Ad Honorem Immaculatae Conceptionis Mariae Oblatio

134 ness of grace’ preserving the Savior’s Mother, chosen centuries ago, from the stain of Adam’s sin that weighs upon all mankind, and the ‘Power of the Most High,’ shielding the Virgin of Nazareth at the Annunciation, is the same Holy Spirit who comes from the Father and who gives life to the world. The mystery of the relationship between the Mother and the Son, sanctifying her from the very beginning of her existence, is the mystery of the Holy Spirit. Mary’s Immaculate Conception is the very mystery of this relationship , the mystery of the extraordinary holiness of the Virgin Mother of God, Blessed among women because she believed the Word. It is the mystery of Mary’s beginning in God who chose her and created her through Christ, in Christ and for Christ (cf. Eph 1: 4-5; Col 1:15-17). From the very beginning, there was a common belief in the Church among the faithful about this special situation of the Mother of Jesus Christ 6 ; while defending faith in her Immaculate Conception was often as- sociated – especially from the end of the 15 th Century – with the so-called ‘vow of blood’ 7 , which Father Stanislaus Papczyński thus expressed in his Oblatio : “I confess that I believe in everything that the Holy Roman Church believes, and in what she will teach everyone to be believed in the fu- ture, I especially confess, in truth, that Mary, the Most Holy Mother of God, was conceived without original sin, and I promise that I will spread and defend her honor even at the cost of my life” ( Oblatio, in: Historical Writings ..., p. 29). 6 “The Virgin Mary, who at the message of the angel received the Word of God in her heart and in her body and gave Life to the world, is acknowledged and honored as being truly the Mother of God and Mother of the Redeemer. Redeemed by reason of the merits of her Son and united to Him by a close and indissoluble tie, she is endowed with the high office and dignity of being the Mother of the Son of God, by which account she is also the beloved daughter of the Father and the temple of the Holy Spirit. Because of this gift of sublime grace she far surpasses all creatures, both in heaven and on earth. At the same time, however, because she belongs to the offspring of Adam she is one with all those who are to be saved. She is ‘the mother of the mem- bers of Christ . . . having cooperated by charity that faithful might be born in the Church, who are members of that Head.’ Wherefore she is hailed as a pre-eminent and singular member of the Church, and as its type and excellent exemplar in faith and charity. The Catholic Church, taught by the Holy Spirit, honors her with filial affection and piety as a most beloved mother.” (LG, 53). 7 See J. Stricher, Le Voeu du Sang en Faveur de l’Immaculée Conception. Histoire et Bilan Theologique d’Une Controverse , t. 1-2, PAMI, Romae 1959.