Why the Immaculate Conception?

e3mil.com ^ | 12/08/04 | Rev. Paul Mankowski, S.J.

[kjvail]

The concept of Mary's sinlessness evolved over centuries and never was original teaching by Christ nor His disciples...

Correct, the Church meditates on the deposit of faith (scripture and sacred tradition) and over time arrives at a fuller understanding of it. In this way Christianity is a living faith

This is not new revelation it is a new understanding of revelation.

[franky]

This site will give you information on Our Lady's Assumption

http://www.catholicherald.com/saunders/04ws/ws040812.htm

[HarleyD]

Sorry. While I revere Augustine and his writings I disagree with his conclusion that Mary was sinless apart from the entire human race. This view IMO was later developed to account for Augustine’s original sin concept. While I agree with original sin (not in the way the Catholics define it-in the way Calvinists define it) I think the reasoning of Mary having to be a pure virgin in order to create the Savior is a flawed concept. It is my belief original sin is passed from the father to the child through sexual transmittal-something that’s impossible to prove.

I also believe the scriptures clearly talks about Mary remaining a virgin only until our Lord Jesus was born; “but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son….” Matt 1:25, had other sons (Gal 1:19, Matt 12:48 et alt), and the Lord felt no more compassion for Mary than for the rest of His believers (Luke 11:27-28).

[ninenot]

Ummmnnnhhh.. yes! there is always Hope!

Heard this just last night, un-attributed. Still good stuff. The priest even included the story from the children's camp/coffee cup.

[ninenot]

Are you certain that 'the vast majority' of theologians think Mary died?

The way I heard it, (Baltimore Cat) she did not die, but at what WOULD have been the natural end of her life, she was assumed into Heaven---thus she did not exactly "die."

Natch, since she appears regularly, she's certainly alive, hale, and hearty, today--in body and soul.

[Lilllabettt]

Yeah 'vast majority' might be a teeny tiny exaggeration. Baltimore Catechism was before my time, so I'm not sure. In any case, its been pounded into my head by Catholic Answers that "most" think she did die.

But, the Church IS silent on the topic. Il Papa says "when the course of her earthly life was finished ..."

[pachomi33]

The Orthodox celebrate the dormition of +Mary there is a non canonical account of her funeral in the apocryphal life of the Virgin Mary. The apostles were gathered from the ends of the earth.

[visually_augmented]

Lilllabettt: "Jesus we know, was without sin, yet suffered death. Mary was THE imitator of Christ, par excellence, and my personal belief is that she imitated Him in dying."

Keep in mind that Christ died only because he took on the sins of His people. If He had not taken on their sins, He would not needed to have suffered death (although this is obviously a hypothetical, since that was a purpose of Christ's). Certainly if Mary died, it would be only for her own sins.

[pipeorganman]

Are you certain that 'the vast majority' of theologians think Mary died?

Just to clarify things, it is still open for debate whether or not Mary died. Pope Pius XII did not make any declaration concerning her death. He did, in the Bull Munificentissimus Deus declare that she was taken body and soul to heaven, without specifying if she had indeed died, or assumed while still being alive.

Munificentissimus Deus...by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul, and by our own authority, we pronounce, declare, and define it to be a divinely revealed dogma, that the Immaculate Mother of God, the ever Virgin Mary, having completed the course of her earthly life, was assumed body and soul into heavenly glory.

http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/P12MUNIF.HTM

There are two trains of thought. 1) That Mary indeed died, but was assumed into heaven before the onset of the corruption of her body. This is seen as a fitting reward, as she being sinless, her body would not under go the effects of corruption.

2) Others go farther, saying that because death is punishment for sin, Mary, who was sinless, did not die. It is also speculated that since God intervened at her conception, preserving her from original sin, it was fitting that she should not die, as death is one of the effects of original sin.

Thus, we are free to hold either opinion, as long as we firmly believe that Mary, at the end of her earthly life, was taken body and soul into heaven.