Our Lady - the Immaculate
Conception
Objection: “St. Paul clearly states that ‘None is righteous, no, not
one’ (Rom. 3:10). How can Catholics therefore claim that Mary was
sinless?”
The word “immaculate” comes from the Latin word macula, meaning
“stain.” The Immaculate Conception is the Blessed Virgin Mary’s glorious
privilege of being preserved by a special grace of God from all stain of
original sin through the future merits of Jesus Christ.
The Immaculate Conception of the Virgin Mary was solemnly defined and
proclaimed by Pope Bl. Pius IX on 8th December, 1854:
“The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her
conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by
virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race,
preserved immune from all stain of original sin.”¹
Original sin itself is the deprivation of sanctifying grace––and the
concomitant infused virtues and gifts–from our souls. It also involves the
loss of the indwelling of the Blessed Trinity and thus spiritual death and
separation from God. Furthermore, original sin “wounded” our natural
powers, leaving ignorance in the intellect, malice in the will, concupiscence
in the concupiscible appetite, and debility in the irascible appetite. These
wounds result in disordered desires and cravings that cause us to commit
actual, personal sins.
Original sin is removed when we are “born again” by baptism (St. John
3:5). The soul is re-generated through the infusion of sanctifying grace
1
Ineffabilis Deus, 1854.
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