----------------------------Original message----------------------------
        Some of the replies to the "strange question" about
depictions of the conception of Jesus through Mary's ear
referred to this event (whether aurally or not) as the
"Immaculate Conception."  However, "Immaculate Conception"
actually refers to *Mary's* conception: in order to be able to
be mother of the sinless Son of God, she too had to have been
conceived without original sin (hence immaculately). (This is
a Catholic Church doctrine, not accepted by many Protestant
denominations due to lack of biblical basis).  The Feast of
the Immaculate Conception is celebrated for Mary on Dec. 8th.
        Perhaps a colleague more knowledgeable in the terminology
of the Catholic Church could let us know how Jesus's conception
is officially acknowledged, if at all?

                                                --K.A. Bayruns
                                                  Philadelphia, PA
                                                  <a href="/scripts/wa.exe?LOGON=A3%3Dind9801%26L%3DARLIS-L%26E%3D7BIT%26P%3D215110%26B%3D--%26T%3Dtext%252FplainTEXT%252FPLAIN%3B%2520charset%3DUS-ASCII%26pending%3D" target="_parent" >[log in to unmask]</a>