The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) has published, with a date of October 7, Our Lady of the Rosary, Mater Populi Fidelis (Mother of All the Faithful) on the role of Mary in God’s plan for our salvation. It’s a long document and I’ve not had the chance to read all of it, but there are some highlights I can address, especially in different titles given to Mary by popular devotion over the centuries that have been the center of much debate in recent decades. I am the director of our Order of Christian Initiation of Adults at Holy Ghost Church in Knoxville, Tennessee, and we had our presentation on Mary just two days ago. There were some good questions asked about Mary.

Co-redemptrix

The Church strongly recommends against use of the title “Co-redemptrix” for Mary. The Church desires that there be no confusion on the question of who is our Redeemer, and that is Christ and Christ alone. Mary’s role in God’s plan for our redemption was central and necessary. She was the woman through whom the Second Person of the Holy Trinity entered human history as a man, like us in all things but sin. Because of Adam’s disobedience, we are all born into a state of alientation from God. God desired that that alientation be healed. However, since, as Anselm and Aquinas tell us, the measure of an offense is determined by the honor of the one offended, and the one offended in this case is eternal God, then the offense is an eternal offense and any sacrifice necessary for our salvation must also be an eternal sacrifice. Also, to make proper amends, man is the one who needed to make amends, since man was the one who offended. This leads to a conundrum. Do you see what it is? How could we humans, who are finite and mortal, make amends to a God suffering an infinite, immortal offense? Obviously, we can’t. So, God took the initiative and came up with a plan: the Incarnation.

When God became man in the person of Jesus of Nazareth, the devil’s cause was already defeated. The Incarnation is the beginning of our redemption, and Mary is the one who made the Incarnation possible. Yes, she was prepared from the moment of her conception to be the pure vessel by which the Son of God entered in to human history. But she was completely free in embracing God’s mission announced to her by an angel. “I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be done to me according to your word.” Without Mary, there’s no Incarnation. Without the Incarnation, there’s no redemption. So, you can see why the idea of Mary being Co-redemptrix arose. The Incarnation was necessary for our salvation, and Mary was necessary for the Incarnation. Also, by uniting the sufferings she endured at the foot of the cross, and by uniting her sufferings with those of her Son, Mary could be said to be participating in Jesus’ redemptive mission and, hence, Co-redeemer. As such, the DDF is not saying that the title Co-redemptrix is heretical. Catholics have been calling Mary Co-redemptive for centuries.

Even still, the DDF says that it is necessary that the faithful have a clear understanding of the faith and of Mary’s place in the faith of the Church. Jesus is our only Redeemer. We can participate in the redemptive mission of Jesus, like Mary, by united our sufferings with those of Jesus on the cross. We do this by prayer, simply offering up to God whatever it is we are suffering, and in doing so our sufferings, united with those of Christ, can be efficacious for the salvation of the world. We also participate in the redemptive mission of Jesus by assisting at Mass. The Mass is the one sacrifice of Christ made present on our altar so that those gathered across the centuries can participate in that one sacrifice.

Mediatrix

“Mediatrix of All Graces” is also a title that has been given to Mary over the centuries by popular devotion that the DDF now strongly recommends against using. The logic is simple: since Mary is the vessel through which Jesus entered human history as a man like us in all things except sin, then Mary is the vessel through which all of God’s grace flows on its way to us. Mary, then, is the Mediatrix of All Graces. Again, though, the DDF wishes that there be no confusion over Jesus’ role and Mary’s role in our redemption. Grace is the unique gift of God, and Jesus is the one Mediator between God and humankind. Also in this case, the DDF is not judging the title “Mediatrix of All Graces” heretical. Also in this case, we’re talking about a title that Catholics have bestowed on Mary for centuries for centuries. The DDF is saying it is time to set it aside.

“Mother of All the Faithful”

The DDF encourages Catholics to use titles for Mary that reflect her Motherhood, such as “Mother of God” or “Mother of All the Faithful.” This highlights Mary’s maternal role in raising Jesus from infancy to manhood. Mary is Jesus’ true Mother. This is indisputable. The Church now wants to emphsize that this woman, unique among her race, carried within her womb and birthed into this world the living God of the universe incarnated as a wee babe at His Mother’s breast. Mary is also Mother of the Church, because she was there throughout His ministry and at Pentecost, the birthday of the Church, when the Holy Spirit came down in the form of fire over the heads of the Apostles. Mary was with them (Acts 1:14) and she is with us now as our Mother, doing all she can to intercede to Jesus for us. St. Therese of Lisieux once said, “Mary is more Mother than Queen.” Good.

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.