The Immaculate Conception

The Immaculate Conception

One of the four existing Marian dogmas

Introduction

A dogma refers to the Church's belief that in scripture and tradition, God's truth is revealed to mankind, and that the Church's leadership can interpret and promulgate this truth. In the Catholic faith, there are four dogmas related to Mary: her being the Mother of God [Theotokos], her perpetual virginity, her Immaculate Conception, and her Assumption. It is her Immaculate Conception that prepared her to be a vital part of God's saving plan.

The Immaculate Conception as dogma

On December 8, 1854 A.D., Pope Pius IX solemnly defined as a dogma of Catholic faith that Mary is the Immaculate Conception. In the document Ineffabilis Deus, it was defined with these very words:

"We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege granted by almighty God in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin, is a doctrine revealed by God and therefore to be believed firmly and constantly by all the faithful".

Mary, preserved from original sin

At the beginning of her existence in her mother's womb [St. Anne], Mary was preserved from the stain of original sin. The phrase "by a singular grace and privilege" refers to Mary as the only human person in God's saving history who has been immaculately conceived. But the phrase "in view of the merits of Jesus Christ" is also to be noted since this unique privilege of Mary does not exempt her from the need to be also redeemed by her Son.

Theological reason for the Immaculate Conception


One primary theological reason for Mary's being immaculately conceived was because she was predestined to be the Theotokos, the Mother of God. It was for the sake of her Son's dignity that she received this unique grace. Since Mary was to conceive in her womb the Word of God incarnated, it was but fitting that this womb would be pure and free from any stain of original sin - the sin all members of mankind inherited from Adam and Eve when they disobeyed the will of God.

The dogma reaffirmed many times

This article of faith of Mary being immaculately conceived has been reaffirmed many times by the Church since its initial definition in 1854 A.D. Pope St. Pius X recalled it in his encyclical Ad Diem Illum on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of Ineffabilis Deus. Then, Pius XII also issued an encyclical, Fulgens Corona, to commemorate the centenary of the dogmatic definition in 1954 A.D. Aside from these two reaffirmations in the two encyclicals of two popes, references to the Immaculate Conception are also given in the teachings of the documents of Vatican II: in Lumen Gentium #56 and #59. "Enriched from the first instant of her conception with the splendor of an entirely unique holiness..." (L.G. 56); "...the Immaculate Virgin preserved free from all stain of original sin..." (L.G. 59)

Scriptural references that support the dogma

Although there are many scriptural texts which the dogma can refer to, the three main ones are:

• "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel" (Genesis 3:15)
• "...and she [Elizabeth] exclaimed with a loud cry, 'Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!'" (Luke 1:42)
• "And he [Gabriel] came to her and said 'Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you.'" (Luke 1:28)

References from Tradition that support the dogma

The three main scriptural texts given above had implications that contributed also toward one early image of Mary after the New Testament tradition: that of the 'New Eve'. This was principally developed by St. Irenaeus and the image portrays Mary as intimately associated with Christ, the 'New Adam'. The victory of the 'New Adam' over sin and death was fulfilled by Christ and Mary participated in that saving event.

Other sources of Mary as believed to be free from sin comes from several of the Eastern Fathers, particularly St. Andrew of Crete, St. Germanus of Constantinople, and St. John Damascene. At the conclusion of the seventh to eighth centuries, they speak of Mary in ways that she was free from all sin, even original sin. They however do not discuss the mystery of original sin in the precise terms of the Western Fathers as did St. Augustine.

The beliefs of the faithful contributed also to the development of the dogma

The beliefs of the faithful, termed in Latin as sensus fidelium, was the most significant factor in the development of the dogma, especially when the people's faith in Mary is expressed most often from their liturgical devotion. Towards the end of the seventh century, a feast of Mary's Conception arose, originating probably in the monasteries of Syria and then spread throughout the Byzantine world. It soon reached England in ca. 1050 A.D., spread to Normandy, France, Spain, Belgium and Germany. The meaning of the feast was contested, but Eadmer, an English monk and close associate of St. Anselm of Canterbury, wrote a treatise which defended the feast and its doctrinal foundation. He argued that the holiness of Jesus required that his mother have a holy beginning. The case for the feast continued until finally John Duns Scotus (1266-1308 A.D.) created a breakthrough that paved the way into the definition of the dogma in 1854 A.D. John Duns Scotus notion of "preservative" redemption was able to reconcile Mary's Immaculate Conception with the universal need for salvation by Christ.

Summary

The content of a dogma and its development along the course of years and centuries involves Scripture, the teaching of the early Church, the writings of the Church Fathers and theologians, and most significant of all, the belief of the people as it is expressed in their devotion and in the Church's liturgy. From the historical development of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception, we can see that it takes a long time before truth can be finally defined in the Catholic Church, especially as regards an article of faith in the level of a dogma. It takes both theological soundness and the faith of many people that helps an article of faith, like the Immaculate Conception, to be finally defined and approved by the Church.

Saints Who Lived to a 100 Years or More (Part Two)

Introduction
Below is the second list of eight centenarian saints. One was a very active bishop, while the seven others were basically contemplatives. In this second list, three lived to 100 years of age, while the five others lived to be more than a hundred. (The years given for each saint may differ in other sources that give an account of their biographies).

Second list of centenerian-saints

• St. Demetrius: (126-231), bishop, taught the theologian Origen
• St. Alexis Falconieri: (1200-1310), hermit, one of the founders of the Servites, the only one of the original Seven Holy Founders still alive when the Servite Order was approved in 1304 A.D.
• St. Gilbert of Sempringham: (1083-1189), priest, founder of the Gilbertine Order
• Blessed Gregory dei Celli: (1225-1343), joined the Hermits of St. Gregory, and then joined the Franciscans of Monte Carnerio
• St. John of Reomay: (444-544), became a monk at Lerins, founded an abbey, and known for his holiness and miracles
• St. John the Silent: (454-558), founder of a monastery, was one of the bishops of Armenia, lived as a hermit in the desert, and of his 104 years of life 75 of these years were spent in silence and solitude
• St. Nicholas of Forca Palena: (1349-1449), priest, founded the Hermits of St. Jerome, joined his community with Blessed Peter of Pisa's Hieronymites
• Blessed Odo of Novara: (1100-1200), a Carthusian monk, prior of monastery in Slavonia, and chaplain to nuns of the convent at Tagliacozzo

Summary
In this second list of centenarian-saints, five founded religious communities, one worked as a bishop of a diocese in Armenia, and two were members of religious communities. We can see in this second list that being active is no deterrent from living a long life. Even the seven contemplatives in this list worked hard in their own way: five founded religious communities, while the other two did not have the call to found their own communities but still had to do the manual work required of them in their respective religious communities.

St. Ambrose of Milan, Bishop and Doctor of the Church

St. Ambrose of Milan, "the bishop who baptized St. Augustine"

Introduction

Many modern Catholics sometimes forget the struggles, the conflicts, and the hardships that the Church's great spiritual predecessors and forefathers had to endure so that the truth as Church teaches now is genuinely rooted in the teaching of Christ. One of those who courageously fought for orthodox truths was St. Ambrose of Milan. St. Ambrose is the first chronologically of the original four doctors of the Western Church (together with Sts. Jerome, Augustine, and Pope Gregory the Great). He became the most formidable Catholic opponent of Arianism in the West. It was his simplicity, hard work, dedication to the study of Scriptures, and preaching, that the Christian faith continued to rise in the West despite the deterioration of the Roman Empire.

Birth and early life

St. Ambrose was born in Trier, Germany, ca. 340 A.D., the son of a praetorian prefect of Gaul. Upon the death of his father, also named Ambrose, he was taken back to Rome. He then studied to become a lawyer and was noted much for his oratory and learning. In about 372 A.D., Ambrose was appointed by the Emperor Valentinian to be governor of Liguria and Aemilia with his capital at Milan. The bishop in Milan at the time was Auxentius - a strong advocate of Arianism. Upon the death of Auxentius in 374 A.D., there was turmoil in the city because the Arians wanted an Arian bishop to be elected while the Catholics wanted a Catholic bishop. To prevent this conflict from breaking out into open warfare, Ambrose went to the Church where an assembly to elect a bishop was being held. He spoke to the people and urged them to conduct their selection in peace. Suddenly, a voice shouted from the assembly: "Ambrose, bishop!" and then the people followed up and rallied the same cry. The bishops of the province then soon realized that the will of the people was Ambrose. So they ratified Ambrose as bishop.

Ambrose as bishop

Though professing himself as a Christian, Ambrose was still unbaptized and had really no desire to be the bishop. He sought to be excused from the office but Valentinian refused. Reluctantly, Ambrose accepted the will of the people and that of the emperor. He was then baptized and then a week later consecrated as bishop of Milan on December 7, 374 A.D. Now made a man of the cloth, St. Ambrose forsook all his worldly things and wealth - giving his money to the poor and his lands to the Church. He adopted a simple lifestyle, fasted on most days, and devoted himself to the service of his people.

Conflict with the Arians

In 385 A.D., Ambrose was successful in resisting the Emperor Valentian's order to turn over several churches in Milan to a group of Arians, headed by the Empress Justina, the mother of Valentinian and herself an Arian in secret. The conflict between Catholics and Arians deepened. In this tumultuous situation, Maximus invaded Italy. Valentinian and Justinasought the help of the Eastern Emperor Theodosius I. This emperor then defeated Maximus and had him executed in Pannonia. Victorious, Valentinian was restored to the throne but the Emperor Theodosius now controlled both the Eastern and the Western empire. At Milan, Theodosius convinced Valentinian to denounce Arianism and to recognize Ambrose. But, political developments eventually led to Theodosius himself being at odds with Ambrose, because Theodosius ordered the bishop of Kallinikum, Mesopotamia, to rebuild a Jewish synagogue that was destroyed by the Christians. In opposition, Ambrose rescinded this order. The political situation was completely in turmoil. Though it ended positively with the end of paganism in the Empire, almost in succession, it also caused the death of Valentinian in 393 A.D., the death of Theodosius, and then the death of St. Ambrose at the age of 57 years old in 397 A.D.

Writings and influence

St. Ambrose wrote very prolifically on the Bible, theology, asceticism, numerous homilies, psalms, and hymns written in iambic dimeter. He is also known for what today is called Ambrosian Chant - a forerunner of the Gregorian Chant. The biggest influence of St. Ambrose is on the life of St. Augustine. During Ambrose's episcopate, St. Augustine, who was teaching rhetoric in Milan at the time, was so impressed by the sermons of Ambrose that he began to study with him. Augustine was baptized by Ambrose at the Easter Vigil in 387 A.D. St. Augustine continued to work with Ambrose and became one of his strongest supporters. Of the writings of St. Ambrose, his best-known works are: De officiis ministrorum, a treatise on Christian ethics especially directed to the clergy, De virginibus, written for his sister St. Marcellina, and De fide, written against the Arians for Gratian. The feast of St. Ambrose in the liturgical calendar of the Church is every December 7 - the day he was consecrated as bishop.