"Immaculate Conception"

December 08, 2009

The Year for Priests

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

You probably won’t have too much time to read this today, as it is a major holy day in our country! We Americans are not really familiar with the concept of a national “holy day,” but this is it: the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception. Under this title, the Blessed Mother is revered as the Patroness of the United States of America and there is a sizeable basilica in Washington, D.C., built to honor her as the Immaculate Conception.

Accomplished largely through the work of Franciscan scholarship and tradition, the dogma was defined by Pope Pius IX on 8 December 1854, in his apostolic constitution, “Ineffabilis Deus.” The dogma was defined following great popular support for the idea of Our Lady’s Immaculate Conception many years before. Surely, one of the most significant actions supporting the idea came from Our Lady herself.

On 18 July 1830, a full 20 years before the dogma was defined, the Blessed Mother appeared to St. Catherine Laboure in her convent chapel on the Rue du Bac in Paris. In the course of the apparitions that went on for several months, the Blessed Mother instructed St. Catherine to have a medal struck. We have come to know this as the Miraculous Medal on which the image of the Blessed Mother is surrounded by the words, “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.” The Miraculous Medal is one of the most popular sacramentals favored by Catholics and non-Catholics alike.

On 16 July 1858, barely four years after the dogma was defined, the great declaration took place at Lourdes (also in France). This, of course, involved the peasant girl, Bernadette Soubirous. Bernadette had no formal education and certainly could not have known the implications of the dogma. The Blessed Mother appeared to her. The bishop of the diocese told Bernadette to ask the name of the lady who was appearing to her. In response to the question, Mother Mary identified herself by saying, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” Her words were unclear to Bernadette, but to the bishop, they were valid confirmation of an appearance by the Mother of God.

We also have another MAJOR celebration of the Blessed Mother this week - the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe on 12 December. Under this title, Pope John Paul the Great declared Mary the Patroness of the Americas, both north and south.

Under the title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Blessed Mother appeared as a pregnant woman to Juan Diego. This apparition has tremendous implications for our lives and our society today. First, in this regard, Our Lady is promoted to the patroness of the unborn, the great symbol of the pro-life movement in the Church. Additionally, Mother Mary also appeared in the traditional attire of Juan Diego’s people. This leads us to a most significant understanding of the Church’s continued interest in immigration issues and the plight of the poor and marginalized. This point, of course, is of the utmost importance to the bishops of the United States and is considered with regard to current health care legislation.

In all, as we celebrate the Immaculate Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of the Church, the Mother of God, reflect upon her words to San Juan Diego…

“Oye y ten entendido…que es nada lo que te asusta y aflige, no se turbe tu corazón, no temas esa enfermedad, ni otra alguna enfermedad y angustia. ¿No estoy yo aquí que soy tu Madre? ¿No estás bajo mi sombra? ¿No soy yo tu salud? ¿No estás por ventura en mi regazo? ¿Qué más has menester? No te apene ni te inquiete otra cosa…”

 (English Translation)

“Hear me and understand well…nothing should frighten or grieve you. Let not your heart be disturbed. Do not fear that sickness, nor any other sickness or anguish. Am I not here, who is your Mother? Are you not under my protection? Am I not your health? Are you not happily within my fold? What else do you wish? Do not grieve nor be disturbed by anything…

Faithfully in Christ,

Most Reverend William Patrick Callahan

Archdiocesan Administrator
Archdiocese of Milwaukee

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