Mary and her role? (Multi-Merged)

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I am not a catholic, but i have been looking into the catholic faith more frequently over the past couple years. I was raised protestant and I am now dating a catholic man. Some of the major theological aspects of catholicism in question for me was the role of Mary in the church. I am desperately trying to understand why Mary is so emphasized in the Catholic faith, at times.

One quote from a member here on the catholic forums is as follows

“The Mystical vision of the Virgin Mother is not intended merely for passive enjoyment but has been said to carry a transforming power, as those who have had the privilege of beholding The Queen of Heaven have dedicated their lives to Her service.”

An image of Mary standing on top of the world with beams of light shining down on earth from her hands is also included.

Now… I need an explaination because i am conflicted.
Who is worthy of life long service to and dedication in the Christian faith and who has transforming power?

What is Mary’s role in the Catholic Church?
 
Hi jpink,

It is indeed perplexing for Protestant Christians to see the high honor an respect that Catholics (and Orthodox) bestow on Mary, the Mother of Jesus. You are totally justified in wanting to know about the Church’s official position on this matter.

Well, you can now get it straight from the horse’s mouth. The Second Vatican Council produced a long document called Lumen Gentium (Light of the World) whose subject is the Church. This document ends with a thorough presentation of Mary’s role in the Church. You can access it at
http://www.vatican.va/archive/hist_...s/vat-ii_const_19641121_lumen-gentium_en.html.

Here’s a sample :
  1. The Virgin Mary, who at the message of the angel received the Word of God in her heart and in her body and gave Life to the world, is acknowledged and honored as being truly the Mother of God and Mother of the Redeemer. Redeemed by reason of the merits of her Son and united to Him by a close and indissoluble tie, she is endowed with the high office and dignity of being the Mother of the Son of God, by which account she is also the beloved daughter of the Father and the temple of the Holy Spirit. Because of this gift of sublime grace she far surpasses all creatures, both in heaven and on earth. At the same time, however, because she belongs to the offspring of Adam she is one with all those who are to be saved. She is “the mother of the members of Christ . . . having cooperated by charity that faithful might be born in the Church, who are members of that Head.”(3*) Wherefore she is hailed as a pre-eminent and singular member of the Church, and as its type and excellent exemplar in faith and charity. The Catholic Church, taught by the Holy Spirit, honors her with filial affection and piety as a most beloved mother.
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The part on Mary starts with paragraph 52, but it would be good for you to read the full document to see how precisely Mary fits in the life of the Church.

Please tell me what you think.

Verbum
 
jpink1019 said:
I am not a catholic, but i have been looking into the catholic faith more frequently over the past couple years. I was raised protestant and I am now dating a catholic man. Some of the major theological aspects of catholicism in question for me was the role of Mary in the church. I am desperately trying to understand why Mary is so emphasized in the Catholic faith, at times.

One quote from a member here on the catholic forums is as follows

“The Mystical vision of the Virgin Mother is not intended merely for passive enjoyment but has been said to carry a transforming power, as those who have had the privilege of beholding The Queen of Heaven have dedicated their lives to Her service.”

An image of Mary standing on top of the world with beams of light shining down on earth from her hands is also included.

Now… I need an explaination because i am conflicted.
Who is worthy of life long service to and dedication in the Christian faith and who has transforming power?

What is Mary’s role in the Catholic Church?
Click to expand...
Welcome! First, realize that Mary is mentioned exactly once - a single time - in the sacred liturgy (the Mass), which is the core of our worship. You need not have a devotion to anyone outside of the Lord to be a good, faithful Catholic. As author and evangelical convert Mark Shea mentioned, “Mary looks much bigger from outside the Church than she does from within.” And, until her role is understood, this is exactly so.

Simplyt put, Catholics honor Mary because God honored her first. Christ conceived of Mary in the Divine Intellect as His own mother and brought her to flesh so that she could conceive of Him in her womb and give her flesh to the only Begotten Son of God.

Any “service of Mary” must be understood in light of Mary’s role. Everything Mary has ever done, is doing, and will ever do, is to lead us to her Son. She was brought into being for that purpose, and her joy is complete when she serves that purpose. She is the eternal handmaid of her own Son.

The very first resource that I would direct you to is Catholicism for Dummies. It is an excellent, well written and easily understood compendium of the beliefs and practices of the faith. It is a resource that you will be able to rely on for years to come. I learn something each time I read my own copy.
 
The phrase Queen of Heaven can bother folks from protestant backgrounds. Mary, the Mother of God, bore the Christ by union with God the Father, who is King of Kings. Ergo the bride of the King is by definition Queen.

Of note there are passages in Jeremiah 7:18 speaking of baking cakes for the Queen of Heaven as prohibited. The difference here is important. Unlike those of Jeremiah’s time Catholics are adamant Mary is not divine, she is human. The concept of worship centered on what is sacrificed to. In Jeremiah they are sacrificing the cakes. In Catholic teaching we ONLY offer sacrifices to Christ, the Eucharist.

Another word that causes trouble is the word “worship”. You will find that and it will cause you trouble. The reason is in Greek and Latin there are two distinct words for different types of honor but english is not precise. In precise teaching Adoration is what we render to God but worship is a lower honor extendable to humans as well. This will make you scratch your head no doubt as in todays use that isn’t true and worship is what we mean as only for God especially in protestant circles. As evidence of what I mean look at english courts. They address their justices etc. as “Your Worship” or “Your worshipfulness” yet they do not mean to say their justices are God. In the US we say “Your Honour” or “The Honorable Gentleman From …” etc. in formal language. Likewise in the US we will say “we adore that baby/person” without meaning we think its God. So its messy.

Likewise the word pray. As protestants we are taught that prayer is only God. But in older english. The age old King James Bible has examples of language use where one person says to another, as Abraham did to Lot in Gen 13:8 “And Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.”. In this they man “ask”. It is in this sense, asking one human to another, that we ask/pray the Blessed Virgin Mary to pray to God for us. As protestants we are conditioned against this as “we don’t need anyone to pray for us” we can go right to God. Yet at the same time as protestants we turn around and ask our friends and family to pray for us when we face a hardship. Intercessory prayer etc. This is the same thing we are asking of Mary, pray for me, that you might ask ( or in older english pray ) your pastor, or mother or sister to pray for you in your daily life.

Consider Revelation 11. The Woman in Heaven. Crowned with 12 stars, with the earth and moon under her feet, who brought forth the child to rule all nations. Look at the artwork of the church on mary. Note that you see her crowned, if its not with a crown it is usually with a halo of 12 stars. You will see her standing on a ball of the earth and a crescent moon. You will see her robe of blue (sky) with stars on it (the heavens) and often with brilliance from behind ( clothed with the sun ). Sometimes you also see a serpent under her feet ( symbolizing the trampling of the serpent from Genesis ). The often misunderstood artwork is very Biblical.

Likewise in Rev you see the souls under the altar who cry out “How Long Oh Lord” (Rev 6:10) are praying/asking God for the relief of the earth.

I’ve tried to address your question and some of the things likely connected to it. The thing is all connected in a way thats very strange at first to someone (like me) who was raised protestant. But it suddenly clicked one day.
 
Tantum_ergo said:
It depends on the individual Catholic and the individual non-Catholic.

But GENERALLY speaking, the average Catholic who is appropriately well catechised has a proper understanding of Mary. Unfortunately there are all too many Catholics who are not well catechised and who lack the understanding. A very few of these fall into error by understanding Mary to be something she is NOT (i.e., these very few think of her as being either semi godlike, which she is not). Many more have fallen into the error of , in the name of ‘ecumenism’ (false ecumenism’ thinking of her as being LESS than she is.

GENERALLY speaking many Protestants also think of Mary as ‘less’ than she is, but many well catechised Protestants have an appropriate understanding of Mary. Of these, many are ‘on board’ with the Catholic position but some think the Catholic position is ‘different’, and so seem to disagree based on semantics or through misunderstanding of words.

Of those who think of Mary as ‘less’ than she is, many do so out of a sincere if misplaced understanding of God. Many of these people have a belief that humanity is inherently depraved and sinful, and so of course they cannot accept that even the Mother of the Lord could be anything but.

If they can be educated to see that appropriate and correct understanding of Mary is important not because of who Mary is, but because of who JESUS is, and that a wrong understanding of Mary means that they have a wrong understanding of JESUS, they often find themselves coming around to a correct understanding. By and large, the more sincere and faithful any person is, even if their faith is ‘incomplete’, the more likely they will be led to correct understanding through the Holy Spirit, I find.
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Very well stated. Thank you. 👍
 
Mary herself prophesied:
For, behold, from this day forward, all generations will call me blessed. [Luke 1:48]
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This prophecy is fulfilled in the Catholic Church. It is certainly not fulfilled in protestant churches, which ignore Mary altogether (except when it’s time to put a blue sheet on a 12 year old girl for the Christmas pageant). When was the last time you heard a protestant talk about “the Blessed Virgin Mary” (even though this is a Scriptural title).
 
Mary is referred to as the queen of heaven when you consider her as the woman in Revelation 12. You’d have to imagine the picture of her.

The Woman and the Dragon

Revelation 12:1 And a great portent appeared in heaven, a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars;

She has stars above her head, the 12 tribes of Isreal and in it creation… The moon, the sun surrounding her. which refers us to the story of creation and Eve.

The disobedience of EVE (who was originally immortal flesh and bone) caused her children to follow to live a mortal life which no immortality existed, however Mary, who was favored and chosen by God among women, was obedient thus allowing the birth of Our Savior and immortality restored for her children who followed (US).

So picture Mary the Woman (Jesus called Mary Woman sometimes in scripture), as the New Eve (Eve was also called woman in scripture)… With her obedience to God who favored her above all women and so protected her at the immaculate conception because of the duty she was to do raising Jesus to be perfectly sinless in every way (a perfect and spotless offering for our sins), Mary appears with 12 Stars above her head (looking like a crown) signifying the 12 tribes of Isreal, and the rest of creation, the moon and the sun, so that a child could be born who sits on HIs heavenly throne.

As Eve was named by Adam for the Mother of all living (mother to humans), Mary is the mother of all living in Christ. And we see that also in Revelation 12:17 referring to Mary is the mother of all of us (who are the OFFSPRING) who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus.

Rev 12:17 Then the dragon was angry with the woman, and went off to make war on the rest of HER OFFSPRING, on those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus.

Mary teaches us like Abraham does, that not just our faith but Obedience to God is very important. (remember Abraham being obedient in giving up his Son Isaac to God thus becoming Father of our faith?) Mary was blessed among women so God picked her to carry Jesus.

Mary is also the ark of the New and Eternal covenant. That’s because it was Mary who carried Jesus in her womb. She was the ark that protected the covenant in His blood (Jesus) similarly to Noahs ark or the ark that held the ten commandments. We see that in Rev 11:19. So God had special needs from her in order to protect the covenant His Son.

Rev 11:19 Then God’s temple in heaven was opened, and the ARK of his covenant was seen within his temple; and there were flashes of lightning, loud noises, peals of thunder, an earthquake, and heavy hail. (continues on in REV 12)

REV 12 also speaks of Gods protection of Mary.

Because Mary was blessed among women and mother of God (Jesus) we can be blessed tremendously by her intercessory prayer for us. And we have witnessed the miracles that have happened because of her blessedness.

As a Church we kneel and pray with Mary at the foot of the Cross of Jesus Christ.
 
The concern about Mary (and the Saints, for that matter,) somehow being a question of worship rather than veneration is only confusing to some if they are uninformed or unaware of her role. Mary, as the human Mother of Jesus, says yes to God (at first
thru the angel Gabriel) that she will bear this child Jesus. As she walks that amazing life path, she sees the beauty and the sorrow in her agreement.

I, another human, can look at Christ, His life, and divinity, and see the awesome path He walked and the things He taught and the Great Sacrifice He made. I see that and am sometimes so overwhelmed that God would walk in human form and give us so much that I sometimes cannot make a human connection to our divine Jesus Christ.

So when I look at Mary, I can see a very pure human who says “Yes” to walking her path WITH Christ, raising him, understanding He is divine, learning to let go as a mother, accepting the suffering, walking the path of the Passion with him, and I see how not to be overwhelmed, but how to live gracefully on such a path.

Mary’s humanness, which is not divine like Christ’s, but is not common like mine either (remember the Immaculate Conception), bridges that great gap of how I can begin to walk along Christ’s path. (The Saints do this also to a lesser degree)

I hold her up very high and she lightens that path. If Mary could do this, so must I try.

Mary has brought many people to the love and worship of Jesus through this way.

Also, she is a mother and some people connect more strongly with a mother figure than a father figure at first. And this mother ALWAYS leads us to the Father.
 
jpink1019 said:
I am not a catholic, but i have been looking into the catholic faith more frequently over the past couple years. I was raised protestant and I am now dating a catholic man. Some of the major theological aspects of catholicism in question for me was the role of Mary in the church. I am desperately trying to understand why Mary is so emphasized in the Catholic faith, at times.

What is Mary’s role in the Catholic Church?
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ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/jp2bvm49.htm

TO THE DISCIPLE HE SAID, BEHOLD YOUR MOTHER
Pope John Paul II
2. Although Jesus’ death causes Mary deep sorrow, it does not in itself change her normal way of life: in fact, in departing from Nazareth to start his public life, Jesus had already left his Mother alone. Moreover, the presence at the Cross of her relative, Mary of Clopas, allows us to suppose that the Blessed Virgin was on good terms with her family and relatives, by whom she could have been welcomed after her Son’s death.

Instead, Jesus’ words acquire their most authentic meaning in the context of his saving mission. Spoken at the moment of the redemptive sacrifice, they draw their loftiest value precisely from this sublime circumstance. In fact, after Jesus’ statements to his Mother, the Evangelist adds a significant clause: “Jesus, knowing that all was now finished…” (Jn 19:28), as if he wished to stress that he had brought his sacrifice to completion by entrusting his Mother to John, and in him to all men, whose Mother she becomes in the work of salvation.

I will recommend a book by a convert for a deeper understanding…Scott Hahn…Hail Holy Queen…amazon.com/Hail-Holy-Queen-Scott-Hahn/dp/0385501684

If you want a quick read…sort of to get your feet wet…chnetwork.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/mary.pdf
 
=Catholicism1998;10259438]I have come to believe that Mary the Mother of God can be never over devoted (if you know what I mean). Mary brought Christ down from heaven and is by her grace that we even to this day still gain repentance for sins. She is the mother of god and was free from all sin during the conception and so anything that has no sin should be thought highly in the Catholic Church. Just my opinion.
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And a DARN GOOD ONE TOO:thumbsup:

Welcome to CAF!
 
Tantum ergo,

What is semi-godlike?

The Virgin Mary (human) is called more glorious than the seraphim of Isaiah 6:2 (angel) and More honorable than the cherubim of Hebrews 9:5, Psalm 79/80:2 by tradition.
 
And how is this thread compared to the “The Role of Mary in the Catholic Church” thread??!
 
We are into page 3 … and I’ve yet to see anyone set forth Mary’s Role !

Is it too complex, to be addressed in a several paragraph response … so that we can only learn by being given video & Vatican links ?

Someone please set forth her key role in Catholic Salvation Theology, so we might precede to examine / discuss.
 
brb3 said:
We are into page 3 … and I’ve yet to see anyone set forth Mary’s Role !

Is it too complex, to be addressed in a several paragraph response … so that we can only learn by being given video & Vatican links ?

Someone please set forth her key role in Catholic Salvation Theology, so we might precede to examine / discuss.
Click to expand...
This is short…about 6 paragraphs:

ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/jp2bvm49.htm

TO THE DISCIPLE HE SAID, BEHOLD YOUR MOTHER
Pope John Paul II
2. Although Jesus’ death causes Mary deep sorrow, it does not in itself change her normal way of life: in fact, in departing from Nazareth to start his public life, Jesus had already left his Mother alone. Moreover, the presence at the Cross of her relative, Mary of Clopas, allows us to suppose that the Blessed Virgin was on good terms with her family and relatives, by whom she could have been welcomed after her Son’s death.

Instead, Jesus’ words acquire their most authentic meaning in the context of his saving mission. Spoken at the moment of the redemptive sacrifice, they draw their loftiest value precisely from this sublime circumstance. In fact, after Jesus’ statements to his Mother, the Evangelist adds a significant clause: “Jesus, knowing that all was now finished…” (Jn 19:28), as if he wished to stress that he had brought his sacrifice to completion by entrusting his Mother to John, and in him to all men, whose Mother she becomes in the work of salvation.
 
pablope said:
This is short…about 6 paragraphs:

ewtn.com/library/papaldoc/jp2bvm49.htm

TO THE DISCIPLE HE SAID, BEHOLD YOUR MOTHER
Pope John Paul II
2. Although Jesus’ death causes Mary deep sorrow, it does not in itself change her normal way of life: in fact, in departing from Nazareth to start his public life, Jesus had already left his Mother alone. Moreover, the presence at the Cross of her relative, Mary of Clopas, allows us to suppose that the Blessed Virgin was on good terms with her family and relatives, by whom she could have been welcomed after her Son’s death.

Instead, Jesus’ words acquire their most authentic meaning in the context of his saving mission. Spoken at the moment of the redemptive sacrifice, they draw their loftiest value precisely from this sublime circumstance. In fact, after Jesus’ statements to his Mother, the Evangelist adds a significant clause: “Jesus, knowing that all was now finished…” (Jn 19:28), as if he wished to stress that he had brought his sacrifice to completion by entrusting his Mother to John, and in him to all men, whose Mother she becomes in the work of salvation.
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Ok …

I went to that link … about 6 paragraphs from JP2.

Christ gave his mother to John, and also to ALL Christians!!
We have God as our Father(via Rebirth in Jesus), and Mary our (Spiritual mother).
We as children, compose the Holy Family of God.

Ok, is that the sum on Mary ? Anything else we are to see as her ROLE in Salvation Theology?
 
=brb3;We are into page 3 … and I’ve yet to see anyone set forth Mary’s Role !
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Someone please set forth her key role in Catholic Salvation Theology, so we might precede to examine / discuss.
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Well as ONE of the OP’s:D

Allow me to correct that.

Mary’s role is to be viewed from 3 perspectives"

Mother of our God [one of many BILLIONS chosen to be Lk. 1:26-35

Our Mother Given to us by Jesus Jn.19: 26-30

And Mary’s Role in salvation Rom. 5:12 “Wherefore as by one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death; and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned.”

Jesus is the “New Adam” Rom. 5:19
For as by the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners; so also by the obedience of one, many shall be made just

Mary is the “New Eve” Gen. 3:15 “I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel” DR bible”

Note: Catholics Worship God Alone. Mary we reverence, adore* respect and employ as our Intercessor. *a·dore MW dict 1. “to regard with the utmost esteem, love, and respect; honor.”

Mary’s Role as Intercessor is not mandated for ones salvation, although of GREAT benefit Catholics can choose to go directly to God.

We pray through Mary and the Saints because for two reasons.

They are in the actual Presence of God in Person. There is no better; no more effective Intercessor that we can invoke than Mary.

They [Mary and the Saints] ADD there own petitions on-top of our and them personally present them to Christ on our behalf. Thus increasing there value, merit and urgency.

Hail Mary, [Lk. 1:28]
Full of Grace [Lk. 1:28]
The Lord is with thee [Lk 1:27]
Blessed are you among all women [Lk 1:42]
And Blessed in the fruit of your womb: Jesus [Lk. 1;42]
Holy Mary [Lk.1: 28]
Mother of God 1:35
Pray for us sinners [our catholic petition]
Now and at the hour of our death
Amen” *

From the CCC
505 By his virginal conception, Jesus, the New Adam, ushers in the new birth of children adopted in the Holy Spirit through faith. “How can this be?” Participation in the divine life arises “not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God”. The acceptance of this life is virginal because it is entirely the Spirit’s gift to man. The spousal character of the human vocation in relation to God is fulfilled perfectly in Mary’s virginal motherhood.

975 “We believe that the Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ” (Paul VI, CPG § 15).

Mary’s role in mans possible salvation is not absolutely necessary; EXCEPT by God’s Divine and Perfect Will. Salvation could take place w/o Mary were it God’s Will.

Because of the Singular honors and perfection [both imposed by God before Her Conception; and self imposed after Her Birth] Mary; the one chosen from BILLIONS of options is the most and only perfect human being in the history of Creation except for Adam and Eve. Like Adam and Eve She too could have chosen to sin; but never did.

Because of Who She is and What she is God has granted Mary 2 “KEY” roles in mans path to salvation.

Intercessor “par excellence” And Mediarix of all Grace.

NOT the source of; but the dispenser of:thumbsup:

From Fr. Hardon’s Catholic Dictionary
MEDIATRIX. A title of the Blessed Virgin as mediator of grace. There are two aspects of this mediation. It is certain in Catholic theology that, since Mary gave birth to the Redeemer, who is source of all grace, she is in this way the channel of all graces to mankind. But it is only probable, as a legitimate opinion, that since Mary’s Assumption into heaven no grace is received by humans without her actual intercessory co-operation.

On the first level of mediation, Mary freely co-operated with God in consenting to the Incarnation, giving birth to her Son and thus sharing with him in spirit the labors of his passion and death. **Yet Christ alone truly offered the sacrifice of atonement on the Cross. Mary gave him moral support in this action. **She is therefore not entitled to the name “priest,” as several Roman documents legislate. As explained by the Council of Florence in 1441, Christ “conquered the enemy of the human race alone” (Denzinger, 1347). In the same way he alone acquired the grace of redemption for the whole human race, including Mary. Her part in the objective redemption, therefore, was indirect and remote, and derived from her voluntary devotion to the service of Christ. Under the Cross she suffered and sacrificed with him, but subordinate to him in such a way that all the efficacy of her oblation depended on that of her Son.

On the second stage of mediation, Mary co-operates by her maternal intercession in applying Christ’s redemptive grace to human beings, called the subjective redemption. This does not imply that the faithful must pray for all graces through Mary, nor that her intercession is inherently necessary for the distribution of divine blessing, but that, according to God’s special ordinance, the graces merited by Christ are conferred through the actual intercessory mediation of his mother. Recent popes and the Second Vatican Council have spoken in favor of this type of mediation, which finds support in patristic tradition.*
 
PJM said:
Well as ONE of the OP’s:D

Allow me to correct that.

Mary’s role is to be viewed from 3 perspectives"

Mother of our God [one of many BILLIONS chosen to be Lk. 1:26-35

Our Mother Given to us by Jesus Jn.19: 26-30

And Mary’s Role in salvation Rom. 5:12 “Wherefore as by one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death; and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned.”

Jesus is the “New Adam” Rom. 5:19
For as by the disobedience of one man, many were made sinners; so also by the obedience of one, many shall be made just

Mary is the “New Eve” Gen. 3:15 “I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel” DR bible”

Note: Catholics Worship God Alone. Mary we reverence, adore* respect and employ as our Intercessor. *a·dore MW dict 1. “to regard with the utmost esteem, love, and respect; honor.”

Mary’s Role as Intercessor is not mandated for ones salvation, although of GREAT benefit Catholics can choose to go directly to God.

We pray through Mary and the Saints because for two reasons.

They are in the actual Presence of God in Person. There is no better; no more effective Intercessor that we can invoke than Mary.

They [Mary and the Saints] ADD there own petitions on-top of our and them personally present them to Christ on our behalf. Thus increasing there value, merit and urgency.

Hail Mary, [Lk. 1:28]
Full of Grace [Lk. 1:28]
The Lord is with thee [Lk 1:27]
Blessed are you among all women [Lk 1:42]
And Blessed in the fruit of your womb: Jesus [Lk. 1;42]
Holy Mary [Lk.1: 28]
Mother of God 1:35
Pray for us sinners [our catholic petition]
Now and at the hour of our death
Amen” *

From the CCC
505 By his virginal conception, Jesus, the New Adam, ushers in the new birth of children adopted in the Holy Spirit through faith. “How can this be?” Participation in the divine life arises “not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God”. The acceptance of this life is virginal because it is entirely the Spirit’s gift to man. The spousal character of the human vocation in relation to God is fulfilled perfectly in Mary’s virginal motherhood.

975 “We believe that the Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ” (Paul VI, CPG § 15).

Mary’s role in mans possible salvation is not absolutely necessary; EXCEPT by God’s Divine and Perfect Will. Salvation could take place w/o Mary were it God’s Will.

Because of the Singular honors and perfection [both imposed by God before Her Conception; and self imposed after Her Birth] Mary; the one chosen from BILLIONS of options is the most and only perfect human being in the history of Creation except for Adam and Eve. Like Adam and Eve She too could have chosen to sin; but never did.

Because of Who She is and What she is God has granted Mary 2 “KEY” roles in mans path to salvation.

Intercessor “par excellence” And Mediarix of all Grace.

NOT the source of; but the dispenser of:thumbsup:

From Fr. Hardon’s Catholic Dictionary*
MEDIATRIX. A title of the Blessed Virgin as mediator of grace. There are two aspects of this mediation. It is certain in Catholic theology that, since Mary gave birth to the Redeemer, who is source of all grace, she is in this way the channel of all graces to mankind. But it is only probable, as a legitimate opinion, that since Mary’s Assumption into heaven no grace is received by humans without her actual intercessory co-operation.

On the first level of mediation, Mary freely co-operated with God in consenting to the Incarnation, giving birth to her Son and thus sharing with him in spirit the labors of his passion and death. **Yet Christ alone truly offered the sacrifice of atonement on the Cross. Mary gave him moral support in this action. **She is therefore not entitled to the name “priest,” as several Roman documents legislate. As explained by the Council of Florence in 1441, Christ “conquered the enemy of the human race alone” (Denzinger, 1347). In the same way he alone acquired the grace of redemption for the whole human race, including Mary. Her part in the objective redemption, therefore, was indirect and remote, and derived from her voluntary devotion to the service of Christ. Under the Cross she suffered and sacrificed with him, but subordinate to him in such a way that all the efficacy of her oblation depended on that of her Son.

On the second stage of mediation, Mary co-operates by her maternal intercession in applying Christ’s redemptive grace to human beings, called the subjective redemption. This does not imply that the faithful must pray for all graces through Mary, nor that her intercession is inherently necessary for the distribution of divine blessing, but that, according to God’s special ordinance, the graces merited by Christ are conferred through the actual intercessory mediation of his mother. Recent popes and the Second Vatican Council have spoken in favor of this type of mediation, which finds support in patristic tradition.

Ok.
…some more ideas, from PMJ …the OP, on Mediatrix Role.

Let me quote the Dictionary author…MEDIATRIX: “it is ONLY PROBABLE, as a legitimate OPINION that since Mary’s Assumption into heaven no grace is received by humans w/o her intercessary co-operation.”

So, its just OPINION, not Dogma !!
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