Vatican Rejects Mary’s Role as “Co-Redemptrix”

David Martin | The Daily Knight

The Virgin Mary’s centuries-old title of “Co-Redemptrix” has been stricken from the books. With the rubber stamp of Leo XIV, the Vatican’s top doctrinal office (DDF) headed by the wayward Cardinal Victor Fernandez now instructs the world’s 1.4 billion Catholics to not call Mary “Co-Redemptrix.”   

This denunciation of Mary’s title was penned in a new Vatican document titled Mater Populi Fidelis, which says that in referencing the Virgin Mary, “It would not be appropriate to use the title ‘co-redemptrix,’” claiming that it “risks obscuring the unique salvific mediation of Christ.” The document says that “This title… can create confusion and an imbalance in the harmony of the truths of the Christian faith.”

In other words, the title disrupts the harmony of the Protestant faith while being in perfect harmony with the Catholic Faith, which the DDF continually undermines. Sadly, Pope Leo approved the text on October 7 and ordered its publication – another bad fruit of colluding with heretics.

This Was Never a Debate Among the Faithful

The media is deviously referring to this issue as a decades-old debate that has 'now ended' in order to give the impression that the matter of Mary's title was never decided, whereas it was never a debate since this teaching is part of Catholic Tradition. For while Mary’s role as Co-Redemptrix is not a dogmatically defined article of faith it nevertheless comprises part of the Church’s Ordinary Magisterium making it no less true than if it were defined.

His Holiness Pope John Paul II had every intention of making Mary’s Co-Redemptrix role a dogma during his pontificate. He was very much behind this proposal, but unfortunately, he was put under horrific pressure by a number of powerful figures in the Curia, who forced him to abandon the plan. But the pope’s intention clearly showed the admirable truth of this doctrine.

The Facts Speak for Themselves

The facts speak for themselves. For over five centuries the Church has gloried in Mary as Co-Redemptrix and the saints sang Stabat Mater dolorosa, which is a hymn of the Co-Redemptrix herself. In 1918, Pope Benedict XV issued a decree recognizing Mary’s role in “redeeming the human race together with Christ” while Pope Pius XI invoked Mary as “Co-Redemptrix.”

In his Glories of Mary, St. Alphonsus De Liguori emphasized Mary’s integral role in man’s redemption, referring to her as Co-Redemptrix alongside Jesus, even calling her “Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix of All Grace, and Advocate.” Benedict XV also said, “Along with Christ she redeemed the human race.” St. Bernard of Clairvaux said, “God wills that all be saved by means of Mary.”

Abbot Arnold of Chartres who was a faithful disciple of St. Bernard – Doctor of the Church – had this to say about Mary’s role as Co-Redemptrix:

“Together they [Jesus and Mary] accomplished the task of man’s redemption… both offered up one and the same sacrifice to God; she in the blood of her heart, he in the blood of the flesh…so that, together with Christ, she obtained a common effect in the salvation of the world.”

In St. Louis de Montfort’s True Devotion to Mary, he describes the Virgin Mary as “Co-Redemptrix” who cooperated in the redemption of humanity through her “Yes” with God’s plan and through her intense sufferings with Christ.

In the Mystical City of God (that has the approbation of popes of the past four centuries), the renown mystic Mary of Agreda states that during Jesus’ Passion the Virgin Mary endured all the sufferings that Her Son endured and with the same degree of pain.

Note too that when the Blessed Virgin and St. Joseph presented the infant Jesus in the temple, Simeon took the Child into his arms and prophesied, and then said to Mary:

“Behold this child is set for the fall, and for the resurrection of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be contradicted; And thy own soul a sword shall pierce, that, out of many hearts, thoughts may be revealed.” (St. Luke 2:34,35)

That is, through the intense pain that Mary would endure with Her Son, she would earn the grace for those of the future who would come forward and reveal their truest hearts and convert to Christ. She truly is Co-Redemptrix.

Vatican Dismisses that Mary is Mediatrix of All Grace 

Still another demon that rears its head in Mater Populi Infidelis is the denial that Mary is “Mediatrix of All Grace.” The document discourages the centuries-old use of this title suggesting that it is not grounded in Revelation and carries “limits that do not favor a correct understanding of Mary’s unique place.”

This demonstrates ignorance. All the works of God are executed through the hands of the Blessed Virgin. Today’s theologians are failing to understand that Mary was foreknown in the mind of God long before her placement on earth. The following Bible verse alludes to her.

“When He prepared the heavens, I was present…. When He compassed the sea with its bounds, and set a law to the waters that they should not pass their limits: when He balanced the foundations of the earth; I was with Him forming all things.” (Prov. 8: 27-30)

St. Bonaventure referred to Our Lady as “Mary, our most faithful Mediatrix.” St. Laurence Justinian said, “She is the ladder to paradise. She is the gate of heaven, a true Mediatrix between God and man.” St. Ephrem, Doctor of the Church said to Mary, “After the Mediator thou art the Mediatrix of the whole world.” Saint Ephrem, Father and Doctor of the Church said, "All graces that have ever been bestowed on men, all came through Mary."

The angelic Doctor St. Alphonsus said, “We affirm that Mary is the Mediatrix of Grace.” Pope Pius X himself said: “From this community of will and suffering between Christ and Mary she merited to become most worthily the Reparatrix of the lost world and Dispensatrix of all the gifts that Our Savior purchased.” 

St. Maximillian Kolbe said, “Our dependence on Mary is greater than we can imagine. We receive all graces, absolutely All of them, from God through the Immaculata, who is our universal Mediatrix with Jesus.” St. Antoninus said, "All graces that have ever been bestowed on men, all came through Mary."

This teaching on the Virgin Mary has been continuous through the centuries and is seen throughout the Bible. This is part of the Church’s ordinary teaching, so Leo and his Vatican err in saying that Mary’s title of Mediatrix of All Grace is not grounded in Revelation and carries “limits that do not favor a correct understanding of Mary.”  

We should also point out that Francis fiercely opposed Mary’s title of Co-Redemptrix and at one point he called the idea “foolishness,” adding that, “She never wanted to take anything for herself from her son.” Why is Pope Leo bending over backwards to continue his legacy?

Cardinal Fernandez’ History of Sexual Perversion

Concerning DDF prefect Cardinal Fernandez, let us not forget that he has a history of sexual obsession, even to the point of trying to raise sexual fantasy to the level magisterial teaching. And through his infamous Fiducias Supplicans he has fanatically pushed the idea that priests are obliged to bless homosexual couples. Simple common sense will tell us that if a man be so disposed, the Church is obliged to ignore and reject him.

Why is Leo promoting him?