The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1922-12-09
ADDRESS BY THE REV! FRANCIS
r. J. BURNS, A. NJ, PHI. D., D. D.,
ST. PAUL SEMINARY,
DECEMBER s..

this law was not made for thee, but
for all others. Esther, Chapter Is;
Verse II.
We are assembled this morning, our
hearts full OF JOY to honor with the
universal Church, the Mother of God
Singular is the privilege of her I'm
maculate Conception. Singular is the
beauty of this feast, which commemo
rates that privilege. Devoted children
of Mary, we do not search far either
for the especial reason of our coming
here, or for the cause of our joy. Be-
fore the altar of her Spotless, Eternal
Son the immaculate soul of His spot
less, created Mother becomes the spe-
cial object of our meditation, admira-
tion and love. What master-work OF
Divine Omnipotence unspoiled by the
hand of man is Mary's soul! Among
the many lovely tabernacles of the
Lord of Hosts, how it shines out alone
across the centuries in all its celestial
beauty without fear or hope of rival!
Do employ the language of devoted
exaggeration? May l not yet say
further that Mary is at once the de-
spair and the hope of fallen world ?
Not one but many saint has paused
in holy fear on his arduous ascent to
Gods mountain of perfection in the
contemplation of our blessed Lady's
supernatural loveliness. All the wealth
of inspired imagery has conspired to
praise her. The Holy Spirit has gar
nered for her some of the choicest
jewels of thought from the heavenly
treasury to anticipate her coming in
the Old Testament, to introduce us
into her presence in the New. The
ancient Christian poet has nothing to
add but must rest content with sim
pie but sublime "clave Triadis electa;
while the modern poet, a nature-wor-
shipper, who could not forbear for
sheer beauty's@ sake to sing of her,
searches in vain the book of Nature
for her eulogy. Yet, she is the hope of
the world. As in the centuries past,
today young and old, learned and il
literate, the rich and the poor, the pas
tor and his flock. the just man andthe
OlAuCI, blC tOuLA duu t1lC UudtOCu
bearing the lily of original innocence;
the prodigal turning with sunken eye
and pallid cheek from the garish ways
of unbridled passion-all come today
to her, the sinless one. The Christian
world is afiame with joy. The un-
Christian world is not altogether left
in the shadow of darkness. For the
voice of the unnumbered multitude
gathered before her very shrine and
grotto the world around acclaims her
the worlds hope by acclaiming her
refuge of sinners. a
Dogmatic Definition.
The definition Of dogma by the
Church is no ordinary event. in his
tory. The mariner, who, after al
heroic struggle with the elements, un
folds at last new world to sceptical
mankind; or the explorer, who, after a
season of speculation and doubt, de
scends into the earth and brings to the
sunlight rich vein of hidden treas
ure; or the astronomer, who from his
tower with the aid of adventurous
science transcends the limits of time
and space and draws aside at last the
veil from new planet-these, my
friends, furnish analogies, but not par
allels. These may awaken in us ad
miration and awe. They may enricl
the human intellect, extend the bound!
of mans mundane activity. But tht
definition and exposition of Revelation
does more. Not only does it enricl
the immortal part of man, by bringing
him in direct communion with hi
Maker but it commands an act o
faith without which it is impossible t,
please God.
On the eighth of December, eighteei
hundred and ffty-four, the then reign
ing sovereign Pontiff, surrounded b.
brilliant cpncourse sof Bishops an
Cardinals. proclaimed to the world i
the ever memorable ''Ineffabilis,' tina
the doctrine which declares that TIL
most blessed Virgin Mary in the frs
instance of her conception, and by
singular grace and privilege granite
to her by Almighty God through til
IuSIltS VI SHtIot Jesus tuC OhsiOui y
mankind was preserved free from a
stain of original sin," that this .is
doctrine revealed by God and thert
fore must be held firmly and constan
1y by all faithful Christians" 1t wa
the enunciation of dogma, namel
the preservation of the Blessed Virgi
from every stain of original sin;
was declaration that this privileg
is the gift of God, not of man
it was specification of TIL
unique privilege which concerned nj
her progenitors, but Mary alone.
a word, Mary vas enthroned solemn
above and apart from every child |
Adam for all Ihe ages.
From the beginning men have nj
been wanting who denied the Diyinit
of Jesus Christ. Those who assail Il
prerogatites uf His Mother. likewis
have not been wanting. In the wore
of saint who loved her particular
the denial of herr Immaculate Conce
ton has been frequent attack on Il
part of her enemies. For if the 81
has no part with the world, neith