“Wherefore, in humility and fasting, We did
implore the help of the entire heavenly host
as We ardently invoked the Paraclete ... By
the Authority of Jesus Christ Our Lord,
of the Blessed Apostles Peter and Paul
and by our Own: We declare, pronounce
and define that the doctrine which holds
that the most Blessed Virgin Mary, in the
first instant of Her Conception, by a
singular Grace and privilege granted by
Almighty God, in view of the merits of
Jesus Christ, the Savior of the human
race, was preserved from Original Sin, is a
doctrine revealed by God and therefore to
be believed firmly and constantly by all the
faithful. Hence, if anyone shall dare - which
God forbid! - to think otherwise than
as has been defined by Us, let him know
and understand that he is condemned by
his own judgment; that he has suffered
shipwreck in the Faith; that by his own action, he has separated from the
unity of the Church ...
Our soul overflows with joy and Our tongue with exaltation. We give and
continue to give, the humblest and deepest thanks to Jesus Christ Our
Lord because, through His singular Grace, He has granted to Us, unworthy
though We be, to decree and offer this honor and glory and praise to His
most holy Mother. All our hope do We repose in the most Blessed Virgin, in
the all fair and Immaculate One who has crushed the poisonous head of
the most cruel serpent and brought salvation to the world; in Her who is
the glory of the Prophets and Apostles, the honor of the Martyrs, the
crown and joy of all the Saints; in Her who is the safest refuge and most
trustworthy Helper of all who are in danger; in Her who, with Her only
begotten Son, is the most powerful Mediatrix and Conciliatrix in the whole
world; in Her who is the most excellent glory, ornament and impregnable
stronghold of the holy Church; in Her who has destroyed all heresies and
snatched the faithful people and nations from all kinds of direst calamities;
in Her do We hope. We are firm in Our confidence that She will obtain pardon
for the sinner, health for the sick, strength of heart for the weak, consolation
for the afflicted, help for those in danger, that She will remove spiritual
blindness from all who are in error, so that they may return to the path of
truth and justice, and that there may be one flock and one Shepherd. Let
all the children of the Catholic Church fly with utter confidence to this
most sweet Mother of Mercy and Grace in all dangers, difficulties, needs,
doubts, and fears. Under Her guidance, under Her patronage, under Her
kindness and protection: