Co-redemptrix / Co-mediatrix

[Ro_A]

Is this an official teaching of the church? Can someone please enlighten me on this one. My non-denominational friend mentioned this because he saw a documentary about our Lady’s apparitions and predictably got shocked when he heard this term. How can i explain this?

 

[Tom]

Is this an official teaching of the church? Can someone please enlighten me on this one. My non-denominational friend mentioned this because he saw a documentary about our Lady’s apparitions and predictably got shocked when he heard this term. How can i explain this?

One of the problems with non-Catholics, is they, in general, tend to think of absolutes with no middle ground. Catholics on the other hand understand we all, to one extent or another, participate in a persons redemption, by at the least, giving a Christian example. We all are mediators when we pray for one another. So we are all “Co-redemtrix,/Co-mediatrix”, as in cooperating with another’s redemption, and mediating for them. Mary of course shares this, a lot closer than any of us possibly could do, as His mother. I do not agree with the title, because it breeds misunderstanding, and helps divide His Church. However I do agree with the theology, since it is correct. Mary is “Coredemtrix and Comediatrix,” in that she, in a very unique way cooperates fully “Co”-opperates with the redemption and mediation of ALL souls.

 

[Ro_A]

However I do agree with the theology, since it is correct. Mary is “Coredemtrix and Comediatrix,” in that she, in a very unique way cooperates fully “Co”-opperates with the redemption and mediation of ALL souls.

Is this an official “title” given to our Lady by the church? Is this an official teaching of the church? Can this be found in the CCC? Thanks.

 

[diggerdomer]

Is this an official “title” given to our Lady by the church? Is this an official teaching of the church? Can this be found in the CCC? Thanks.

You can find it referred to in the Catechism e.g. para 969.

It’s a somewhat controversial title, some lobby for a more official public proclamation and usage of this title for Mary, others say it would cause more problems if the Church were to do so.

A good reference is Vatican II’s Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium) which states in part:

1. This maternity of Mary in the order of grace began with the consent which she gave in faith at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross, and lasts until The eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this salvific duty, but by her constant intercession continued to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation.(15*) By her maternal charity, she cares for the brethren of her Son, who still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and cultics, until they are led into the happiness of their true home. Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked by the Church under the titles of Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix, and Mediatrix.(16*) This, however, is to be so understood that it neither takes away from nor adds anything to the dignity and efficaciousness of Christ the one Mediator.(17*)

For no creature could ever be counted as equal with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer. Just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways both by the ministers and by the faithful, and as the one goodness of God is really communicated in different ways to His creatures, so also the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise to a manifold cooperation which is but a sharing in this one source.

The Church does not hesitate to profess this subordinate role of Mary. It knows it through unfailing experience of it and commends it to the hearts of the faithful, so that encouraged by this maternal help they may the more intimately adhere to the Mediator and Redeemer.

Cheers

 

[Ro_A]

You can find it referred to in the Catechism e.g. para 969.

It’s a somewhat controversial title, some lobby for a more official public proclamation and usage of this title for Mary, others say it would cause more problems if the Church were to do so.

A good reference is Vatican II’s Constitution on the Church (Lumen Gentium) which states in part:

Cheers

I do believe that there is no other person who lived on this earth who knew Jesus more than Our Lady. I understand that the word “co-” does not mean equal, but unfortunately it adds more confusion to our non-Catholic brethren (i.e. pray, intercede, statues, etc).

The quote you gave on Lumen Gentium makes a lot of sense. I guess i need to print this out and next time he ask me about this i can just hand it to him and let him read it instead of me explaining it because i might not be able to.

 

[Catholic_Dude]

Is this an official teaching of the church? Can someone please enlighten me on this one. My non-denominational friend mentioned this because he saw a documentary about our Lady’s apparitions and predictably got shocked when he heard this term. How can i explain this?

The problem is that those titles are misleading about what the Catholic Church is getting at.
People hear “co” and think equality, but that is where the error is.

While I’m not attaching official percentages here, as a crude example you should first think of it as Mary 1% and Jesus 99%. Now what is this “1%”? It is the most important thing a creature could ever do for our salvation: Give Jesus His body!
When Mary said “Yes” to that, She co-operated in our redemption like no other creature ever could. Now drop the percentages and realize that while no creature could compare with Jesus’ infinitely valuable work, the Blessed Virgin still played a extremely crucial part. That is the essence of co-redemptrix as I understand it, and while it might not be official, you still must see some element of truth in it or else Jesus’ humanity becomes an ‘extra’ rather than an essential.

Co-Mediatrix is a bit more open to controversy, but it basically means Jesus never denies the requests of His Mother, be it when She brought our Lord to visit Elizabeth, at the Wedding of Cana, or Heavenly Intercession. Also, since Jesus gave Her to us (the whole Church) at the Cross, She in a true sense ours and thus mediates/interceeds for all her children (Rev 12:17).

I believe the Church should hold off making such titles official, because in this time in history Catholics as a whole are too uninformed to properly understand and explain such things. I believe and am hopeful that Catholics as a whole are starting to learn their faith again and in a generation or so we will see the flip side of what we see today.