'A Day With Mary' Planned For Anniversary Of Immaculate Conception Dogma

Published: November 25, 2004

ATLANTA—For the Year of the Holy Eucharist and in honor of the 150th anniversary of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, “A Day With Mary” will be held at the Cathedral of Christ the King on Saturday, Dec. 11, in the parish hall.

Led by Franciscans of the Immaculate and priests of the Cathedral, the day is a time of prayer that emphasizes worship of the Blessed Sacrament and devotion to Mary, the Mother of God. Held in the parish hall all day, it includes Mass, scriptural reflections, rosary, mediations on the Passion, eucharistic adoration and Benediction, a procession of an image of Our Lady of Fatima in the morning and a procession with the Blessed Sacrament in the early afternoon.

There will also be periods of rest with refreshments and a film on Fatima based on the message given in 1917. The sacrament of confession will be available throughout the day and there will be a book table. A nursery will be open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

In England “A Day With Mary” is offered at a different church every weekend. The fruits of the day include a deeper knowledge of Mary, who leads people to Jesus; conversions of heart; healings; a greater awareness of the mystical dimension of faith; family restorations; and a greater peace and joy.

The event begins at 8:30 a.m. and concludes at 5:30 p.m. Some of the elements of the day include a welcome by Father John Matejek and Marian procession and rosary at 10 a.m.; Mass at 11 a.m. celebrated by Father Martin Mary Fonte, FI, and consecration of the parish to the Blessed Virgin; lunch break at 12:15 p.m.; exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, outdoor procession and rosary at 1 p.m.; a talk on the Immaculate Conception and its significance in the modern world at 1:20 p.m. by Father Martin Mary; adoration, meditations on the Passion, Divine Mercy Chaplet and prayer; a talk by Father Michael Mary Gauvreau, FI, on Mary, the holy Eucharist and the sacrifice of the Mass at 3:30 p.m.; and Benediction at 4:15 p.m.

For those who would like to stay, the parish Vigil Mass for Sunday will be celebrated in the Cathedral at 5:30 p.m. and a potluck supper will be held at 7 p.m. in the parish hall.

The day is open to all and people are welcome to come for a portion of the day or for all of the day. Families, singles and teenagers are especially invited. Those who come are encouraged to bring a sack lunch.

The Franciscans of the Immaculate follow the ideals of St. Maximilian Kolbe and are involved in evangelization worldwide through Mary Immaculate and by means of the printed word, especially books and tapes. Their materials are distributed on a non-commercial basis to spread knowledge of the faith.

For information on the day, call Charlotte Hafley at (404) 233-2661 or Holly Moccia at (404) 376-3016. The Cathedral is located at 2699 Peachtree Road, NE. The parish hall is entered from Peachtree Way.