LET ME ASK A QUESTION, IF THE VATICAN, WITH POPE FRANCIS PRESIDING, IS CELEBRATING THE SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION ON SUNDAY, DECEMBER 8TH, WHY DID NOT THE AMERICAN BISHOPS MANDATE THE SAME FOR THE USA OR INDIVIDUAL BISHOPS FOR THEIR DIOCESES?

 Today, December 8, is the Second Sunday of Advent, but also the Solemnity/Feast of the Immaculate Conception, who is also the Patroness of the USA.

In the USA, where she is the Patroness, her feast is transferred to Monday, December 9th but still as a Holy Day of Obligation.

However, Pope Francis, at the Vatican this Second Sunday of Advent, presided at a Modern Papal Mass celebrating our Lady of the Immaculate Conception!!!!!

Those who are attending Mass in the Ancient Rite, like me, will also celebrate the Feast the Immaculate Conception too. At Sacred Heart Church in Savannah, at 1 pm December 8th, I will be the celebrant for a Solemn Sung High Mass for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and also commemorating the Second Sunday of Advent. 

This will be the first time since the Modern Rite was enforced on all parishes in the late 1960’s that a Solemn Sung form of the TLM (with deacon/subdeacon) is celebrated at Sacred Heart Church.