The New York herald., 1874-12-09
FEAST OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.

The dogma OF the Immaculate Conception was
proclaimed In the Basilica OF the Vatican 1T Rome
on the Sth OF December. 1854 by Pope Plus TX,
who that day celebrated mass in the SisIne
chapel. AT the Conclusion OF the gospel Cardinal
Mattel addressed His Holiness in the following
words:-"The Catholic Church, Most Holy Father,
has ardently desired and earnestly entreated that
your supreme and iniallible words may give de-
cision on the immaculate conception Of the most
blessed Virgin Mary, winch win be to her an In
crease Of praise, glory and veneration. In the
name OF all the faithful Of the Church, clergy ana
laity, we request our wishes to be fu1lled." HIS
Holiness, IN response, announced that sit Is a
dogma OF faith that the Blessed Virgin Mary, from
the first instant OF her conception, by q privilege
Jesus CHRIST, Saviour or mankind, was preserved
intact from everv stain OF original SIM 1t was
should be observed as . holiday OF obligation.
In the churches OF this city yesterday the feast
enc the 81 Of s oocs
NJ. and eleven O'Clock A NJ The services were
particularly attractive In 81 Patrlcks Cathedral,
Redemptorlst, Paulst, Franciscan and Benedict
Inc churches. At the Cathedral there was
Rev. Archbishop McCloskey presided. The Rev.
John Kane was the celebrant Rev. Fathers Far
with the Rev. Fatner kearney US master OF cere-
monies. The church was crowded IN every part.
Occupied. the Rev. Father A. Damen, the veteran Ss
Jesuit missionary, who has been giving mission
in the Cathedral during the past two weeks,
preached ON the Virtues OF the Blessed Virgin as
the Mother OF God," auding In particular TO the
Importance OF the festival. He chose his text
from that passage IN ST. JOnn XIX, l2) where
Mary Is represented as sitting at the
foot OF the cross weeping when Jesus utters the
words Woman, behold thy son son, behold thy
motherr 1t was Joyful day OF mercy when that
most glorious OF pure creatures made her first APP
peaIance with those seeds or grace which pro-
duced the most admirable fruits IN her soul. From
the very instant that God decreed to exalr her HIS
eternal Word, which was TO take nesn OF her,
looked upon 1t as particularly incumbent on Him,
in the view vi BIS tuture incarnation, to sanctty
and enrich her in a manner worthy OF HIS Omnipo-
tence. Hence her exemption from all stain OF sin.
After the fall OF Eve In the Garden OF Eden Cod
told her. OF record IN the Old Testament,
''Enmlty shall be put between tnee and them, for
q virgin shall be born WHO shall crush the head or
the serpent This was Mary, the virgin mother
of GOd--the mother OF Jesus, the only Son or God
the spouse OF the Holy Ghost, the third person
OF the blessed Trinity. In reciting the creed do
we not say:-.I believe In Jesus Christ, the only
son or God, conceived OF the Holy Ghost and born
Of the Virgin Mary" What Catholic, what
Christian man, with reason or intelligence, can re-
cite those words In faith and deny that Mary was
the mother or God Father Damen concluded by
saying the mission would close to morrow night
They should leave Tor Chicago on Wednesday. The
Archbishop administered confirmation to q large
number OF adults at three O'Clock p. NJ, and made
some appropriate remarks after The ceremony.