Because December 8 occurred on a Sunday this year the feast of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary was moved to today. In other years, the Memorial of St. Juan Diego would be celebrated. It was on this day that the first of the appearances of Mary to St. Juan Diego took place in 1531. The juxtaposition of the two feasts is instructive. On the one hand, Catholic theology about the Blessed Mother tends to remove her from ordinary human experience. None of us were immaculately conceived! On the other hand, the experience of St. Juan Diego is typical of Catholic devotion in drawing Mary more deeply into human life. “Am I not here who am your Mother?” she told Juan Diego — and us.
