Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

On December 8th, the Pontifical North American College community gathered with a number of guests to celebrate the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the patronal feast day of the United States of America. Present were Their Eminences James Cardinal Harvey, Archpriest of the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls; James Cardinal Stafford, Major Penitentiary Emeritus of the Apostolic Penitentiary; Seán Cardinal O’Malley, OFMCap, Cardinal-Archbishop of Boston; Edwin Cardinal O’Brien, Grand Master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem; and His Excellency Archbishop Michael Banach, Apostolic Nuncio to Papua New Guinea.

The festivities began with a Mass celebrated by His Eminence George Cardinal Pell, Cardinal-Prefect of the Secretariat for the Economy (pictured at right), which was followed by a banquet. The traditional three toasts were given at the end of the banquet: the toast to the Holy Father by Rev. David Gaffney, Spiritual Director at the College; the toast to the United States of America by Rev. Andrew Liaugminas, a doctoral candidate living at the Casa Santa Maria and studying at the Pontifical Gregorian University; and the toast to the Pontifical North American College by second-year seminarian Peter Vale.

For more pictures from the celebration of the Immaculate Conception at the NAC, please visit the PNAC Photo Service.