December 8 + The Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

The Immaculate Conception refers to the condition that the Blessed Virgin Mary was free from Original Sin from the very moment of her conception in the womb of her mother, Saint Anne.

In March of 1858, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette Soubirous in Lourdes, France for the sixteenth time. It was during this apparition that Our Lady declared, "I am the Immaculate Conception."

This statement confirmed the infallible Doctrine of Pope Pius IX, who had spoken “ex cathedra” four years earlier. He had declared that the Virgin Mary, alone of all human beings who have ever lived (except for Jesus, and Adam and Eve) was conceived without the stain of original sin in her mother’s womb.

This is “The Lady clothed with the sun,” who will “crush the head of the serpent,” Mary Immaculate.

Our Lady had also announced her Immaculate Conception to Saint Catherine Labouré during the apparitions at the Rue du Bac back in 1830. She taught Catharine the following prayer: “O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee.”