co-redeemer

Mary Co-redeemer,
Mediator, Advocate

These three titles of Virgin Mary are inter-related and deeply rooted both in devotion and doctrine in the Catholic Church, and indeed in most of Christianity.

The Maternal Mediation of Mary is under its three essential aspects of Co-Redeemer ("the Mother Suffering"), Mediator("the Mother Nourishing"), and Advocate ("the Mother Interceding")... so, these tree dogmas are interrelated and may be it is only one, because the roles of a mother, as heart of the family, are multiform but the truth of her motherhood is singular, only one!.

Actually, these titles are the continuation of the Dogmas of the Assumption and of the Mother of the Church... they represent what Virgin Mary is doing as Queen in her reign, praise the Lord!.

1- Co-redeemer, Co-redemtrix:

Every missionary or evangelist is a co-redeemer, helps to the redemption of Christ. Were not for the evangelists many people in Africa or India had never even heard about Jesus Christ.

When you teach the Gospel to your child or bring him to church, you are a co-redeemer with Christ. The one who baptized you is a co-redeemer with Christ. When you teach the Bible to someone, you are a Co-redeemer of Christ.

The term Co-redeemer or Co-redemptrix, as the Pope puts it, may seem to suggest that Christ does not redeem alone, but somehow needs a partner… and that's wrong!… it means "cooperator with the Redeemer", its Latin prefix, "cum", does not denote equality or partnership, but accompaniment (as in co-star or co-pilot). Etymologically, it suggests dependence and subordination, and in the case of Mary, it refers to Mary's association with Jesus Christ…
St. Paul says "we are God's co-workers" in I Cor. 3:9, the Greek word is "synergoi"... and of course, Virgin Mary is a unique God's Co-Worker since Bethlehem to Calvary…

In John 15, Jesus compares the Church to a tree: On it, Jesus is the trunk, and the Christians are the branches. The Christian who is not united with the trunk can do nothing, nothing!, rather whoever does not remain in Christ's Church is thrown away like a withered branch… but look at it this way: In a tree, the trunk does not give the fruits and the flowers and the leaves, it is the branches!… and you and I are the branches of the tree of Christ… God needs us!… every Christian is a missionary, an evangelist… and if you are not a good Christian at home, your home will be left without the fruits of love and joy and peace that you were supposed to bear in Christ!.

The way to be a Co-redeemer with Christ is with our words and deeds, preaching and doing good works... but mostly with our Cross, like Jesus!... Jesus did not redeemed us with his beautiful sermons nor with his miracles, but with his Cross!... and this is our best way to help our relatives and friends to go go to heaven: With the crosses God gives us... an old invalid mother at home is not a burden, but the best treasure of that family...
... As Paul cries out: "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church" (Colos.1:24)... and tells us also with joy, "For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake" (Phil.1:29).

All Christians are "co-operators with God" in Jesus Christ, Co-Workers with Jesus, evangelists, Co-redeemers... and Mary was the first, and has a better claim than anyone else to a unique title, since she was the foundation of the Incarnation itself, was united through her exemplary faith to Christ's whole mission (Lk. 1:45), and was present, standing on Calvary, when Christ confirmed her role as mother in his last testament (Jn. 19:25-27).

Yes, Virgin Mary was a Christian, a Co-redeemer, and a unique one, the Mother of Jesus…every Christian acknowledges it… and this fact should be publicly acknowledged by the Church, and yes, as a clear unquestionable dogma.

2- Mediator, Mediatrix:

"There is but one mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ, himself human" (1 Tim 2:5). The Greek word used here for "one" is "heis," meaning first or primary, not "monos," meaning sole or only, so it does not cancel the idea of secondary mediation, such as when one person prays for another.

And indeed, between God and man there is one mediator, Jesus Christ… but between Christ and men there are many mediators: When you bring your child to church, you are Mediator!. When someone teaches you the Bible or the Christian doctrine, he is a Mediator. Were no for many Mediators, you would had never even heard about Christ, as many Africans or Chinese have never heard about Christ… Jesus in person did not baptized you, the one who did is a Mediator…

God's plan has always been to employ mediators, i.e., prophets, patriarchs, apostles, evangelists, angels...

Virgin Mary is also a Mediator, and a unique one, thanks to her "yes" we all have Jesus, if she would have said "no" to God, the Lord would had to have found some other girl or some other way to bring Jesus to earth… and yes, we should honor her with the title of Mediator or Mediatrix as a doctrinal unquestionable dogma…. Mediator of all the graces, since She brought to all of us Jesus, the fountain of all graces.

3- Advocate, Intercessor, Helper, Benefactress:

We all Christians are Intercessors, Advocates: The mother prays for her child, the pastor for his parishioners, we constantly pray for each other, following the many teachings of the Bible at this respect. Jam.5:14-16, Lk.6:27-29, Act.8:23-25.

If we ask a pastor or any Christian to pray for us, we certainly should ask specially the saintly people to pray for us, most specially those who already died and are with the Lord, like St Peter, St. Paul, St. Elisabeth, St. Therese…

For the Catholics, it is a deeply rooted tradition: Every time we pray a Hail Mary, we ask the Virgin "to pray for us sinners now", when we pray the Hail, Holy Queen, we address her as "our Advocate"…

The Rosary and the wearing of the Scapular strongly supports this aspect as Intercessor.

Surely there is no need for a Catholic to be declared a dogma, but since there is some kind of silly controversy on this issue, it should be declared dogma once and for all, without any kind of doubt.

The Tree Possible New Dogmas:

These three missions of Virgin Mary are deeply rooted in Christianity, and to proclaim them as dogmas would be he "climax of the Age of Mary", as Dr. Mark Miravalle puts it, a layman professor of theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, who founded in 1993 "The Voice of the People for Mary Mediatrix", a grassroots movement that has amassed four and a half million signatures sent to the Pope John Paul II. Patrick Coffin.

The initiative carries on the request of a Dutch visionary, Ida Peerdemann, who died in her nineties in 1996. Since May 31, 1951, she had been asking the Pope to define the "final dogma" on Mary as Co-Redeemer, Mediatrix and Advocate.

    The Pope John Paul II has already received more than six million signatures from 148 countries on petitions asking him to give the Virgin Mary this ultimate promotion, as reported in the New York Times of December 23, 2000. Here I want to add my own personal petition!.
   The cover story for the August 25, 1997, issue of Newsweek was "The Meaning of Mary: A Struggle Over Her Role Grows Within the Church." A full-page artist's conception of Mary was featured on the cover of this influential news magazine.
    The July 1, 1997 issue of Inside the Vatican, a very conservative Roman Catholic publication with editorial offices in Rome, England, and the United States, was largely dedicated to the Mary petition drive. The lead story was titled "A New Marian Dogma? The Debate Intensifies." There many other reports from various perspectives.

Doctrinal Teachings of the Church:

Both in devotion and doctrine the formula "Co-redemptrix," "Mediatrix," and "Advocate" brings into clarity the roles that have always been ascribed to the Blessed Virgin in the Catholic Church:

We already mentioned the devotion and practice of the faithful, and Popes and Ecumenical Councils have already said that Mary is Co-Redeemer, Mediator, Advocate. For the Pope to make an infallible proclamation would add force to such a doctrine, but it would not be something new. Papal dogmatic proclamations are usually not statements of new doctrine but of doctrine already held by the Catholic Church.

Pope John Paul has stated that Mary is Co-Redeemer, Mediator and Advocate:

At least five times Pope Paul II has referred to Mary by the title "Co-redemptrix" in his papal teachings:
For example, in 1985, in Guayaquil, Ecuador, the pope said: "Mary goes before us and accompanies us. The silent journey that begins with her Immaculate Conception and passes through the ‘yes’ of Nazareth, which makes her the Mother of God, finds on Calvary a particularly important moment. … In fact, at Calvary she united herself with the sacrifice of her Son that led to the foundation of the Church; her maternal heart shared to the very depths the will of Christ ‘to gather into one all the dispersed children of God’ (Jn. 11:52). Having suffered for the Church, Mary deserved to become the Mother of all the disciples of her Son, the Mother of their unity. … In fact Mary’s role as Coredemptrix did not cease with the glorification of her Son" (Inside the Vatican, July 1997, p. 23).

In his general audience address of April 9, 1997, the pope said: "Mary … co-operated during the event itself [the crucifixion] and in the role of mother; thus her co-operation embraces the whole of Christ’s saving work She alone was associated in this way with the redemptive sacrifice that merited the salvation of all mankind. In union with Christ and submission to Him, she collaborated in obtaining the grace of salvation for all humanity… In God’s plan, Mary is the ‘woman’ (Gen.3:15, Jn 2:4; 19:26), the New Eve, united to the New Adam in restoring humanity to its original dignity. Her cooperation with her Son continues for all time in the universal motherhood which she enjoys in the order of grace. Trusting in this maternal cooperation, let us turn to Mary, imploring her help in all our needs (Vatican Information Service).

In his general audience for July 30, the pope continued his theme of talks on Mary, saying: "As the Mother of all the Lord’s disciples (cf. Jn 19:26), Mary offers her intercession and aid to all who journey towards the fullness of the Lord's Kingdom. As the Bride and Temple of the Holy Spirit, she encourages us to imitate her openness to the workings of the Spirit and to live in constant, loving communion with the Blessed Trinity."

Pope John Paul II has exalted Mary even in his most official documents. In his encyclical Redemptoris Mater (Mother of the Redeemer), published March 25, 1987, the pope referred to Mary as "Mediatrix" three times, and as "Advocate" twice. The entire third section is dedicated to the theme of "Maternal Mediation."

There is no question that Pope John Paul II believes that Mary is co-redeemer with Christ, mediator of all grace, and our advocate. While it is uncertain whether or not he will make a papal proclamation of this as official dogma (most reports coming out of the Vatican say he will not do this), the fact remains that he accepts and promotes these true doctrines about Virgin Mary.

Other Popes:
Many popes have exalted Mary as mediator and advocate. Examples are Leo XIII (1878-1903), Pope Pius X (1903-1914), and Pius XII (1939-1958). During a radio message concluding the Jubilee of the Redemption, April 28, 1935, Pius XI (1922-1939) gave the title Co-redemptrix to Mary.

Vatican Council II:
It was held in the mid-1060s, and gave Virgin Mary the titles Co-Redeemer, Mediator, Advocate:

"Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation. By her maternal charity, she cares for the brethren of her Son, who still journey on earth surrounded by dangers and difficulties, until they are led into their blessed home. Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix. (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, chap. 8, II, 62, pp. 382-383).

"Rightly, therefore, the Fathers see Mary not merely as passively engaged by God, but as freely cooperating in the work of man’s salvation through faith and obedience. For as St. Ireneus says, she being obedient. became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race. Hence not a few of the early Fathers gladly assert with him in their preaching ...’ death through Eve, life through Mary.’ This union of the Mother with the Son in the work of salvation is made manifest from the time of Christ’s virginal conception up to his death" (Vatican II, Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, chap. 8, II, 56, pp. 380-381).

Controversies:

Perhaps the most frequent objection against the dogma's definition-- including Catholics who privately accept the titles--- arises from a concern over ecumenism. The hard-won advances in relations with separated brethren since Vatican II are said to be delicate enough to be severely compromised, if not demolished, by a Marian dogma. The concern is not entirely groundless.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith does not support this initiative, says Father Laurentin. In the Vatican newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano, it published the negative response of the Pontifical Mariological Academy (to which Father Laurentin belongs) during its Mariological Congress in Czestochowa, Poland, in August 1996. The unanimous view was that the definition of Mary Co-redeemer was inopportune. Ren� Laurentin (a French priest, who was at my home, theological consultant at Vatican II and author of over 100 books, is widely recognized as a leading authority in Marian studies.
This Theological Commission with its 15 theologians, along with three Orthodox and two Protestants, nixed the idea of a papal definition, stating that the proposed titles of Co-redeemer, Mediator, and Advocate, are ambiguous, lack sufficient magisterial weight, and would entail "ecumenical difficulties"... Ironically, Vox Populi Mariae Mediatrici was largely unknown until the appearance of the Theological Commission's bad review!.

Due in part to sensitivity toward Protestant conciliar observers, the word "Coredemptrix" was dropped from the final schema of Lumen Gentium... And this is good to remark: The late Max Thurian of the Taize community in France personally asked Pius XII not to define the Assumption… Ironically, he went on to become a Catholic priest, an he died on August 15, 1996, the Feast of the Assumption.

Adoration and Veneration:

Veneration of Mary or the Saints, remains completely different and inferior to worship of adoration that is due to God alone. Devotion to Mary is never to rival in nature or in degree the adoration proper only to God.
While veneration of the Blessed Virgin will always be inferior to the adoration given uniquely to God, it will always be superior and higher than devotion given to all other saints and angels.

In Conclusion:

The declaration of any Dogma always is to clearly state an important biblical truth which may be under controversy... this, of course, always has the chance to create a Schism among those who argue against it... and this has been the case in most Dogmas proclaimed by the Church... but if it is true, it should be declared a Dogma, even with the risk of a Catholic Schism.

Otherwise, Ecumenism is very important, but the only road to it is the truth... and the declaration of a truth as a Dogma only can help to the real ecumenism, even with the change of having many critics against that truth.

This titles of Mary Co-Redeemer, Mediator, and Advocate, are truths, practiced for centuries by Christians, and already proclaimed by Popes and Ecumenical Councils, and should be declared Dogmas, the sooner the better, for the glory of God, for the good of the Church, and for our own good.

    I joyfully second the reply given to a doubter to sign a petition to the Pope:
        "This risks creating a schism in the Church," a friend said to an enthusiastic signatory.
        "All the better" was the reply, "it will get rid of the bad and leave the good."

    The four current Marian dogmas (her divine maternity, defined in 431; perpetual virginity in 649; Immaculate Conception in 1854; and Bodily Assumption in 1950) relate organically to the others...
    Because she is Theotokos, Mother of God, it is fitting that she be perpetually virgin...
    ... because she was preserved from original sin, it is fitting that she be preserved from the final effects of sin, namely, the decay of the body.
    ... Vox Populi proposes that the dogma of Co-redeemer, Mediator and Advocate would be a continuation of the Dogma Mother of the Church, answering the questions, What is she doing in heaven, body and soul? If she is Queen of Heaven and Earth, how does she exercise her reign?