Chaminade University celebrated the Feast of Immaculate Conception this Friday, Dec. 8. Students and faculty joined together at the Mystical Rose Oratory to celebrate an important Catholic teaching. This day is important to Catholics as it commemorates the Virgin Mary for being conceived without sin. The Feast is a holiday for most Catholics and is considered to be a holy day obligation.

The Feast of Immaculate Conception is celebrated around the world and is seen as a public holiday. It is observed as a holiday in a similar fashion as Labor Day where students and workers get the day off. The holiday is celebrated in Guam, Italy, Monaco and Spain to name a few where they attend church services on Dec. 8. The Feast focuses on how Jesus mother, The Virgin Mary, was conceived without sin. The angel Gabriel came to her and found her “full of grace,” meaning she was protected from original sin and her own sins.  

For Chaminade students such as Elijah Abramo, a freshman communications major, this holy day is important to him as it shows the humanity of God and faith. As a Catholic, Abramo believes that this celebration is to take a step back and appreciate what God has planned. To be willing to do what God is asking of you as Mary did.

“What this day is really about is it urges us to accept what God gives us,” Abramo said. “Because otherwise without the good will of Mary, the plan of Jesus would not work out. It is really up to us to carry out God’s will.”

The Feast of Immaculate Conception celebrates the goodwill of the Virgin Mary.

“When God asks you to do something you have to be willing to do it,” Abramo said. “There is so much in the world.”

However, although Chaminade is both a Marianist and Catholic university. It does have open doors for students of all religions and backgrounds to join in with the celebration of the Virgin Mary.

Ida Kittle, a 21-year-old junior English major, attended the mass with an open mind. However, Kittle is not Catholic but agnostic. Agnosticism is a belief that God is unknown and cannot be known. Although similar to atheism, agnosticism is a more philosophical idea about God.

“As an agnostic, I wanted to finally check out a mass at Chaminade,” Kittle said. “I had time between classes and thought it would be a unique experience. During this time a lot of religious aspects are noticeable during the holidays.”

Although knowing very little of the Catholicism, Kittle believed that the Virgin Mary was someone who was just a saint and a mother to Jesus.

“The Feast of Immaculate Conception appeared to be honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary, as she was conceived and born without sin,” Kittle said. “I saw this parallel to how in Catholicism, God is guiding his people into heaven. Having someone in this image of no sin encourages others to be good in order to be like the Virgin Mary.”