The Crown of Excellence : Chapter 8 : § 1. 33-35

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

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

How opposition to the Immaculate Conception caused its glory to increase

 33   There is one man of whom the Church is especially proud and to whom she is indebted by reason of his profound learning and his indomitable courage which he showed in defending the truth. His name is John Duns, the honour of the Order of St Francis, known popularly as Scotus (the Scot) and acclaimed with admiration as the Doctor Subtilis (the subtle Doctor). Now, the sacred Faculty at the Sorbonne was still some way from an agreed resolution of this question, despite the decree it had issued. There were still disagreements and arguments which God permitted so that the truth might eventually emerge more clearly. According to reputed Authors[1], the Sorbonne summoned this great man, the glory of his day, so that all might hear his thoughts on the subject. 

He duly accepted the challenge of defending the purity of the Virgin’s Conception and he did so with great gusto and force of intellect. There were some two hundred points of argument directed against him but he replied with such a prodigious power of memory, with so great an abundance of learning and with such a remarkable richness of erudition that he carried the day and earned the title of Victorious.

This proved to be so opportune that the members of the noble Faculty in Paris immediately concluded they ought no longer to defer acceptance of the truth which was now so much more clearly understood. As a result, no less wisely than sincerely, they withdrew the decree they had issued a few years previously and in the year 1346 they issued a new ordinance : henceforth, no-one was permitted to teach the contrary of this doctrine. Around forty years later they issued another decree[2] stating that no-one could receive the degree of Doctor from this noble Faculty who had not sworn an oath to defend the innocence and purity of the Conception and to celebrate the Feast annually.

Footnotes

[1] Pelbartus, lib. II de Stellarii, part. I, art. 3, etc.

[2] Paulus Venetus, Tract. de pura Concept.

The Universities swear their acceptance of Mary’s Immaculate Conception

 34   Since our discussions have touched on the Universities, perhaps now is the time to tell you that Cologne[1] followed the example of Paris and in the year 1451 introduced a rule which refused the degree of Master to any candidate who had not previously sworn never to defend or teach the contrary opinion, nor even to hold such an opinion mentally. Exactly fifty years later, the University of Mainz did the same thing, followed shortly after by the University of Valencia in Spain. There is no need here to run through all the others; for suffice it to say that today the majority of Catholic Universities require the same undertaking, fulfilling the same duty to the immaculate Conception of Mary, who in return maintains the reputation and the honour of these institutions.

Footnotes

[1] Surius, in Comment. rerum in orbe gestarum anno 1501.

Princes who advanced the Honour of the Immaculate Conception

 35   It would be improper not to mention at this point the great Princes who, having observed the admirable way Catholic Doctors were maintaining this truth, decided they wanted to play their part. Leaving aside the Emperor Leo whom I referred to above, we have the Constitution drawn up by John I, King of Aragon, in the year 1394. In this he spoke in a learned manner of the truth of this mystery and lent his authority to it, citing many beautiful reasons. Under pain of confiscation of goods, banishment and other penalties, his subjects were forbidden from supporting in any way the contrary doctrine, whether in preaching or publicly from the lectern, or otherwise. This imposed silence in perpetuity to any voice of opposition.

Fifty-seven years after this, John King of Navarre who was presiding for Alfonso II, King of Aragon at the Estates General of Catalonia, did the same thing. I will cover elsewhere[1] what the last Catholic Kings have done to advance the honour of the immaculate Conception, for in truth they spared no less effort on it than they did in the defence of their crowns. One result is that today there is no son in Spain born to a good mother who does not swear to uphold this truth throughout his life; and in people’s houses everywhere you will see words on images and signs proclaiming that Our Lady was conceived without sin. 

I will give one memorable example of something that happened in Seville a few years ago. A certain Preacher announced he would be preaching against the immaculate Conception. People of every rank and station were so offended by this that the clergy and the municipal authorities invited a famous Doctor to preach publicly in defence of the Holy Virgin’s honour, which he did to everyone’s satisfaction. The townsfolk, however, were not content with this alone as reparation for the slight against the honour of the Queen of Heaven; and so they presented her with a rich tapestry said to be worth 80,000 ducats. The following words were written on the tapestry in diamonds and other precious gemstones : The Mother of God was conceived without sin.

Footnotes

[1] Tract. III, c. 7, § 5.

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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