Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
lodonga Minor Basilica - Today, the Universal Church joyfully celebrated the Solemnity of
the Immaculate Conception, a feast honoring the Blessed Virgin Mary, who by God's grace was preserved from
all stain of original sin from the first moment of her conception in the womb of her mother, St. Anne. This
dogma highlights God's profound love and His desire to draw humanity into the mystery of salvation through
Mary's purity and obedience.
In the Diocese of Arua, the celebration was held at the historic Lodonga Minor Basilica, with the Bishop
of Arua, Rt. Rev. Sabino Ocan Odoki, presiding over the Eucharistic celebration. The Mass was beautifully
animated by the choir from St. Mary's Ediofe Girls' Secondary School.
The event attracted a large and diverse congregation, including the Vicar General, priests, religious
brothers and sisters, catechists and their families, leaders of various apostolic movements, Catholic
associations, government representatives, cultural leaders, distinguished guests, and pilgrims. This
year's celebration was particularly blessed with the presence of pilgrims from several dioceses in
Kenya who journeyed to Lodongo Minor Basilica to venerate Our Lady.
In his homily, Bishop Sabino warmly welcomed the faithful to the Basilica of the Blessed Mother,
reminding them that the grace bestowed upon Mary is a sign of God's deep love for humanity.
"If God can choose one of us, fill one of us with His grace, and invite one of us to participate in the work of salvation,
it means He loves us and desires our full cooperation in His saving plan,"
the Bishop emphasized.
Reflecting on the readings of the day, he highlighted Mary's perfect obedience compared to the disobedience of Adam and Eve in the Book of Genesis.
"Disobedience brings suffering, but obedience brings blessings. Obedience is the test of our faith and of our love for God,"
he said, urging Christians to embrace obedience grounded in faith and reason.
Drawing from St. Paul's Letter to the Ephesians, the Bishop reminded the faithful that God has blessed His people abundantly in Christ,
whose incarnation celebrated at Christmas is the visible sign of God's love.
He encouraged all believers to continually give praise and glory to God
"When we fail to give glory to God, it means our faith is lacking."
The Bishop also shared reflections from his not long ago pilgrimage to the Holy Land, where he visited the Basilica of the Annunciation and prayed in
the very room where the Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary.
"I carried each one of you to that holy place,"
he said.
"I prayed for our diocese, our province, the Church in Uganda, the refugees, and the entire Church of Christ."
He invited families to imitate the holiness of Sts. Joachim and Anne, whose deep faith and obedience created the home in which Mary
was formed. He called Christian families to be places of love, harmony, and prayer, rejecting domestic violence and embracing God's will in their daily lives.
