Father Daniel Chowning, OCD from the Discalced Carmelite Hermit Community in Hinton, West Virginia was the celebrant again tonight for the fifth night of masses celebrated in honor of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel at the Carmel of St. Joseph.  He spoke tonight on the topic of the Mary, the Immaculate Conception.

Father wonderfully told the story of St. Bernadette in Lourdes and explained that in 1854 the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was promulgated by Pope Pius IX.  Interestingly though, Father spoke of the Carmelites celebrating this tradition as far back as 1306!

Father explained how our vocation is to imitate Mary and to become transformed into the mystery of God through prayer. “To pray is to open ourselves up to God’s transformation…. For in the very depths of our being is woven an image of God of Love.”

You may listen to Father’s homily here.

You are invited to pray along the Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary and Benediction here.

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