Mary Conceived Without Sin
For many Catholics, December 2024 brings some intriguing questions about one of the great Marian celebrations of the liturgical year. On December 8, the Catholic Church celebrates the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that is, her privilege of being conceived free of Original Sin. This day is honored not only as a Solemnity, the highest rank of feast day, but a Holy Day of Obligation, one of a few days in addition to Sundays when Catholics are required to go to Mass.
Second Sunday of Advent
In 2024, however, December 8 falls on the Second Sunday of Advent. For most Roman Catholics, this means that Our Lady’s Solemnity is transferred to Monday, December 9, and is not a Holy Day of Obligation due to the date change. On the other hand, in Latin Mass communities, December 8 remains the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception and the Second Sunday of Advent is Commemorated.
Shrine Mass Times
On Sunday, December 8, at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the 9 a.m. Latin Mass will be in honor of the Immaculate Conception, while the 11 a.m. Spanish Mass and the 1 p.m. English Mass will be for the Second Sunday of Advent. On Monday, December 9, the regular Masses at 8:30 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. will be for the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception.
“The obligation to attend Mass is always tied to time,” explains Fr. Zachary Edgar, Director of Sacred Liturgy. “We are obligated to go to Mass on December 8. That happens to be a Sunday this year. When it’s a Monday next year and it’s Monday, December 8, you have to go to Mass on Monday; but when you move the texts [for Mass] off of the day, the obligation does not go with it.”
Feast of Saint Juan Diego
Ordinarily, December 9 is the feast day of Saint Juan Diego, also an important day at the Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe. “We always celebrate him as a feast, which means we pray the Gloria and we use his particular readings that were set forth at the time of his canonization,” says Fr. Edgar. This year, the Shrine will be celebrating the Masses for his feast on Tuesday, December 10.
Fr. Edgar also notes that variations of the liturgical calendar are nothing new in Catholic tradition. For instance, the Eastern or Byzantine Catholic rites have many independent feast days and other liturgical traditions of their own. “Even in the Latin rite,” Fr. Edgar adds, “Advent has been six weeks, it’s been four weeks, it’s been since the feast of St. Martin all the way to Christmas … There’s lots of different pieces to this tradition, so it’s never been just one thing.” In keeping with her name, Catholic, “universal,” Mother Church embraces all good and valid ways for her children to show their love for God.
If you are able to come to Our Lady’s Shrine on either Sunday, December 8 or Monday, December 9 in honor of her Immaculate Conception, you will have the opportunity to gain a plenary indulgence from making your pilgrimage on a Solemnity of Our Lady.
