Dear Parishioners of Mary Immaculate and St. Rose,
I am writing on the morning of March 25.  Today is the Solemnity of the Annunciation and I just had a Mass with the children of Mary Immaculate School.
We normally do not have Mass on Mondays in order to give the priest a chance to get away for a day.  A few days ago I realized that this feast day was approaching and I asked our principal Ann Gray if I could offer a Mass with the children. She assented, we announced the Mass over the weekend, and a sizeable number of people showed up.
For an impromptu Mass with little time for preparation it was offered with great solemnity.  The school kids sang and prayed with great devotion.  Mrs. Murmylo, the 7th and 8th grade teacher, was able to rise to the occasion and had her students prepared to read and offer the petitions.  Betty Cox led us in singing beautiful Marian hymns.
All in all it was a worthy celebration in honor of our Lord’s Incarnation.  What a blessing to have our Mary Immaculate School to be able to offer a beautiful Mass at the last minute!
I reminded the school children that this was a hint of Christmas in the midst of our Lenten prayer and penance.
At the end of Mass we prayed the Angelus together.  The children pray this prayer every day at school as a reminder that Jesus took on our human flesh and lived his life among us.
V. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
R. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
    Hail Mary, full of grace,
    The Lord is with Thee;
    Blessed art thou among women,
    And blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
    Holy Mary, Mother of God,
    Pray for us sinners,
    Now and at the hour of our death. Amen
V. Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
R. Be it done unto me according to thy word.
    Hail Mary, etc.
V. And the Word was made Flesh.
R. And dwelt among us.
    Hail Mary, etc.
V. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
LET US PRAY
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts, that we to whom the Incarnation of Christ Thy Son was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection. Through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Msgr. Cox


 The Annunciation and Expulsion from Paradise, by Giovanni di Paulo, c. 1435. National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.