2) Here is an interesting admission from New Advent about the historicity of the Immaculate Conception: "In regard to the sinlessness of Mary the older Fathers are very cautious: some of them even seem to have been in error on this matter. Origen, although he ascribed to Mary high spiritual prerogatives, thought that, at the time of Christ's passion, the sword of disbelief pierced Mary's soul; that she was struck by the poniard of doubt; and that for her sins also Christ died (Origen, "In Luc. hom. xvii"). In the same manner St. Basil writes in the fourth century: he sees in the sword, of which Simeon speaks, the doubt which pierced Mary's soul (Epistle 260). St. Chrysostom accuses her of ambition, and of putting herself forward unduly when she sought to speak to Jesus at Capharnaum (Matthew 12.46; Chrysostom, Homily 44 on Matthew). But these stray private opinions merely serve to show that theology is a progressive science."
3) Here is an interesting admission from a citation found at Catholic Answers on the historicity of the Bodily Assumption: "We have known for some time that there were widespread 'Transitus Stories' that date from the sixth century that teach Mary’s glorious Assumption. It was the promulgation of the dogma of the Assumption by Pope Pius XII that rekindled interest in these stories of the end of Mary’s life."