[kjvail]

I'm guessing that your statement is sarcastic but there's more truth in it than you probably realize. Most of the encylical linked is background, the infallible statement comes towards the end: "We declare, pronounce, and define that the doctrine which holds that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the first instance 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.

(Declaramus, pronuntiamus et definimus doctrinam quae tenet beatissimam Virginem Mariam in primo instanti suae conceptionis fuisse singulari Omnipotentis Dei gratia et privilegio, intuitu meritorum Christi Jesu Salvatoris humani generis, ab omni originalis culpae labe praeservatam immunem, esse a Deo revelatam, atque idcirco ab omnibus fidelibus firmiter constanterque credendam.)

This is a very rare thing, the exercise of papal infallibility, John Paul II has used it only a few times, the most famous being:

“Therefore, by the authority which Christ conferred upon Peter and his Successors, in communion with the bishops—who are various occasions have condemned abortion and who in the aforementioned consultation, albeit dispersed throughout the world, have shown unanimous agreement concerning this doctrine declare that direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, always constitutes a grave moral disorder, since it is the deliberate killing of an innocent human being. This doctrine is based upon the natural law and upon the written Word of God, is transmitted by the Church’s Tradition and taught by the ordinary and universal Magisterium.”

(Evangelium vitae, #62) "

This is a great statement to use as an example since it pretty much spells out the requirements for an ex cathedra statement

[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).