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What is the Immaculate
Conception? The
belief in the Immaculate Conception is a great part of the Catholic
faith. This stems from the
high position that the Blessed Virgin Mary has to Catholics.
In 1854 Pope Pius IX stated,
"We declare, pronounce and define that the doctrine which
asserts that the Blessed Virgin Mary, from the first moment of her
conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God, and in
view of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, was
preserved free from every stain of original sin is a doctrine revealed
by God and, for this reason, must be firmly and constantly believed by
all the faithful." (Eternal Word Television Network).
In addition, in 1953, Pope Pius XII said this was a
“very singular privilege which was never granted to another
person". This makes
Mary’s conception unique and special because it never happened before
and may not happen again. So,
what is the Immaculate Conception?
Some people
think the term refers to Christ’s conception in Mary’s womb without
the intervention of a human father. That is really the Virgin Birth.
Some think the Immaculate Conception means Mary was conceived "by
the power of the Holy Spirit," in the way Jesus was, but that, too,
is incorrect. The Immaculate Conception actually means that Mary, whose
conception was brought about the normal way, was conceived without
original sin. The
Immaculate Conception refers to our belief that Mary was conceived
without original sin. This was God's gift to Mary.
Being conceived without original sin was a preparation for her to
become the mother of Jesus. In
Luke chapter 1-28, the angel Gabriel spoke to Mary by saying “Hail, O
full of grace, the Lord is with you.”
Mary was in a state of sanctifying grace from the first moment of
her existence to have been called "full of grace."
(http://www.newadvent.org)
Since Adam fell from grace all others born later were without
grace. Everyone born after
Adam’s fall had the stain of original sin. Being
the Immaculate Conception was a great privilege that God gave the
Blessed Virgin Mary. God
preserved her from original sin by giving her soul grace from the very
instant of conception in the womb of her mother, St. Anne.
Original sin was not removed from her soul in the same way it is
removed from others by baptism. Original sin was never present. Original
sin was never in her soul. Original
sin is the sin that Adam committed and his fall from grace.
This resulted in the first sin. Adam’s sin then became
hereditary to all that were born. What is the Feast of the
Immaculate Conception? The feast of the
Immaculate Conception is celebrated on December 8th and is a holy day of
obligation for the Church. (The Catholic Encyclopedia)
The Feast of Immaculate Conception’s beginnings can be found as
early as in the calendar of Pope Basil II (976-1025).
The feast of the Blessed Virgin's Immaculate Conception is the most
solemn of all those which the Church celebrates during the holy time of
Advent. The Conception of Mary tells us that the Birth of Jesus is
close. The intention of the
Church, in this feast, is not only to celebrate the anniversary of the
happy moment in which began, in the womb of the St. Anne, the life of
the Virgin Mary; but also to honor the privilege, by which Mary was
preserved from the original sin. (http://www.catholictradition.org/) In 1847 the Bishops of the United States requested permission from the Holy Father, Pope Pius IX, to declare the Blessed Virgin Mary as patroness of the United States. Since then under the Blessed Mother's title of the Immaculate Conception, the United States is dedicated to her patronage. A shrine was built in Washington D.C. in her honor. In fact, the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. is the largest Catholic Church in America. Many other shrines and churches are dedicated to the Immaculate Conception as is my church, Immaculate Conception Church in Marrero. On March 25, 1858 the young child Bernadette described the following event: "The Lady was standing above the rose bush, in a position very similar to that shown on the Miraculous Medal. At my third request, Her face became very serious and She seemed to bow down in an attitude of humility. Then She joined Her hands and raised them to Her breast. She looked up to Heaven. Then slowly opening Her hands and leaning towards me, She said to me in a voice vibrating with emotion 'I AM THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION'. She smiled again, spoke no more, and disappeared smiling". (
Pope Pius IX created the Immaculate Conception of Mary
in 1854 by a singular grace and privilege of having no original sin by
almighty God. So Jesus savior or the human race could be born to save
us.
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