At the web site of the White House, Pres. Trump’s Message on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception.
Presidential Message on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception
Today, I recognize every American celebrating December 8 as a Holy Day honoring the faith, humility, and love of Mary, mother of Jesus and one of the greatest figures in the Bible.
On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Catholics celebrate what they believe to be Mary’s freedom from original sin as the mother of God. She first entered recorded history as a young woman when, according to Holy Scripture, the Angel Gabriel greeted her in the village of Nazareth with news of a miracle: “Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you,” announcing that “you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.”
In one of the most profound and consequential acts of history, Mary heroically accepted God’s will with trust and humility: “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Mary’s decision forever altered the course of humanity. Nine months later, God became man when Mary gave birth to a son, Jesus, who would go on to offer his life on the Cross for the redemption of sins and the salvation of the world.
For nearly 250 years, Mary has played a distinct role in our great American story. In 1792, less than a decade after the end of the Revolutionary War, Bishop John Carroll—the first Catholic bishop in the United States and cousin of signer of the Declaration of Independence Charles Carroll—consecrated our young Nation to the mother of Christ. Less than a quarter-century later, Catholics attributed General Andrew Jackson’s stunning victory over the British in the climactic Battle of New Orleans to Mary. Every year, Catholics celebrate a Mass of Thanksgiving in New Orleans on January 8 in memory of Mary’s assistance in saving the city.
Over the ages, American legends like Elizabeth Ann Seton, Frances Xavier Cabrini, and Fulton Sheen, who spent their lives glorifying God in service to others, have held a deep devotion to Mary. The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, located in the heart of our Nation’s Capital, honors Mary as the largest church in North America. The timeless hymn “Ave Maria” remains beloved by countless citizens. She has inspired the establishment of countless churches, hospitals, and schools. Nearly 50 American colleges and universities bear Mary’s name. And, just days from now, on December 12, Catholics in the United States and Mexico will celebrate the steadfast devotion to Mary that originated in the heart of Mexico—a place now home to the beautiful Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe—in 1531. As we approach 250 years of glorious American Independence, we acknowledge and give thanks, with total gratitude, for Mary’s role in advancing peace, hope, and love in America and beyond our shores.
More than a century ago, in the midst of World War I, Pope Benedict XV, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, commissioned and dedicated a majestic statue of Mary, Queen of Peace, bearing the infant Christ with an olive branch so that the Christian faithful would be encouraged to look to her example of peace by praying for a stop to the horrific slaughter. Just a few months later, World War I ended. Today, we look to Mary once again for inspiration and encouragement as we pray for an end to war and for a new and lasting era of peace, prosperity, and harmony in Europe and throughout the world.
In her honor, and on a day so special to our Catholic citizens, we remember the sacred words that have brought aid, comfort, and support to generations of American believers in times of need:
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.
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The key phrase is “what they believe to be”…. Does this make the White House more Christian? I say “no”.. I give you Trumps announcement of Ramadan earlier this year: https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/2025/03/presidential-message-on-ramadan/
Yes, we have Muslim citizens, but what morals is this Democracy is based upon? (and to the people who cry “this is a Republic, not a Democracy” – A Republic is a variant of a Democracy. But the original form of Republic is much eroded by the 1913 amendments…
Trumps administration merely works to placates the masses; bread and circuses – we are Nero’s new Rome.
I’ll re-state what a great (traditional) Catholic politician said some 20+years ago (to the detriment of his rising career): “Capitol Hill is Israeli occupied territory.”…
To recognize otherwise is to be willfully blind and to partially embrace acedia.
Incredible!
Butler.
I give you Trumps announcement of Ramadan earlier this year:
I had wondered how Pres. Trump handled other special days by other religious groups, so thank you for the link.
I agree that as a politician, he is indeed engaging in a pluralistic “recognition” for various groups. But if you cannot see in today’s pronouncement a deep, perhaps even fundamental difference compared to that of “support” for Ramadan-bent Americans, I think you might need glasses: Trump’s paean to Mary and those who love Mary is 5 times as long, shows Catholics’ connections to America all the way back to the founding era, and ends with the Catholic prayer, Hail Mary. None of these were necessary to “placate the masses”. Even though we are confident that some staffer wrote this, and even if much of his willingness to sign this comes via his Catholic wife, Trump willingly approved a much more developed and more serious approval, one that ostensibly makes that final prayer his own.
I don’t like Pres. Trump and I don’t think he is a good man in any standard sense. But the evidence is that he does have a soft spot for at least some Catholic views.
Wow PatS. Wow.
Be glad you even see this come from your President/administration my American friends. Here in Canada we have a Catholic Prime Minister and Catholic MP’s and you would never ever ever ever ever ever ever ever see anything even remotely close to this to honour Our Lady on one of the most important days of the year. Please pray for President Trump and pray for our Canadian PM Mark Carney and all members of our federal parliament
“Today, I recognize every American celebrating December 8 as a Holy Day honoring the faith, humility, and love of Mary, mother of Jesus and one of the greatest figures in the Bible” strictly speaking also includes various ‘Anglicans’ though, again strictly speaking, another such recognition of Gregorian-calendar Orthodox Americans would need to be issued on 9 December and yet another of Julian-calendar Orthodox Americans on 22 December.
“Nine months later, God became man when Mary gave birth to a son, Jesus” is a curious implicit characterization of the Feast of the Annunciation, 25 March (Julian-calendar equivalent 7 April) effectively also ignoring the testimony of the Feast of the Visitation. What Catholic staffer would have written that?
Whatever is causing this to happen, we need to pray that it continues.
Presidential Message on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception – The White House https://share.google/MZEAnGYmvOy0FSk8b
The DDF could even take notes on how to issue a proper statement. Doctrinal notes.
Venerator Sti Lot:
If you read the paragraph carefully you will see it is stating 9 months after the Annunciation.
I have been a Constitutionalist since the 7th grade when we were taught Civics.
Held my nose and voted for the “lesser of two evils” for years. Campaigned for Pat Buchanan, a Traditional Catholic. I attend Mass with two men who know and worked for President Trump. They both speak highly of the him.
He is leaning more Catholic since having been shot across from Our Ladies Shrine.
In our Missal’s we have a Prayer for the President. Also one for the British Monarch, but that’s another story.
@PatS: Instead of seeing the glass half-empty, I see it half-full and still filling.
God bless President Trump, even with all his flaws!
This is a reverent, noble and much appreciated gesture gifted to us by President Trump. We need acknowledge with respect this recognition of this mystery of the Faith and not dismiss it as simple matter of protocol…or even pandering. “… for whoever is not against us is for us.” Mark 9:40
I am unaware of his Roman Catholic Rosary toting predecessor ever calling to our national conscience the patronage of the Blessed Virgin Mary and her Immaculate Conception.
I don’t look to the White House, or any politician, for approbation of the faith.
I am shocked at some of the comments, posted here and other sites, concerning the President’s statement. TDS?
If one ever studies history, specifically Catholic history, one would learn that God has used seemingly “unworthy” leaders many times for his Kingdom on Earth.
Constantine, Charles Martel, and El Cid (born Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar) come to mind.
And then there is the fact that the Catholic Mass was celebrated, for the first time in the White House, despite the fact the the have been two previous Catholic presidents. This was done for the Catholic staff members. History does not begin with one’s birth date.
@donato2
Why not? It’s a step on the right path to God and a holy nation.