[Siobhan]

It implies that Mary did NOT have free will, and it was my understanding growing up that was what redeemed womankind. Eve had the free will to turn away from Satan, and did not. Mary had the free will to say no to God, and did not.

No, my dear, absolutely the opposite is true. The Immaculate Conception of Mary means God created her from the moment of her Conception with that same condition which Eve enjoyed before the Fall. Thus, when Eve chooses evil she does so in supreme free will unencumbered by the Fall, and when Mary gives her Fiat (saying "Yes" to God) she does so in the self same supreme free will unencumbered by the effects of the Fall. Thus "two choices of womankind" are given within a like freedom, a free will, a being free from the effects of the Fall.

Now, how Our Lady came to receive this singular grace is a different subject, totally because of the Victory upon the Cross of Jesus Christ who was, and is, and is to come.

[Pyro7480]

[Alkhin]

Which means that Christ's immaculate conception was what? Pointless? Redundant? See, that speaks to the whole issue of what I am starting to hear come out of Marionology : that the Path to Salvation can be obtained by submission to Mary because of her Divinity.

This was NOT what I was taught, and I grew up in a fairly conservative RCC parish.

The way I understand it is that Mary was human, born human with all the human frailities instilled in her as a descendent of Eve. YET, because of her love of God, and her purity of spirit and soul, she found favor with God and God asked her to become the Mother of the Word of God : Christ, God Incarnat, BOTH Man and God. That is all. It was HER free will to say yes or no.

To ascribe divinity to Mary is to say that she was 'pre-made' for the position, and God just went through the motions. I find that idea very offensive, and is one reason why I left the RCC.