Sunday 8 December 2013

Feast of the Immaculate Conception - a blessed Feast Day to all our readers

Today, in the usus antiquior, Catholics will celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. In the novus ordo, the Feast has been transfered to tomorrow, the 9th. 

The solution to the above problem was solved this year with ease by the Polish Bishops Conference who requested of the Apostolic See permission to celebrate the Feast today, on Sunday; the request was granted, with the 2nd reading changed to reflect the 2nd Sunday of Advent, as well as incorporating some thematic aspects of Advent into the sermon on the Immaculate Conception. 

The bishops also have permission to decide if they wish to continue this practice in the future. I regard this as a good example of Pope Francis' idea of devolving powers to the bishops which can have a positive effect within the local Church. A link in our Twitter feed (in Polish) provides further information. For those not gifted in linguistics, a simple copy and paste should suffice in conveying the episcopate's reflections. 

It is unfortunate that no other Conference (to my knowledge) petitioned the Holy See for this indult. 

Murillo's masterpiece of the Blessed Virgin 


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