The Crown of Excellence : Chapter 8 : § 1. 1

Chapter 8 : The Seventh Star or Splendour in the Crown of Excellence of the Mother of God

Continuing our translation of the 1845 reprint of Fr François Poiré's Triple Crown of the Mother of God (1643 French edition).

Notre Dame des Grâces, Cotignac.(Poggi, 2020)

Mary’s soul was unique in being totally free of any sin

My desire to discuss the privilege of the MOTHER OF GOD whereby she was exempt from every sort of sin gives me more cause to be fearful than the pious St Bernard[1]. Granted that what I am considering for discussion relates to a purity which surpasses anything in creation, I could indeed say with greater reason than St Anselm[2] that this makes me painfully aware of my shortcomings and the enormity of my faults. I am with good reason afraid that I will be rejected as being unworthy of seeing God’s glory which shows itself in an extraordinary manner through Mary’s exemption from all sin. On the other hand, I feel encouraged by the words of St Bonaventure[3] who says that in a certain sense we have a duty to speak of Mary’s excellence lest our silence renders us guilty of ingratitude. If indeed it were permissible for someone such as myself to handle such a subject, then there is no better time to do so than now after I have just covered the graces of the Holy Virgin. This is because of the close relationship between these two privileges and because it is difficult to have a good understanding of one without the other. 

Now, there are two sorts of sin, namely original sin and actual sin; in order to avoid confusing these, I shall begin by showing how Mary was exempt from the first and then do the same in regard to the second. Finally, I shall conclude the discussion by considering the source from which this blessing of Mary is derived.

Footnotes

[1] Homil. 3 in Missus.

[2] De Excellentia Virg., c.1.

[3] Prolog. ad Speculum B. Virg.

§ 1. The MOTHER OF GOD was exempt from original sin

 1   You may think that I have a particular reason, along with David[1], for holding dear to my heart the spotless beauty of God’s house and for loving to defend this prerogative. The Holy Virgin was pleased to make a revelation to one of her faithful servants named Alphonse Rodriguez. He was a lay brother in our Company[2] who died on the island of Majorca in 1617 aged eighty-seven years. She revealed to him that one of the main reasons her beloved Son had for launching the little Company and honouring His Name had been to defend her immaculate Conception. In view of this, would I not have to die of shame if I remained silent on this subject when I had undertaken in terms to cover Mary’s Splendours and her Great Dignities? 

In fact, the courageous efforts of a large number of brave soldiers have done much to establish the truth of this revelation. God has lent His support to more than a hundred Writers in this same Company who have fought in defence of this truth, without mentioning countless others who have added their voices to the discussion. As a result, this privilege has been so firmly established that there are few now who doubt its truth and I do not therefore believe I will be criticized if I deal with this matter briefly. I shall therefore content myself with adducing several good and powerful proofs to establish the truth, drawing from the not inconsiderable Arsenal that the Church possesses.

Footnotes

[1] I have loved, O Lord, the beauty of thy house. Psal. xxv. 8.

[2] La Compagnie de Jésus (Latin : Societas Jesu, S.J.) : The Society of Jesus.

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The Vladimirskaya Icon. >12th century.

SUB tuum præsidium confugimus, Sancta Dei Genitrix. Nostras deprecationes ne despicias in necessitatibus, sed a periculis cunctis libera nos semper, Virgo gloriosa et benedicta. Amen.

 

 

Totus tuus ego sum

Et omnia mea tua sunt;

Tecum semper tutus sum:

Ad Jesum per Mariam. 

© Peter Bloor 2024