit = X & God’s Chromosomes + Definitely No Sex = Jesus

But mainly, today is all about the purity of Mary and the love of God.

Holy Mother… I don’t have an earthly mom anymore… so you are my mother now… please keep my mom safe in your arms, I beg of you.


Key words: Delia Gallagher, CNN