The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-02-18
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.
LETTER. APOST OLIC
CUB MOST HOLY LORD Plus *,


Divine Providence Pope, Concerning the Dog
matte Definition OF the Immaculate Concep-
CON OF the Virgin Mother OF God.
FWs, BISHOP, SERVANT OF THE SERVANTS OF GOD.
DOR THE PERPETUAL REMEMBRANCE OF THE THING.
The lnehabIe God, whose ways are mercy and
truth whose win is omnipotence and whose wisdom
reaches powerfully from end 10 end. and sweetly
6sposes everything, when he foresaw from all etef.
nifty the most sorrowful ruin of the entire human
race to follow nom the transgression Of Adam, and
in o mystery hidden from ages determined to COM
plete, through the incarnation Of the Word in q
more hidden sacrament, the first work of his good
ness, 80 that man. led into sim by the craft Of dia
bOical niquity, should not perish contrary 70 his
nerciful design and that what as ab0ub to be'a in
the FIRST Adam, should be restored more happily in
the second; rom the beginning and before ages
chose and ordained a mother for his only bego ten
Son; Of whom made flesh, he should be born in the
blessed plenitude Of time, and followed her with
SO great love before all creatures, that in her alone
he pleased mms ss with mos benign compacen;
al the saints, ne so wonderfully endowed her with
the soundspse OF all heavenly gifts drawn from the
treasure OF divinity, that she might be free from
every stain OF sn and all fair and perfect, would
bear before her that plenitude of innocence and ho
hness nan which, under God, none greater is under
ssooG, and which, except God, no one can reach
even 10 thought Aud indeed it was most becoming
DOR Of the most perfect holiness and free even from
The stain of original sin, would gain q most com.
pIeis triumph over the ancient serpent, she the mo
ther 30 venerable, to whom God the Father, dispo.
sed 10 give his only son, whom begotten AMI equal
10 himself, from bis heart he loved az hiuseii, in
such manner that he would be by nature one and
ME same common son OF God the Father, and of the
virgin, and whom the son himself chose to make
enthusiastically his mother, and from whom the Holy
Chest willed and operated that he would be con.
se'ved and born from whom he himself proceeds.
Which original innocence of the august Virgin
agreeing completely with her admirable holiness,
and with the most excellent dignity of the Motasr
Of God, tie Catholic Church, which, ever taught by
Sbe Holy Spirit, is the pillar and ground of truth
possessing doctrine divinely received, and com
pretended in the deposit Of heavenly revelation has
never ceased TO lay down, to cherish, and to illus
TSte continually by numerous proofs, ami more and
more daily by splendid facts For this doctrine,
foulishing nom the most ancient times, and i'm
par ted in the minds of the faithful and by the care
ard zeal Of the holy pontffs wonderfully propaga.
ted the Church herself has most clearly pointed out
woen she did not hesitate to propose the conception
OF the same Virgin for the public devotion and We
neIation Of the faithful. By viii h illustrious act
khe pointed out the conception Of the Virgin as sin
Euiar, wonderful, and very far removed from the
origins OF the rest OF mankind, and to be venerated
as entirely holy since the Church celebrates festival
Gays only OF the saints. And therefore, the very
woros in which the Sacred Scriptures speak of uu-
created Wisdom, and represents His eternal origins,
ale has been accustomed to use not only in the Of
bees Of the church, but also in the holy liturgy and
10 transfer TO the origin of that Virgin which was
pyeo:eaired by one aud the same decree with the
incarnation Of Divine Wisdom.
Bot all those things everywhere justly received
amongst the faithful show with what zeal the Rp
msn Church the mother and mistress Of all churches
Mss supported the doctrine Of the immaculate COD
septon OF the Virgin yet the illustrous acts OF this
church are evidently worthy that they should be re-
viewed by name; since 30 great is the dignity and
authority Of the same church. so muca is due TO her
who 10 the centre Of Catholic truth and unity, in
whom alone religion has been inviolably guarded
and rom whom 1t 10 right that all the churches
should receive the tradition of faith. Thus the
same Roman C1urch had nothing more at heart
than 70 aasert TO protect to promote and t. viudi
cate IN ne most eloquent manner the Immaculate
Con option OF the Virgin, its devoson aud doctrine
which fact 30 many Industrious &C Of the Roman
Pontfs our predecessors, most evi ienty aud full,
testify Rad declave, to whom IN the person OF tn,
Prince Of the Apostles was divinely committed b.
Christ our Lord the supreme care and pc yer o
feeding lambs and sheep, of confirming the brethren
snd Of ruling and governing the universal church.
Indeed, our predecessors vehemently gloried Il
institute in the Roman Church by their own apos
,shc authority the Feast of the Conception and t,
augment, ehnoble and promote with all their power
The devotion thus instituted, by proper Office and
proper Mass, by which the prerogative of immu
lily from hereditary stain was most mauitestly as
serted TO increase It either by udulgenc.s granted
or by leave given TO states, provinces aud king
doms, that they might choose as their patron the
Mother of God, uader the title Of the Imma :ulate
lions aud religious families instituted to the holo
Of the Immaculate Conception; or by praises giver
TO the piety Of those who have erected monaseries
hospitals or churches, under the title Of the Imma
cnlste Conception or who have bound themselves
by religious vow to defend strenuousy the Imma
cnlate Conception Of the Mother Of I'D. Abov
all, they were happy to ordan tina; the Feast o
the Cor ception should be celebrated through thu
whole Church as that Of the Nativity; and, 10 fine
that It should be celebrated vito an Octave 10 TIL
universal church az it was placed in the rank Of thu
festivals which are commanded 70 be kept holy
also, that Pontifcal service in our Patrarchd Ii
berian Baahca should be performed yearly on tht
day sacred TO the conception of the Virgin; and de
Ering 70 cherish daily more and more in the mlnd
Of the faithful this doctrine Of the imma :uate con
seption Of the Mother of God, and to excite the
piety TO worshipping and generating the Virgin con
ceived without original sin, they have rejoiced mos
freely to give leave that in the Ltany Of Loretto
and In the preface OF the mass itself the INN scuats
conception of the Virgin should be pr oclaimed
and that thus the rule Of faith would be established
by the rule itself Of supplcation. We ourselves
treading in the footsteps Of 30 many predecessors
have not only received and approved what has bee,
most wisely and piouay appointed by them, bu
also mindful Of the institution Of Sixtus W., we
appointed by our authority . proper office for th
immaculate conception, and with most joyfu
mind have granted the use of 1t - the unisersa
church.
Bot since tn ,ss thugs which pertain 70 wors ,iy
evidently bound by an intimate chord to its object
and cannot remain fixed and determined, II it b.
doubtful, and placed in uncertainty therefore, on
predooe ssors, the Roman Ponti6s, increasing with
al their care the devotion of the Conception
studied most especially to declare and nculcste ii
object and doc,rine; for they taught clearly and
openly that the festival Was celebrated for the Co
seption OF the Virgin, and they prescribed as Ease
and most foreign 10 the intention of the Church the
opinion Of those who considered and Affirmed tina. II
wss not the conception ITSELF bat the ssuc.
10 which devotion was PAID by the Church. Nor
did they think OF treating more indulgsu those
who, in order 70 weaken the doctrine OF the Imma
culate Conception, drawing abstraction bet seen
the frat and second ins ant and moment OF toe Con
cepton. asserted that the Conception was indeed
celebrated bnt not for the rs. instant and ,ment
for our predecessors themselves Thought IL thei :
dUty 20 protect and defend with all zeal both the
fcae. of the Conception OF the NJ Dat Blessed Virgin