Holy Day of Obligation
This Thursday, December 8th, we celebrate the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Holy Day of Obligation. The Church teaches that from the very moment of her conception, the Blessed Virgin Mary was free from all stain of Original Sin. This means that from the beginning, she was in a state of grace, sharing in God's own life, and that she was free from the sinful inclinations which have beset human nature after the fall.