by Faith Central & Steve Welsh
“The Solemnity of the #ImmaculateConception of the #BlessedVirginMary … celebrat[ing] the dogma that #Mary was preserved from original sin from the moment of her conception … Dec. 8 … a holy day of obligation on which #Catholics are required to attend #Mass. In 1846 … the U.S. bishops adopted a decree naming Mary, ‘conceived without sin,’ as patroness of the
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“In the Catholic Church, the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a holy day of obligation. Celebrated annually on Dec. 8, it is also the patronal feast day of the United States. The Immaculate Conception is the belief that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was graced by God in such a way that she was preserved from sin
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“… ‘… If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them goes astray, will he not leave the ninety-nine in the hills and go in search of the stray? And if he finds it, amen, I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety-nine that did not stray. In just the same way, it
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“… Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them in reply, ‘What are you thinking in your hearts? Which is easier, to say, “Your sins are forgiven,” or to say, “Rise and walk”? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sin’– he said to the one who was paralyzed, ‘I say
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“The Second Sunday of Advent usually features the ministry of St. John the Baptist. He was the prophet who fulfilled the Office of Elijah, of whom it was said, See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and
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“‘The Kingdom of God is at hand and is indeed in the middle of us, this is the central message of all Christian mission.’ Those were the words of Pope Francis during his Angelus address in St Peter’s Square on the Second Sunday of Advent. …”
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“A pastor in Cuba has stood firm against the Cuban government, refusing to suspend Masses during the nation’s nine-day period of mourning for Cuban despot Fidel Castro, who died November 25. …”
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“… Then He summoned his Twelve Disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits to drive them out and to cure every disease and every illness. Jesus sent out these Twelve after instructing them …”
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“… ‘Everyone who listens to these Words of Mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and buffeted the house. But it did not collapse; it had been set solidly on rock. …’”
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