Our Diocese gathered in prayer and celebration on Monday 8th December for the midday Mass marking the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Co-patron of the diocese. The Cathedral was filled with clergy and faithful as Bishop Peter Doyle, Bishop Emeritus, presided and Canon Michael Harrison, Vicar General, preached the homily, drawing the diocesan family together in honour of Our Lady on her feast day.
Priests from across the diocese joined the celebration, emphasising the unity of the diocesan community as Advent continues. The Cathedral, dedicated to Our Lady Immaculate and Saint Thomas of Canterbury, once again became the gathering place of the whole diocesan family both in person and online. Canon Harrison reflected warmly on the naturalness with which Catholics celebrate this feast, noting that “we live sometimes so enshrouded in our Catholic world that terms like Our Lady’s… they’re part of our culture, part of our history, part of our faith, part of us.”
He reminded the congregation that the Immaculate Conception feels instinctive to Catholic hearts, expressing what we believe about God preparing in Mary a pure dwelling for His Son: “If God’s Son is to become man, he would need somewhere sinless to grow and develop.” Through hymn texts and lived devotion, he explained, the mystery becomes familiar and beloved: “It all fits. And we look upon today as a natural celebration of Our Lady… Nothing more natural for us to gather together on the 8th December, nine months to the day ahead of the birthday of Our Lady.”
Canon Harrison drew on a personal story from his years in parish youth ministry to reflect on how Catholic language and belief can appear puzzling to those outside the Church. Recalling a conversation with a youth leader during a sports tournament organised by the National Association of Youth Clubs, he described how the team name “Our Ladies” had caused confusion: “The man looked at me and said, well, I think it’s a bit odd… Don’t the boys feel embarrassed about being called Our Ladies?” Only when he saw the team listed on the scoreboard as ‘Our Ladies’ in the plural rather than the possessive, did he understand the misunderstanding. “The point is this,” he said, “that both sound the same when they are spoken. They have a very different connotation when seen written down.” This experience became a way of illustrating how the doctrines and devotions that seem beautiful and obvious from within the Church can look peculiar from the outside. Using the image of stained-glass windows, he explained: “If you’re standing inside the church and the sun is shining through the windows, you’ll see nothing but brightness and colour and joy and splendour. By contrast, if you’re looking at the same building from the outside, all you may see is brick and stone… The message today on our feast day is clear. Isn’t it great to be inside? Isn’t it great to be a Catholic?” The homily concluded with an invitation to evangelise simply by welcoming others into the life of the Church: “The best way for us to share our joy with those on the outside is for us to invite them in… Come and see.”
The celebration also marked the blessing of the new diocesan vestments. Before the blessing, Canon Harrison addressed Bishop Peter with words that emphasised their sacred purpose: “We ask that you celebrate a special blessing for these new vestments to indicate that they are to be set aside exclusively for divine worship.” He recalled God’s command to Moses to provide vestments that would give dignity to the service of the priests, praying that the clergy of the diocese might wear these garments “with faithfulness.” Quoting the apostle’s exhortation to be “clothed in heartfelt compassion, in generosity and humility, gentleness and patience,” he prayed that the vestments would serve as “a constant reminder of God’s call to serve his people with love and compassion.” The new garments bear the lily of Mary Immaculate and the crozier and martyr’s sword of Saint Thomas, symbols that draw the diocese into the prayer and protection of its patrons. Canon Harrison invited the faithful to join in asking that “he who alone is holy may make us holy and worthy, so that we may celebrate the liturgy with reverence and devotion.”
The feast concluded in the warmth of diocesan fellowship, many staying to share mince pies, tea, and conversation, a simple expression of the joy Canon Harrison encouraged. As he said with characteristic humour, “Isn’t it great to be Catholic?” The celebration reminded all present that the Immaculate Conception is not simply a dogma to be examined, but a mystery to be lived, shared, and rejoiced in as the diocesan family gathered under the protection of Our Lady Immaculate and Saint Thomas of Canterbury.
