Snup's View From the Back Pew: Immaculate Conception

Happy Feast of the Immaculate Conception! Between work, the dissertation, hand therapy and Jake, it was a challenge to get to Mass. I went to 5:30 pm Vigil at Immaculate Conception in Dardenne Prairie, which is not a prairie anymore.

Interestingly, all the PSR kids were there. It was kind of odd, being as I went to Catholic school and we never had class on Holy Days, so we never went to Mass together on Holy Days. (Don't worry, we went once a week otherwise). It was odd also because you had all these kids and lots of elderly people. There was hardly anyone in the middle.

Music was accompanied by an organ.
Opening: Immaculate Mary
Offertory: Ave Maria (in Latin...sung by the cantor)
Communions: Like a Child Rests and Holy is His Name
Sending Forth: Hail Holy Queen

I was confused a bit by Mass. The Nativity is out sans Jesus, but the Advent candles and wreath is out. Father wore a white vestment with a blue center and the deacon wore a white dalmaic with a red center. Why? Isn't red for the Holy Spirit and Martyrs? Mary's neither.

Father was apparently preparing for the throngs of people at Christmas who don't know there is a new translation. He kept reminding us to use the missalette or the pew cards. And to remember especially and "With your Spirit"

The first mini-homily was that the Virgin Mary was an example and that we should pray for forgiveness when we do not follow that example.

Father's homily started off with the First Reading from Genesis. Adam and Eve ate from the tree they were not supposed to. God was upset (uhm...to say the least...) with the devil, Adam and Eve. God punished the snake and promised someone will come to crush the devil. That person would be Mary. That's why most statues of Mary have her standing with her heel on the head of the snake. We will be tempted by the devil. God overcomes temptation. Father then taught us

O Mary Conceived without sin

Pray for us who have recourse to Thee

God protects us. Mary protects us from temptations. The rays coming out of Mary's hands are God's grace which wants to embrace us. Turn to God to do the right thing. Mary is the mother of all of us. God will bless us. Mary always did the right thing (goody two shoes...I'm so going to hell...). We need the protection of Mary. Ask Santa Claus for a Miraculous Medal. We then said the Hail Mary.

The second mini-homily was at the start of the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The bells were ringing because it was 6 pm. Father discussed the Offertory Song that it was Hail Mary and beautiful. Also at 6 pm you pray the Angelus (history of) (and at 6 am and at Noon except in Easter when you pray the uhm Regina Coeli? Cheli? no there's an o in it. uhm...Choeli? but who's keeping track) which is related to today's Gospel.

Father used Eucharistic Prayer II and there were bells.

Pictures:
Chapel: