These days we are celebrating the beautiful Advent Feast of the Immaculate Conception. Advent places in focus the person of Our Lady.

We celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception — in anticipation of Christ’s death on the cross, Mary, in the womb of her mother, St. Ann, was free from original sin from the first moment of her conception. She would be the most beautiful vessel to give Jesus His human nature and to bring Jesus into the world.

This is Mary’s role; to give us Jesus! This feast has particular significance for our Parish of St. John Bosco. Why? Did you know that atop the Basilica of Mary Help of Christians in Turin, Don Bosco placed a statue of the Immaculate Conception? She was to be his (and our) “lighting rod” protecting her youngsters and Salesians from the snares of the devil, Her seed crushes the head of Satan and so we turn to her for help and protection!

Did you know that the Immaculate Conception is the Patroness of the United States? On May 13, 1846, some eight years before the Proclamation of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception by Blessed Pope Pius IX, the American Bishops, gathered in the Sixth Provincial Council of Baltimore, chose the Virgin Mary, conceived without sin, as the Patroness of the United States. As we witness our country embattled to find its way to hold on to its Judeo– Christian values without a moral compass to give it direction, we need to once again turn to our “lighting rod”! In a society that seems to have lost all respect for the dignity of the persons and human life (artificial contraception, abortion, violence and so many mindless attacks against human life killings that we seem to witness more and more!); for purity, chastity, virginity (disrespect shown to women, sexual promiscuity, pornography, human trafficking, the acceptance of homosexual activity as “just another way”); for simple human decency and common manners in the way we treat one another and speak to each other and show respect to others. Perhaps, as never before we need to implore the Immaculate One whose “seed” crushes the head of the serpent — the evil one, the devil, who is prowling around seeking the ruin of souls!

Did you know that the Mother of the parish of Port Chester, Our Lady of Mercy, was established in 1854, the year of the Solemn Proclamation of the Immaculate Conception? A magnificent stained glass window of her is above our main altar. The Immaculate Virgin, Help of Christians, who, Don Bosco tells us, is the foundress of the Salesian Congregation and family, now, in our new parish, gathers all of Port Chester and Rye Brook to the feet of her Son, Jesus! In a special way, I believe, our Parish of St. John Bosco is being called, as Don Bosco himself was, to proclaim Mary as our “lightning rod”. In this season of Advent, as a parish family, we are being asked to make Jesus incarnate in our neighborhoods and our streets. It is not enough to remain closed-in our Church — we have to go out and, by our actions, words, attitudes, let everyone we meet know, Jesus is the reason for the season. He is the Lord of History. He is our only Savior and Redeemer and our nation will re-discover its true identity only and if we give God His rightful place. This feast of the Immaculate Conception reminds us “religion and morality” remain the foundation of any true democracy. And we turn to Mary our Immaculate Helper, to rediscover that identity!

God bless you!
Fr. Pat Angelucci