Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

"Hail Mary, full of grace..."

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, celebrated on December 8, commemorates the day that Mary was conceived without the stain of original sin.

It is the patronal feast of the United States and of the Diocese of Portland.

Although it was long believed by many Christians that Mary, who was to be the Mother of God, was conceived without sin, it wasn't until 1854 that Pope Pius IX declared it to be dogma of the Catholic Church. In Ineffabilis Deus, he wrote that "the Blessed Virgin Mary, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God, and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, Saviour of the human race, was preserved free from every stain of original sin is a doctrine revealed by God and, for this reason, must be firmly and constantly believed by all the faithful."

The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception is a holy day of obligation. Mass times listed by city/town may be found below. Mass times listed by parish may be found here. Prayers to Mary, the Immaculate Conception may be found here.

Holy Day Mass Times

Ashland

Parish of the Precious Blood:.

St. Mark Church, 13 Allen Farm Road - Monday, December 9, at 6 p.m.

Bangor

St. Paul the Apostle Parish:

St. John Church, 217 York Street - Monday, December 9, at 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

St. Mary Church, 768 Ohio Street - Monday, December 9, at 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.

Bar Harbor

Parish of the Transfiguration of the Lord:

Holy Redeemer Church, 56 Mount Desert Street - Monday, December 9, at 8:30 a.m.

Bath

All Saints Parish:

St. Mary Church, 144 Lincoln Street - Monday, December 9, at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Belfast

St. Brendan the Navigator Parish:

St. Francis of Assisi Church, 81 Court Street - Monday, December 9, at 8 a.m.

Bethel

Parish of the Holy Savior:

Our Lady of the Snows Church, 265 Walker's Mills Road - Monday, December 9, at 6 p.m.

Biddeford

Good Shepherd Parish:

St. Joseph Church, 178 Elm Street - Monday, December 9, at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Bingham

Christ the King Parish:

St. Peter Church, 27 Owens Street  - Monday, December 9, at 2:30 p.m.

Boothbay Harbor

All Saints Parish:

Our Lady Queen of Peace Church, 82 Atlantic Avenue - Monday, December 9, at Noon

Brewer

St. Paul the Apostle Parish:

St. Joseph Church, 531 North Main Street, Brewer - Monday, December 9, at Noon

Bridgton

St. Joseph Parish:

St. Joseph Church, 225 South High Street - Monday, December 9 at 8:30 a.m. (Mass) with adoration from noon to 1 p.m.

Brunswick

All Saints Parish:

St. Charles Borromeo Church, 132 McKeen Street - Monday, December 9, at Noon and 6:30 p.m.

St. John the  aptist Church, 39 Pleasant Street - Monday, December 9, at 8 a.m.

Bucksport

Stella Maris Parish:

St. Vincent de Paul Church, 64 Franklin Street - Monday, December 9, at 6 p.m.

Camden

St. Brendan the Navigator Parish:

Our Lady of Good Hope Church, 7 Union Street- Monday, December 9, at 6:30 p.m.

Cape Elizabeth

St. John Paul II Parish:

St. Bartholomew Church, 8 Two Lights Road -  Monday, December 9, at 5 p.m.

Caribou

Parish of the Precious Blood:

Holy Rosary Church, 34 Vaughn Street - Monday, December 9, at 6 p.m.

Castine

Stella Maris Parish:

Parish of the Transfiguration of the Lord:

Our Lady of Holy Hope Church, 237 Perkins Street - Monday, December 9, at 4 p.m.

Eagle Lake

St. John Vianney Parish:

St. Mary Church, 3451 Aroostook Road - Monday, December 9, at Noon

Ellsworth

St. Joseph Parish:

St. Joseph Church, 231 Main Street - Monday, December 9, at 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.

Falmouth

Parish of the Holy Eucharist:

Holy Martyrs of North America Church, 266 Foreside Road - Sunday, December 8, at 5:30 p.m. and Monday, December 9, at 5:30 p.m.

Farmington

St. Joseph Parish:

St. Joseph Church, 133 Middle Street - Monday, December 9, at 8:30 a.m.

Fort Fairfield

Parish of the Precious Blood:

St. Denis Church, 147 Main Street - Monday, December 9, at 8:30 a.m.

Fort Kent

St. John Vianney Parish:

St. Louis Church, 26 East Main Street, Fort Kent - Monday, December 9, at 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Freeport

Parish of the Holy Eucharist:

St. Jude Church, 134 Main Street - Monday, December 9, at 6 p.m.

Fryeburg

St. Joseph Parish:

St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church, 857 Main Street - Monday, December 9, at 6 p.m.

Gorham

St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Westbrook

St. Anne Church, 299 Main Street - Monday, December 8, at 9 a.m.

Gray

Parish of the Holy Eucharist:

St. Gregory the Great Church, 24 North Raymond Road - Monday, December 9, at 8 a.m.

Greenville

Holy Family Parish:

Holy Family Church, 145 Pritham Avenue - Monday, December 9, at Noon

Howland

Our Lady of the Eucharist Parish:

St. Leo the Great Church, 16 River Road - Monday, December 9, at 4 p.m.

Jackman

St. Anthony of Padua Parish:

St. Faustina Church, 370 Main Street - Monday, December 9, at 6 p.m.

Jay

St. Rose of Lima Parish:

St. Rose of Lima Church, 1 Church Street - Monday, December 9, at 12:15 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Lewiston

Prince of Peace Parish:

Basilica of Ss. Peter & Paul, 122 Ash Street - Monday, December 9, at Noon

Holy Cross Church, 1080 Lisbon Road - Monday, December 9, at 1:15 a.m. (With St. Dominic Academy students) and 5:30 p.m.

Holy Family Church, 607 Sabattus Street - Monday, December 9, at 7 a.m. 

Lincoln

Our Lady of the Eucharist Parish:

St. Mary of Lourdes Church, 142 Main Street - Monday, December 9, at Noon.

Lisbon Falls

Prince of Peace Parish:

Holy Trinity Church, 67 Frost Hill Avenue - Monday, December 9, at 8:30 a.m.

Lyman

Good Shepherd Parish:

St. Philip Church, 404 Goodwins Mills Road - Monday, December 9, at 9 a.m.

Madison

Christ the King Parish:

St. Sebastian Church, 161 Main Street - Monday, December 9, at 11 a.m.

Manset (Southwest Harbor)

Parish of the Transfiguration of the Lord:

St. Peter Church, 5 Ocean House Hill Road - Sunday, December 8, at 5:30 p.m.

Mechanic Falls

St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish:

Our Lady of Ransom Church, 117 Elm Street - Monday, December 9, at 5:30 p.m.

Newcastle

All Saints Parish:

St. Patrick Church, 380 Academy Hill Road - Monday, December 9, at 6 p.m.

Norway

St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish:

St. Catherine of Sienna Church, 32 Paris Street - Monday, December 9, at 8 a.m.

Old Orchard Beach

Good Shepherd Parish:

St. Margaret Church, 6 Saco Avenue - Monday, December 9, at noon

Oxford

St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish:

St. Mary Church, 276 King Street - Monday, December 9, at 12:15 p.m.

Peaks Island

St. Christopher Church, 15 Central Avenue - Monday, December 9, at 6:30 p.m.

Portland

Our Lady of Hope Parish:

St. Joseph Church, 673 Stevens Avenue - Monday, December 9, at 7 p.m.

St. Pius X Church, 492 Ocean Avenue - Monday, December 9, at 9 a.m.

Portland Peninsula & Island Parishes:

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 307 Congress Street - Monday, December 9, at 8 a.m. (Latin Mass), 12:15 p.m., 6 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.

Sacred Heart Church, 65 Mellen Street - Monday, December 9, at 6 p.m.

St. Christopher Church, 15 Central Avenue, Peaks Island - Monday, December 9, at 6:30 p.m.

St. Peter Church, 72 Federal Street - Monday, December 9, at 7 a.m.

Presque Isle

Parish of the Precious Blood:

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, 333 Main Street - Monday, December 9, at 6 p.m.

Richmond

All Saints Parish:

St. Ambrose Church, 29 Kimball Street - Monday, December 9, at 10 a.m.

Rockland

St. Brendan the Navigator Parish:

St. Bernard Church, 150 Broadway - Monday, December 9, at 8 a.m.

Rumford

Parish of the Holy Savior:

St. Athanasius & St. John Church, 126 Maine Avenue - Sunday, December 8, at 6 p.m. and Monday, December 9, at 8:15 a.m.

Sabattus

Prince of Peace Parish:

Our Lady of the Rosary Church, 131 High Street - Monday, December 9, at 6 p.m.

Saco

Good Shepherd Parish:

Most Holy Trinity Church, 271 Main Street - Monday, December 9, at 6 p.m.

Scarborough

St. John Paul II Parish:

St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, 150 Black Point Road - Monday, December 9, at 6 p.m.

Saint Francis

St. John Vianney Parish:

St. Charles Borromeo Church, 912 Main Street - Monday, December 9, at 6 p.m.

Skowhegan

Christ the King Parish:

Notre Dame de Lourdes Church, 273 Water Street - Monday, December 9, at Noon

South Portland

St. John Paul II Parish:

Church of the Holy Cross, 124 Cottage Road - Monday, December 9, at 7:30 a.m. and 9 a.m.

Southwest Harbor

Parish of the Transfiguration of the Lord:

St. Peter Church, 5 Ocean House Hill Road - Sunday, December 8, at 5:30 p.m.

Stonington

Stella Maris Parish:

St. Mary Star of the Sea Church, 8 Granite Street - Monday, December 9, at 8 a.m.

Westbrook

St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Westbrook

St. Hyacinth Church, 268 Brown Street- Sunday, December 8, at 5 p.m. and Monday, December 8, at 12:15 p.m.

Windham

St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Westbrook

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 919 Roosevelt Trail - Sunday, December 8, at 5 p.m. and Monday, December 9, at 8 a.m.

Winterport

St. Paul the Apostle Parish:

St. Gabriel Church, 435 South Main Street - Monday, December 9, at 6 p.m.

Yarmouth

Parish of the Holy Eucharist:

Sacred Heart Church, 326 Main Street - Monday, December 9, at 8 a.m.