December 7, 1941 was one of the most, if not the most fateful day in history, the “day which will live in infamy.” When the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, they
killed 2,335 military personnel and 68 innocent civilians. But across the International Date Line, it was December 8. Due to the technicalities of time zones, in parts of the world and U.S. Territories such as the Philippines and Guam, which were attacked, the war began on America’s patronal feast day – the Immaculate Conception.
The Immaculate Conception of Mary happened 9 months before the Blessed Mother was born. Mary was preserved completely from any trace or stain of Original Sin so that she could give birth to the Son of God. If she were impure, Jesus could not have come into the world through her.
The feast of the Immaculate Conception is a Holy Day of Obligation when everyone has to go to Mass. Usually the feast of the Immaculate Conception falls on
December 8, but because that date fell on a Sunday this year, the feast was transferred to Monday, December 9. To celebrate this patronal feast day for the United States, the Cardinal Newman community celebrated Mass. Many students participated in making this great event possible. Many students served as Eucharistic ministers, helping Fr. Daniel Donahue distribute the Body of Christ to students. Others helped as lectors. The Cardinal Newman Mass Ensemble, under Miss Rehner’s direction, sang many

Marian hymns during the Mass. It was a great celebration of a great feast.