“WE might note here that Pius IX, who defined Mary’s Immaculate Conception, had been an epileptic. Even though he had severe seizures he was allowed to remain on at the Seminary, but was told he could never be ordained. He prayed and begged our Lady to cure him of epilepsy. For some time before the perspective ordination he had no seizures. The then Pope intervened and reluctantly allowed him to be ordained, under one condition: that he would never offer Mass alone, but would always for the rest of his life have a Priest next to him in case during Mass he would have another seizure. Now as a Priest he prayed: “Mary, no more seizures, please. Also, would you please spare me the embarrassment and inconvenience of never being allowed to offer Mass without another Priest at my side.”

“For several years he continued offering Mass with an assistant Priest, no seizures ever occurred. Finally, the Holy See withdrew the condition and Pius IX vowed that he would spend the rest of his life doing everything in his human power to advance Mary’s honor. On the day he proclaimed the dogma of Mary’s Immaculate Conception, Pius IX declared that this was the happiest day of his life, his opportunity to repay Mary for what she had done for him.

“It is not for nothing that most of the miracles in the Catholic Church, most of the shrines, including Lourdes, Beauraing and Fatima, where astounding miracles of spirit and body are worked, are dedicated to Mary who evoked from Christ His first, we might almost say reluctant, miracle at Cana.

“Consistent with this doctrine of Mary’s Immaculate Conception, the Church further believes that Mary was preserved from ever committing any actual sin. Indeed, she was preserved from all sinful tendencies such as the rest of us experience because we are burdened with concupiscence, which is one of the results of original sin that remains even after we are justified and receive the grace of God in Baptism.”

— Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J.

Please follow and like us: