On December eighth, Jesuit students and faculty gathered and celebrated the Mass of the Immaculate Conception.

“[It] remind[s] us that we are sinners and that we are in need of God’s salvation,” said Fr. Matthew Pyrc, S.J., who presided at the mass.

The Immaculate Conception is a doctrine in the Catholic Church that defines that Mary was conceived without sin from her mother, Saint Anne. Mary was born without original sin, allowing God to incarnate a son through her in the form of Jesus Christ.

Mary was conceived in natural ways, but God moved to keep her soul immaculate. From her conception she was set free from original sin, which is normally received only through baptism.

Jesuit’s liturgy planning committee put together this mass with a short film at the end of mass, something that they have never done before. This video helped consolidate the homily and the general goal of the mass.

“The video at the end was something new, something our tech guys put in, which was great,” said Jake Casale ’17.

Overall, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception celebrates Mary’s perfect obedience to the Father, and gives mankind hope to be a part of God’s great salvation.

“I hope that students would realize that God’s mercy and love is endless, that no matter how we’ve been and how we’ve lived, we can always turn to God, and that God makes things possible for us,” Fr. Pyrc, S.J. said.