Belmont Abbey Annunciation Post
Today The Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Annunciation, when “St Gabriel the Archangel told
the Blessed Virgin Mary she would be the Mother of the Son of God. She gave her fiat (“be it done”),
upon which she conceived the Savior by the power of The Holy Spirit” (RM 1785). Regarding the
Solemnity, The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us, “The Annunciation to Mary inaugurates ‘the
fullness of time,’ the time of the fulfillment of God’s promises and preparations. Mary was invited to
conceive him in whom the ‘whole fullness of deity’ would dwell ‘bodily.’ The Divine response to her
question, ‘How can this be since I know not man?’ was given by the power of the Spirit: ‘The Holy Spirit
will come upon you’” (CCC 484).
When the monks from St Vincent Abbey come to Belmont (then Garibaldi) in 1876, they entrusted the
monastery to the protection of The Virgin Mary under the title Mary Help of Christians, enfolding the
place into the tradition that all monasteries are under the protection of Our Lady.
So let us pray with Universal Church today that we may imitate The Blessed Virgin Mother in her
humility, in her “fiat” in doing God’s will, and trust in His plan for us, our monastery, our College and the
world. Mary Help of Christians, pray for us! Amen.
