Stand By for an Important Announcement

March 26, 2007, is the Feast of the Annunciation of the Lord, the celebration of the angel Gabriel's announcement to the Virgin Mary that she had been chosen to be the Mother of God and of the Blessed Virgin's humble acceptance of this honor and responsibility.

Normally, the Feast of the Annunciation falls on March 25, nine months before Christmas, but the Church considers Masses for Sundays in Lent to be so important that even this Marian feast cannot replace one of them. So, when the Annunciation falls on a Sunday in Lent (before Palm Sunday), it is transferred to the following Monday. If it falls on Palm Sunday or any time up through the Sunday after Easter, it is transferred to Low Monday, the Monday after the Sunday after Easter.

If you can't make it to Mass today, why not celebrate this feast by reciting the Angelus, an ancient prayer which recounts the angel Gabriel's visit to the Virgin Mary?