Redemption

The role of the Blessed Virgin Mary is to immerse herself in all that Christ, her Divine Son, does for our salvation. She has no role of her own. She is not a co-Redemptrix with and under Christ. This expression, with and under Christ, implies necessarily that she has a unique role of her own regarding redemption. No. This is a grave error. To be a redeemer of any sort, with any phrasing, “with Christ” expresses a role of one’s own. Calling her role “unique” also expresses a role of redemption which is of Mary, which is of Her motherhood and therefore is her own role. To be a redeemer “under Christ” also expresses this same error. Having a role of redemption “with and under Christ” places that role outside of Christ. With does not mean in; under does not mean in.

This error is like the error that plagued the definition of the Immaculate Conception for so many centuries, until the understanding of Blessed John Duns Scotus prevailed over that of St. Thomas in the Summa Theologica, St. Albert the Great, and other eminent persons. The question regarding Mary’s conception was phrased as whether she was redeemed before or after conception. The answer is neither. She was redeemed in the first instant of her conception. Similarly, Mary is not a redeemer with Christ or under Christ or before Christ, but only and entirely “in” Christ. She has no role of redemption of her own what-so-freaking-ever. Mary immerses herself in Christ. Mary immerses herself in His roles of mediation, redemption, and advocacy. And her role, within Christ, is a uniquely feminine role. As Eve was a helper to Adam — a doctrine much maligned today — Mary is the helper to Christ. But her role of helper to Christ is so thoroughly humble and so perfect that she is only ever a helper “in” Christ.

The terminology and alleged “doctrine” that the supporters of this alleged “fifth Marian dogma” must be revised thoroughly. Supporters of this idea must cease from asserting that their understanding is already perfect and inerrant. They must cease from speaking as if all that remains is for the Pope to rubber-stamp their opinions. These concepts are not doctrine, not even non-infallible doctrine. The use of terminology by past Popes does not establish as doctrine the common theological opinion about the meaning of these terms.

Do you think that the Holy Spirit is a spirit of democracy? If enough persons agree, and cry out to the Spirit, He who gives the Magisterium its charism of truth and inerrancy, then He must grant the definition? God is Truth, so He cannot do so.

We must all humble ourselves before the Magisterium of the Lord Jesus, and ask Jesus himself to teach us — not to exalt the common opinion as dogma. We must be willing to be corrected by the Roman Pontiff, or by an Ecumenical Council, on this question (and all other questions of faith and morals). The current attitude, unfortunately take up by proponents of these three titles of Mary, is to treat the Pope as if he were ever in error, until he tells them what they wish to hear, until he behaves like the teachers they have chosen for ourselves, who teach nothing other than what is already accepted. Those who put themselves above the Roman Pontiff, put themselves above Christ and therefore above Mary. She is not on their side, except to correct them.

Mediation

Similarly, Mary has no role of mediation “with and under Christ”. For this term implies a separate role, which is impossible. Her role is not unique in the sense of unique from Christ, separate from Christ, but rather is unique in the sense that she is the most perfect disciple, and therefore she most perfectly immerses herself in all that Christ does for our salvation: mediation, redemption, advocacy. Her role is to assist Christ in His role. She is not a mediator, nor a mediatrix, as that role is currently explained.

Properly understood, Mary is the Mediatrix in Christ. The feminine suffix (“trix”) is not merely an expression of the incidental fact that she is feminine. Rather, her role is particularly feminine. Eve was helper to Adam, not arbitrarily, but because the feminine role is inherently a helper role, a Mary-like role. The term Mediatrix ought to be understood, because it is feminine, as a role of assistance in Christ.

Mary has no role of mediation of her own, not with Christ, not under Christ, not a unique role explained in any way. Rather, she immerses herself in the role of Christ as the one Mediator. She takes nothing away from Christ as Mediator, as she would if she had her own unique role as a mediator with and under Christ. She assists Christ, as Eve assisted Adam before the Fall, by immersing herself in Him.

All Graces?

I have no objection to the expression “Mediatrix of all graces” as long as it is understood as having two exceptions. First, Mary is not the mediatrix of graces she herself receives; in that case, she is the recipient only. Second, Mary is not the mediatrix of graces that flow from the Divine Nature to the human nature of Christ within the hypostatic union. There is no mediatrix, nor any mediation within the hypostatic union. Even Christ himself is not the mediator of graces He himself receives from His own Divine Nature.

Some proponents of the title Mediatrix of all graces make the contradictory claim that Mary is only the Mediatrix of graces since her creation at the Immaculate Conception, or since her Assumption into Heaven. I disagree. From the Cross, Jesus dispenses all the graces that are given throughout time and place. Time is no obstacle to God. So the graces given to those who were saved before Christ, are from the Cross of Christ. Similarly, Mary in Christ is the Mediatrix of all graces, even those given before her Assumption, before her Immaculate Conception, before the creation of humanity. Throughout all time and place, from the Cross, Christ dispenses all grace, and so Mary, from the foot of the Cross, immerses herself in Christ and in His role of Mediation.

Advocatrix

The term “Advocatrix” is preferable over “Advocate” as the role is particularly feminine. Mary immerses herself in Christ, in His role as Advocate. The role of Mediatrix, co-Redemptrix, Advocatrix is a thoroughly feminine role found entirely in Christ, not beside Him, not under Him, not with Him, but only “in” Him.

A Definition

The Church will not provide a definition of this role that Mary has in Christ through the Roman Pontiff. Rather, She will provide it, I believe, through an Ecumenical Council, which will define the terms at length, rather than merely declaring these terms as titles without a definition. She will not exalt the common opinion to the level of dogma, but rather She will teach and correct. Those who exalt themselves above the Roman Pontiff and above the Magisterium will be disappointed. But they are not children of Mary who reject the Roman Pontiff or the Magisterium.

More Reading:

* Pope Francis and Mary Co-Redemptrix by Robert Fastiggi
* Abp. Viganò Descends into Fanatical Reactionary Nuthood by Dave Armstrong
* Pope Francis’ Guadalupe Homily and Mary “Co-Redemptrix” by Mark Miravalle
* Pope Francis and the coredemptive role of Mary, the “Woman of salvation” by Robert Fastiggi and Mark Miravalle
* Pope Francis, the Humility of Mary and the role of “Co-Redemptrix” by Robert Fastiggi

Ronald L. Conte Jr.