Feast of the Immaculate Conception

In this most Marian of weeks we celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception on Monday 9th, Our Lady of Loreto on Tuesday 10th and Our Lady of Guadalupe on Thursday 12th.

Advent is a time of hope and of affirmation of our faith in the future. Whatever the trials and tribulations in our own lives and in the world around us, we are called to be hopeful and to trust in God. We have no better example to follow than Mary. As a young girl, she said ‘Yes’. Yes to trusting in God’s plan, yes to carrying and bringing into the world a baby, yes to becoming the Mother of God, and so Mother of the Church, and yes to service and sacrifice. She didn’t know exactly what the future held but she pondered things in her heart and she trusted in God. Mary extended an invitation to prayer and service to another young girl, Bernadette, who also said yes. On pilgrimage to Lourdes, we too can say ‘yes’ and take the opportunity to pray together and serve one another in a unique way.