Topic:  What is the current status of Mary as co-redeemer?

Source of this posting: Moderator response

Date originally posted: April 12, 2003

Moderator who originally posted this source: Cathy Rusin

Question:   Ok, I have many questions, not sure where to begin. I was baptized catholic, left the faith after my parents divorce when I was 11, but that was not the reason. My biggest problems deal with things done by the church that I don't find biblical a.k.a. absolving of sins, communion, the pope But, now to the question...I'll start off about something easy. I was in a pizza hut the other day and there were trivial pursuit game cards at the table to amuse us before the pizza came. I was reading questions off of a card and saw one asking What religious figure did 6 million Catholics petition to the pope in 2000 to be titled a co-redeemer along side of Jesus Christ. The answer, of course, was the virgin Mary. I had no idea that this had happened and had never heard anything about it. I was wondering what your stance on that issue is, of Mary being a co-redeemer, and why 6 million people would agree that she should be titled so? Thank you very much for your listening to my question and hopefully answering it. It will be very much appreciated.

Answer: 

Thank you for writing and for your question. And a very good question it is – what a very strange thing to discover in a pizza joint! It is correct that over the course of the past decade 6 million people asked that the Pope declare for Mary the title of “Co-redemptrix”. It is also most fortunate that the Pope and Vatican have declined to take action on that request. (6 million seems like a LOT of people, but consider that there are over 60 million Roman Catholics just in the United States, and many, many more across the world)

After searching the internet today, it seems that the major impetus for this new title comes from a professor at the University of Steubenville and was supported by the EWTN organization – both very conservative Catholic institutions with well-connected networks of followers. It would appear to be an honest desire to honor Mary for her cooperative role (by saying yes at the Annunciation and by her presence and support throughout Jesus’ life and passion) in her Son’s redeeming work.

This is not a widely held, supported, or as you said, known point of theology. As you might imagine, the term is confusing – seeming to ascribe to Mary a role which is Christ’s alone – and would likely do damage to relationships with other Christian denominations. Now, while we are all called to share in the ministry of Christ, and we look rightly to Mary as the model of a faithful disciple- as the one who cooperates fully in God’s plan – we also recognize that is God alone who saves, who sanctifies, who redeems.

In the Catechism of the Catholic Church, during a section about Mary’s role with regards to the Church, the Vatican II Dogmatic Constitution “Lumen Gentium” is quoted:

970 "Mary's function as mother of men (sic) in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows its power. But the Blessed Virgin's salutary influence on men (sic). . . 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." "No creature could ever be counted along with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer; but just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways both by his ministers and the faithful, and as the one goodness of God is radiated in different ways among his creatures, so also the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise to a manifold cooperation which is but a sharing in this one source." (Lumen Gentium 60, 62)

So, yes while the request was made to give Mary this title, it has not been granted.

And you’ve got so many other important questions – I hope you will continue to seek out the answers! Please go find your local campus minister (or local parish priest or pastoral staff member) to talk with. And in the meantime, let me direct you to two sites that give good explanations about your particular questions and more (and there are definite Biblical references to all of your examples). The first is our own FAQ library. The second is a multi-topic website, to which I’ve directed you to the Q&A section. Good luck – keep searching – keep praying!

http://64.246.202.66/FAQ_Library/faq_library.htm

http://americancatholic.org/UpdateYourFaith/default.asp

Peace,
Cathy Rusin