Do we teach that Mary is, "co-redemptrix?"

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I’m having discussions at work with an evangelical Christian.

He says that the Catechism of the Catholic Church defines Mary as co-redemptrix, and that it says all graces from Heaven MUST channel through her.

I think he’s taking our Marian devotions too far. I don’t see that in the CCC.

Can you help me answer him?

(BTW, these are friendly discussions. He and I are good allies against the atheism, relativism, and paganism in our workplace. He’s actually done jail time for his sidewalk counseling at the abortuaries.)
  • Rob in Oregon
 
I don’t have my CCC on me, but this is my understanding with the term co-redemptrix - this does not mean Mary is equal to God and Christ, but that she “cooperates” with Our Lord in bringing people to Him. In a sense, we are all co-redemptrixes, in that we bring and live the Gospel with others in the hopes that they can see salvation with Our Heavenly Father.

As far all ALL graces coming through Mary - nope, not at all. Grace comes only from God, through Christ & the Holy Spirit.

Ah! Here’s something from the CCC on grace:
2003 Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us. But grace also includes the gifts that the Spirit grants us to associate us with his work, to enable us to collaborate in the salvation of others and in the growth of the Body of Christ, the Church. There are sacramental graces, gifts proper to the different sacraments. There are furthermore special graces, also called charisms after the Greek term used by St. Paul and meaning “favor,” “gratuitous gift,” “benefit.” Whatever their character - sometimes it is extraordinary, such as the gift of miracles or of tongues - charisms are oriented toward sanctifying grace and are intended for the common good of the Church. They are at the service of charity which builds up the Church.
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Hope this helps. 🙂
 
What is Mary doing now? Praying for us, interceding with her Son, with more wisdom and power than any other creature. We are invited to invoke her intercession. Thus, she is our “Advocate.”

There is no kind of grace she cannot ask for and mediate; and in so doing she is the “Mediatrix of All Graces.”

Finally, by her faith and submission, she cooperates still, as she did on earth, with God’s will and work of redemption. “To cooperate” means “to work with.” Mary cooperates with God by her faith and submission. She says her Fiat, her “Let it be done,” still, in praying to her Son to come to us with his saving grace, and in this way she is “Co-redemptrix.” The “co” here does not mean “equal” but “helping,” as a humble handmaid helps her great Lord–a Lord who exalts his handmaids rather than keeping them passive and inactive.

The Church has not dogmatically defined these three titles, but, properly understood, they are in line with everything else the Church has already defined about Mary. The reluctance some feel toward applying these titles to Mary is usually based on the fear that using them is to confuse Mary with Christ, to exalt her too much, or to compromise Christ’s uniqueness. But as we have seen before, every facet of Mary’s greatness, from her Immaculate Conception to her present role as advocate and intercessor in heaven, consists precisely in her transparency to Christ, like a clear window. That is why she is so closely associated with his work. “Mary’s function . . . in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its power. But the Blessed Virgin’s influence on men . . . flows forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on his mediation, depends entirely on it, and draws all its power from it” (Vatican II, Lumen gentium).

Source: Catholic Christianity, by Peter Kreeft. This book should be on every Catholic’s bookshelf, as it is an easily-accessible volume by which one might readily defend his faith, either points plain or obscure.
 
Why would Christ need Mary help to do what Christ has already finished??
 
evangelist_1 said:
Why would Christ need Mary help to do what Christ has already finished??
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What’s “finished”?

There are billions of humans here on earth working out their salvation, in desperate need of the grace of Christ, and the intercession of His Mother on our behalf.

God Bless
 
Jesus doesn’t NEED anybody’s help.

However, He invites us to PARTICPATE in His perfect, complete, once-for-all sacrifice, by our offerings, prayers, and sacrifices.

This is what Mary, and all of us, do.

As adopted family members through our baptism, we share in Christ’s sufferings and triumphs. But sharing doesn’t mean we are equal to him, or that our offerings replace what He has done on the cross.
  • Rob in Oregon
 
No your friend is wrong. You guys teach that Mary is Co-Mediatrix. Co-Redemptrix is what some people are pushing to make doctrine but it isn’t official teaching of the Catholic Church.

Personal opinion of mine: Co-mediatrix went too far. Co-Redemptrix would be outright heresy. I hope they don’t ever make that doctrine.
 
Don’t worry. The Church will not define dogma that is not true.
 
Pick up “Introduction to Mary” by Dr. Mark Miravalle. it makes everything clear. seriously.

the fifth Marian dogma has not yet been pronounced proclaiming Mary “Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate”. however, teaching is doctrine before it is dogma. no dogma is ever a new belief, does that make sense?

i dont have a lot of time to respond right now because im at work, but i wrote my thesis in college on the fifth marian dogma and could give you more information sometime.
 
It’s part of the deposit of faith/that pretty much means rooted in the Apostolic Tradition, even though there may not be clear teaching from the Bible on this, it still was believed by them. Pretty much all you have to do is read Acts of the Apostles and in the very first Chapter you can see that they, (the Apostles), were gathered in prayer with her. (co doesn’t mean equal to, it means she co-operated with Him and is entirely dependant on HIM.)
 
A quick search through the online Catechism reveals - wait for it! - no mention of the term co-redemptrix, or any teaching that all grace flows through Mary. So your friend is either misinformed or is being deceptive.

Now, as to Miravalle’s work, and the whole “Fifth Marian Dogma” crowd, as far as I know it is all based on a private revelation, and is in no way a teaching of the Church. I consider them to be a fringe group with an agenda.
 
Here is what Fr. Serpa had to say about it.

“Co” means joined. Two or more things can be joined without being equal. The Father used Mary as an essential element in providing us with a Savior. She co-operated with Him is a very unique and exalted way. But she is not His equal by that fact. And the Church has NEVER taught that she is His equal.

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.

ewtn.com/vexperts/showresult.asp?RecNum=427408&Forums=0&Experts=0&Days=2008&Author=&Keyword=co%2Dredemptrix&pgnu=1&groupnum=0&record_bookmark=11&ORDER_BY_TXT=ORDER+BY+ReplyDate+DESC&start_at=
 
There was an encyclical on Mary that called her the ‘neck’ of the Church. Does anyone know which one that was? It seems to be a good image for explaining how graces fow from the Head of the Church (Christ) to the Body (us) with Mary being given the unique role of channeling those graces.

“The Council of Trent and the post-Tridentine period, marked by the mentioned apologetic impetus, gave rise to a new Catholic self-confidence and a marked Marian piety; the latter was central to the Counter-Reformation and particularly influential in strengthening the faith. This new springtime of Mariology was vitally carried by the Marian Congregations [established in 1563].[21] In the ecclesiological perspective, Mary’s position remained that of being the Mother of God and the most excellent member of Christ’s body. All gifts, graces and divine influence proceed from Christ, the head of the Church, through Mary, the neck, into the body of the Church.[22]”

campus.udayton.edu/mary/resources/maryandchurch.htm

That would be in reference to Mary’s role as Mediatrix of All graces.

The co-redemptrix title seems to be the one people have problems with because it seems to make her equal with Christ. But I think someone here posted that co doesn’t mean equal. That seems sensible and true. She was at the foot of the cross offering Christ up to the Father, much like a Priest offers the Eucharist. A Priest isn’t equal to Christ and yet he acts as Christ and in a sense becomes a co-redeemer in that role at mass, doesn’t he? Don’t we all when we offer our little sufferings? We share in Christ’s work of redemption, thus are co-redeemers. But Mary shared in it most, even giving her own flesh to clthe the savior in her womb. It was that gift which made it capable for Him to feel pain and suffer and die. Surely she felt that pain deep in her own heart. Thus the words of prophecy “…And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” Luke Chapter 2

Surely that phrase and prophecy shows mary as having a unique co-operation and sharing in the act of Redmeption.
Bless everyone,
Life in God
 
Who used wikkipedia?

I used University of Dayton which has an extensive Mariology page and department.

Check it out:

The Mary page
campus.udayton.edu/mary/infomenu.html

it is a great resource, lots of prayers and beautiful artwork too.

God Bless
Life in God
 
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