The Dominican House of Studies celebrated its patronal solemnity on December 8 with a solemn Mass celebrated by the Right Reverend Austin G. Murphy, O.S.B., Abbot of St. Procopius Abbey in Lisle, Illinois. Abbot Austin's homily emphasized how the Immaculate Conception prepared Our Lady to say yes to God throughout her life. In the homily, he developed the question of whether Eve would have had to say no to the devil and yes to God repeatedly. Was it simply a single test once and for all or would the temptation have continued? Regardless of that speculation, we know that Eve said yes to the devil and no to God. Mary, on the other hand, always said yes to God.

The Abbot preached: "From her Immaculate Conception to the Annunciation, she said yes to God. From the Annunciation to the Cross, she said yes to God. From the Cross until her Assumption, she said yes to God. Also now in heaven, she says yes, Amen, to God in the heavenly chorus. St. Paul says that Christ's answer to God the Father was always yes. Mary, too, as the perfect disciple of her Son, always said yes to God. She lived a life of yes to God, repeated yes's to God. And it all began with her conception free from sin and full of grace. Her immaculate conception ushered in this life of yes unto God!" Abbot Austin later applied the significance of Our Lady's yes to our lives: "If we want to receive Christ in our hearts and bring His salvation into the world, we do so by repeatedly saying yes to God. On this solemnity we ask for the Blessed Virgin Mary's intercession for us, that like her we may repeatedly say yes to God."

The priory's schola, led by Fr. James Moore, O.P., assisted the community's celebration with sacred music, including a beautiful rendition of Biebl's Ave Maria as a Communion Meditation. Following Mass and Vespers, the Dominican Friars with their guests, including Abbot Austin, enjoyed a festive dinner in honor of Our Lady.

While a resident of the Priory of the Immaculate Conception from 2000-2004, Abbot Austin earned an M.A. as well as an M.Div./S.T.B. from the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception. He received national and international attention when his community of monks on June 24, 2010 elected him, at age 36, the tenth abbot in their monastery's history. Abbot Austin stayed at the priory from December 6-9 while attending meetings held at the Washington Theological Union for new leaders in the Conference of Major Superiors of Men. It was a joy to have him back!