Marian Awards and the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

Recognizing Service to the Church

Each year, we gather as a Diocesan family in the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption for the presentation of the Marian Medal – now Marian Awards – to recognize laity for their tireless and dedicated service to the Church. The ceremony includes Evening Prayer and Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction. Recipients of the award must be 55 years old or older and are nominated for the honor by their pastor. Behind the recognition for each of this year’s 64 recipients is a unique story of how he or she makes a difference in their parish communities and throughout the Diocese. They were joined at the Marian Awards by family, friends, and many priests of the Diocese, especially those who nominated the awardees for this recognition. (You are invited to watch the ceremony here.)

During my homily, I focused on three themes: joy, kindness, and gratitude. The joy of gathering to honor individuals whose service has greatly enriched their parishes and the diocese, reminding all present to “rejoice in the Lord always,” as Saint Paul exhorted. I also spoke of the kindness, generosity, and faith of the honorees, whose actions have served as models of love and dedication to God and the Church. Their service is not offered for recognition but out of genuine love for their faith communities. Their work often goes unnoticed. Recognizing these individuals allows us to publicly thank those who give so much of themselves to the Church.

I also drew upon St. Paul’s words and encouraged the Marian Award recipients to continue living out their faith in service, trusting that God’s peace and blessings would guard their hearts. In this season of Advent, which began last Sunday, I also called upon those who attended the Evening Prayer Service to embrace hope, vigilance, and a renewed commitment to bringing Christ’s love into the world. Last year, during his homily for the first Sunday of Advent, Pope Francis shared how charity was the pathway to Christ. “A good program for Advent,” he suggested, would be “to encounter Jesus coming in every brother and sister who needs us and to share with them what we can: listening, time, concrete assistance.” As they prepare to open their hearts and minds to Christ during this Advent season, the Marian Award recipients serve as role models for others in their own journey of faith. I thank God for the honorees’ examples of faithfulness and the blessings they bring to our diocesan family.

Former Fall River Bishop James Connolly introduced a Marian award to the Diocese in 1968 to recognize laity who have worked tirelessly in the service of their parish and the greater Church. Since then, more than 3,000 individuals have been recognized with this honor. 

Click here to read the list of the 2024 Marian Award recipients. 

How appropriate that we recognized the Marian Award recipients a week before the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Mary.

Is the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception a Holy Day of Obligation?

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a day for Catholics to celebrate the conception of the Virgin Mary without sin. As the United States Catechism for Adults states, 

“Through the centuries the Church became ever more aware that Mary, “full of grace” through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception” (CCC, no. 491).

In anticipation that she was to bear the Son of God, Mary was preserved from the time of her conception from Original Sin. We call this the Immaculate Conception. No sin would touch her, so that she would be a fitting and worthy vessel of the Son of God.

The Catechism also shares that many confuse this feast day as the conception of Jesus Christ, but it is the conception of Mary without sin in her mother’s womb that we celebrate on this day. 

There has been confusion about whether the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is a holy day of obligation since the traditional date falls on a Sunday this year. Because December 8 falls on a Sunday this year – the second Sunday of Advent – the Feast Day is celebrated on Monday, December 9. Even though the date of the feast is moved to December 9, it remains a  holy day of obligation.

Why was the date changed? Good question. An article in Our Sunday Visitor provides a succinct explanation. 

“Since the Sundays during special seasons such as Advent and Lent have a particular importance in our liturgical year, they take precedence over other feast days. The solution for competing solemnities is to transfer the liturgical celebration of the non-Sunday holy day to the first subsequent available date. Thus, in the year 2024, the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated in our liturgy on Monday, Dec. 9.”

Check your parish website or bulletin for Mass times on Monday, December 9. In addition to attending Mass, there are many meaningful ways for you and your family to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. You might consider praying the rosary together or reciting the Hail Mary before meals to honor Our Blessed Mother.

Mary, Mother of the Church, pray for us.

Yours in Christ,

Bishop da Cunha