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Magisterial Documents: Mary and God the Father

Magisterial Documents: Mary and God the Father

Below are direct quotes from Post-Vatican II Magisterial Documents concerning the following themes. These teachings of the Catholic Church may prove useful to include in talks, in homilies or for research.

Complete Magisterial Documents can be found on the internet.

General
Daughter of the Father
Immaculate Conception
Holiness
Mother of God
Ever Virgin
Other


GENERAL

Behold Your Mother (USA), 1973

For we believe the Father gave her to us as a "model of virtues for whole community of the elect." [LG 65] 146

Catechesi Tradendae, 1979

a unique vocation 73

a role in the mystery of salvation 73

[she taught] the history of God's plan for His people 73

[she taught] adoration of the Father 73

The Virgin Mary in Intellectual and Spiritual Formation, 1988

According to the doctrine of the Council, the relationship between Mary and God the Father derives from her role in relation to Christ. "When the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman...so that we might receive adoption as sons." (Gal 4:4-5) (LG 52) 6

To All Consecrated Persons, Marian Year, 1988

born of her as the "Son of Man" in order to fulfil [sic] the eternal will of the Father who "so loved the world." (cf. Jn 3:16) 22

Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994
Fidei Depositum, 1992

Economy of Salvation/Plan of God and Mary: Fidei Depositum, p. 5; 2 paragraphs 426, 502, 503, 969 [BB]

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DAUGHTER OF THE FATHER

Lumen Gentium, 1964

beloved daughter of the Father 5

exalted Daughter of Sion 55

When she is subject of preaching and worship, she prompts the faithful to come...to the love of the Father. 65

"Behold the handmaid...." (Lk 1:38) [related to the Father] 56

Signum Magnum, 1967

From that moment [Annunciation] she devoted herself wholly to serving not only her heavenly Father.... 17

General Catechetical Directory, 1971  Guidelines on Doctrine for Catechetical Materials, 1990

She "summons the believers to...love for the Father." 68

Behold Your Mother (USA), 1973

In the strength of her faith, Mary consents to the merciful Father's invitation. 33

The Father chose a perfectly responsive mother for the incarnate Son 56

totally responsive to the Father's will (PO 18) 69

In her appearances during the public life, Mary showed the same generous response to the will of the Father made manifest in her Son. [Cana]. 138

God asked great things of them both [Mary and Joseph] and they responded to His call with dedicated love. 143

Marialis Cultus, 1974

handmaid of the Lord [exemplar for all Christians, lesson and example of obedience to the will of the Father, which is the way and means of one's own sanctification] 21

Mother of the Son of God, and therefore beloved daughter of the Father and Temple of the Holy Spirit (LG 53) 56

Devotion to the Blessed Virgin finds its ultimate justification in the unfathomable and free will of God who, being eternal and divine charity (cf. 1 Jn. 4:7-8, 16), accomplishes all things according to a loving design. He loved her and did great things for her. (cf. Lk. 1:49) He loved her for His own sake, and He loved her for our sake, too; He gave her to Himself and He gave her also to us. 56

Gaudete in Domino, 1975

the beloved Daughter of God

Redemptor Hominis, 1979

The Father's eternal love, which has been manifested in the history of mankind through the Son whom the Father gave, "that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (Jn 3:16), comes close to each of us through this Mother and thus takes on tokens that are of more easy understanding and access by each person. Consequently, Mary must be on all the ways for the Church's daily life. Final paragraph.

Redemptoris Mater, 1987

She is also the favorite daughter of the Father. 9

"Mary figured profoundly in the history of salvation.... Hence when she is being preached and venerated, she summons the faithful to her Son and his sacrifice, and to love for the Father." (LG 65) 28

It is [Christ] whom the Father has given to the world, so that man "should not perish but have eternal life." (Jn. 3:16) The Virgin of Nazareth became the first "witness" of this saving love of the Father, and she also wishes to remain its humble handmaid always and everywhere. 46

Mary, the exalted Daughter of Sion, helps all her children, wherever they may be and whatever their condition, to find in Christ the path to the Father's house. 47

The Virgin Mary in Intellectual and Spiritual Formation, 1988

open through Christ in the Spirit to the transcendence of God in filial dedication. 21

To All Consecrated Persons, Marian Year, 1988

All those gathered in the Upper Room are aware that from the moment of Christ's return to the Father their life is hid with him in God. Mary lives in this awareness more than anyone else. 21

Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 1994

highly favored daughter of the Father. 54

Evangelium Vitae, 1995

The whole of the Virgin Mother's life is in fact pervaded by the certainty that God is near to her and that he accompanies her with his providential care. The same is true of the Church ... 105

Vita Consecrata, 1996

You who did the will of the Father. 112

Evangelii Gaudium, 2013

She is the handmaid of the Father who sings his praises. 286

Ecclesia in Asia, 1999

You fully and freely accepted the Father's call
to be the Mother of God; 51

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IMMACULATE CONCEPTION

Lumen Gentium, 1964

all holy and free from every stain of sin [Church Fathers] 56

impeded by no sin 56

Immaculate Virgin preserved free from all stain of original sin [cf. Pius IX, Bull Ineffabilis, Dec 8, 1854:Acta Oi IX, 1, 1, p. 616; Denz.9 1641 (2803)] 59

Signum Magnum, 1967

she, who was free from original sin 29

Creed, Paul VI, 1968

preserved from all stain of original sin [16: cf. Pius IX, Ineffabilis Deus, Acta, pars. I, vol. I, p. 616] 14

the Immaculate 15

General Catechetical Directory, 1971 Guidelines on Doctrine for Catechetical Materials, 1990

who was preserved from all stain of original sin 68

Basic Teaching for Catholic Education (USA), 1973

Special gifts bestowed on her by God include...her immaculate conception (her preservation from original sin) [sic]. 24

Behold Your Mother (USA), 1973

Blessed be her holy and Immaculate Conception. (Divine Praises) 10

He [God] chose Mary, prepared her, guided her to a fully human consent. 15

Kept free from original sin, she was able to give herself wholeheartedly to the saving work of her Son. 18

God's favor was expressed in the initial gift of grace to Mary which we call the "Immaculate Conception." 18

"adorned with the radiance of a singular holiness from the first moment of her conception...." (LG 56) In this statement, the Council calls attention to the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception. 52

In 1854 Pope Pius IX defined as revealed truth "that the Blessed Virgin Mary in the first instant of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God, in view of the foreseen merits of Jesus Christ the Savior of the human race, was preserved free from all stain of original sin." [Ineffabilis Deus, 8 Dec 1854] 52

[normal conception, birth, but gifted] The grace which others receive in Baptism, God gave to Mary even before her birth, through the foreseen merits of Christ, to prepare her to be the Mother of the Redeemer. The doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is doubly Christ-centered. ... no one is saved apart from Christ. ... the preservative redemption of Mary is totally and splendidly God's gift to her because she was to be the Mother of Christ. 53
impeded by no sin (LG 56) 55

early regarded by popular piety as singularly holy even in her origin, and a feast of the "conception of holy Mary" was celebrated in some countries as early as the eighth or ninth centuries.55

Her privileged origin is the final step in preparing mankind to receive the Redeemer. 56

More on Immaculate Conception: 54-56, 102, 104, 111

Mary, the Immaculate Conception: Patroness of the United States [Appendix]

Marialis Cultus, 1974

[Dec 8, liturgical celebration of, one of four Marian solemnities in revised liturgy,] 3, 6, 11

[liturgy, doctrinal theme] which texts recognize the beginning of the Church, the spotless Bride of Christ. (Preface) 11

her holiness, already full at her Immaculate Conception yet increasing all the time 56

Sharing the Light of Faith (USA), 1979

Special gifts bestowed on her by God include...her immaculate conception (her preservation from original sin) [sic]. 106

Catechesi Tradendae, 1979

to Mary, the Immaculate One 30

Redemptoris Mater, 1987

In the event of the Immaculate Conception the Church sees projected, and anticipated in her most noble member, the saving grace of Easter. 1 [See also 3]

By virtue of the richness of the grace of the beloved Son, by reason of the redemptive merits of him who willed to become her Son, Mary was preserved from the inheritance of original sin. (Ftn lists Fathers) In this way, from the first moment of her

conception-which is to say of her existence - she belonged to Christ, sharing in the salvific and sanctifying grace and in that love which has its beginning in the "Beloved," the Son of the Eternal Father, who through the Incarnation became her own Son. 10

The Virgin Mary in Intellectual and Spiritual Formation, 1988

In view of this unique mission, God the Father preserved her from original sin .... (LG 56) 6

In the field of dogmatic theology, the study of Mariology has contributed in the post-conciliar debate to a more suitable illustration of dogmas brought about in: the discussion on original sin (dogma of the Immaculate Conception) 12 ... [apply following to all four dogmas]

This has required critical study of the historical circumstances in which these dogmas were defined, and of the language in which they were formulated, understanding them in the light of the insights of biblical exegesis, of a more rigorous understanding of Tradition, of the questions raised by the human sciences and with a refutation of unfounded objections. 12

Veritatis Splendor, 1993

Not having known sin, she is able to have compassion on every kind of weakness. 120

Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 1994

Two thousand years ago the Son of God was made man by the power of the Holy Spirit and was born of the Immaculate virgin Mary. 26

Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994 Fidei Depositum, 1992

411 ... Mary benefited first of all and uniquely from Christ's victory over sin: she was preserved from all stain of original sin and by a special grace of God committed no sin of any kind during her whole earthly life. (cf. Pius IX Ineffabilis Deus) [See also 966]

490 To become the mother of the Savior, Mary "was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role." (LG 56)The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as "full of grace." (Lk 1:28) In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly born by God's grace.

491 Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, "full of grace" (Lk 1:28) through God, was redeemed from the moment of her conception. That is what the dogma of the Immaculate Conception confesses, as Pope Pius IX proclaimed in 1854:

The most Blessed Virgin Mary was, from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege of almighty God and by virtue of the merits of Jesus Christ, Savior of the human race, preserved immune from all stain of original sin. (Pius IX Ineffabilis Deus)

508 From among the descendants of Eve, God chose the Virgin Mary to be the mother of his Son. "Full of grace," Mary is "the most excellent fruit of redemption" (SC 103): from the first instant of her conception, she was totally preserved from the stain of original sin and she remained pure from all personal sin throughout her life.

Vita Consecrata, 1996

Mary is the one who from the moment of her immaculate conception most perfectly reflects the divine beauty. "All beautiful" is the title with which the church invokes her 28

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HOLINESS

Lumen Gentium, 1964

all holy 56

exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord of Lords... (cf. Rev 19:16) 59

endowed with the high office and dignity of the Mother of the Son of God 53

far surpassing all creatures [because endowed and exalted] 53

enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role... all holy, free from every stain of sin 56

enriched from the first instant of her conception with the splendor of an entirely unique holiness...is hailed by the heralding angel, by divine command, as "full of grace" (cf. Lk 1:28) 56 et al

by reason of the gift and role of divine motherhood...63

unique graces and functions...also intimately united to the Church 63

by grace been exalted...to a place second only to her Son 66

Mense Maio, 1965

Mary most holy 10

Signum Magnum, 1967

most holy Virgin Mary because of her special privileges (her role as Mother of God being the pre-eminent one) 6 Mary's outstanding holiness was not just a singular gift from God. It was also a result of that fact that she freely and earnestly heeded the interior promptings of the Holy Spirit at all times 16 [God our Savior, i.e. the Father] who...gave us Mary as an example of holiness to be imitated 24 possessed outstanding holiness 29

Basic Teaching for Catholic Education (USA), 1973

singularly blessed and relevant

Behold Your Mother (USA), 1973

God's free choice is the reason for Mary's place in the plan for our redemption. 6

Blessed be the great Mother of God, Mary most holy (Divine Praises) 10

God bestows His grace freely.. . Mary, then, has a central function in the fulfillment of redemption.15

Blessedness

In the Bible "blessed" is the preferred description of the Mother of Jesus. 51

John Macquarrie, Anglican theologian, suggests that the beatitudes help us understand how the word "blessed" is particularly associated with Mary: "The qualities set forth there are those which we see also in the Blessed Virgin. So the blessedness of the Virgin adumbrates the blessedness of the Church - no earthly happiness, but a 'likeness to God,' which means a participation in God's self - giving love. . . ."51

... the belief of the primitive Church in Mary's unique holiness: "All ages to come will call me blessed. . . . God who is mighty has done great things for me." (Lk 1:48) In her, above all others, was realized the promise of our Lord "blest are those who hear the word of God and keep it." (Lk 11:28).51

[See also quote from John Henry Newman on blessedness of sanctity 54]

The Virgin Mary was called by the Fathers of the Church "all holy," the term beloved to this day by Christians in the East. 52 [Eastern Liturgy 90]
"free from all stain of sin,"... The Second Vatican Council asserts that she was "adorned with the radiance of a singular holiness from the first moment of her conception...." (LG 56) 52 [refers to both holiness and Immaculate Conception]

initial holiness, a totally unmerited gift of God 56

Pondering the hidden holiness of Mary, the Church learns to imitate her charity and to carry out in faith the Father's will. 80

holy 106

Marialis Cultus, 1974

[liturgy, doctrinal theme] fullness of grace 11

[liturgy, doctrinal theme] her exemplary sanctity; the holy Mother of God and therefore the provident Mother of the Church. (Prayer after Communion) 11

[see also] singular dignity of the Virgin; holiness and virtues of her who is "full of grace." (Lk 1:28) 22

In the Virgin Mary everything is relative to Christ and dependent upon Him. It was with a view to Christ that God the Father from all eternity chose her to be the all-holy Mother and adorned her with gifts of the Spirit granted to no one else. 25

"Mother of the Son of God, and therefore beloved daughter of the Father and Temple of the Holy Spirit - Mary, who, because of this extraordinary grace, is far greater than any other creature on earth or in heaven." (LG 53) 56

her holiness, already full at her Immaculate Conception yet increasing all the time as she obeyed the will of the Father and accepted the path of suffering (cf. Lk. 2:34-35, 41-52; Jn. 19:25-27), growing constantly in faith, hope and charity. 56

Sharing the Light of Faith (USA), 1979

Singularly blessed, Mary speaks significantly to our lives and needs in the sinlessness of her total love 106

Dominum et Vivificantem, 1986

Mary is also the one who obtained mercy in a particular and exceptional way, as no other person has. 9

Mary, then, is the one who has the deepest knowledge of God's mercy. She knows its price; she knows how great it is. In this sense, we call her the Mother of Mercy; our Lady of mercy, or Mother of divine mercy; in each one of these titles there is a deep theological meaning, for they express the special preparation of her soul, of her whole personality, so that she is able to perceive, through the complex events, first of Israel, then of every individual and of the whole humanity, that mercy of which "from generation to generation (Lk 1:50) people become sharers according to the eternal design of the most Holy Trinity. 9

Redemptoris Mater, 1987

Articles 7-11: "full of grace"

God who is the "Father of our Lord Jesus Christ ...chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. He destined us in love to be his sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, which he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace." (Eph. 1:4-7)... [the plan] includes everyone, but it reserves a special place for the "woman" who is the Mother of him to whom the Father has entrusted the work of salvation. (Ftn 19: cf. John Damascene) 7

(Lk. 1:29): What could those extraordinary words mean, and in particular the expression "full of grace"? (kecharitomene) (Ftn 21, history of term) 8

[scriptural echoes of term: Ephesians, "blessed among women," (cf. Lk. 1:42) a spiritual blessing which is meant for all people and which bears in itself fullness and universality ("every blessing"), Blessing, however, refers to Mary in a special and exceptional degree: for she was greeted by Elizabeth as "blessed among women."] 8

in the soul of this "daughter of Sion" there is manifested, in a sense, all the "glory of grace," that grace which "the Father .. has given us in his beloved Son." 8

The messenger greets Mary as "full of grace"; he calls her thus as if it were her real name. He does not call her by her proper earthly name: Miryam (= Mary), but by this new name: "full of grace." 8

[What, why] 8

In the... Bible "grace" means a special gift, [in NT] has its source precisely in the Trinitarian life of God himself, God who is love (cf. I Jn. 4:8).

The fruit of this love is "the election" of which the Letter to the Ephesians speaks.

This election is the eternal desire to save man through a sharing in his own life (cf. 2 Pt. 1:4) in Christ: it is salvation through a sharing in supernatural life.

The effect of this eternal gift, of this grace of man's election by God, is like a seed of holiness, or a spring which rises in the soul as a gift from God himself, who through grace gives life and holiness to those who are chosen.

When we read that the messenger addresses Mary as "full of grace," the Gospel context, which mingles revelations and ancient promises, enables us to understand that among all the "spiritual blessings in Christ" this is a special "blessing."

[Hence]- the one whom the Father "has chosen" as Mother of his Son in the Incarnation

Together with the Father, the Son has chosen her, entrusting her eternally to the Spirit of holiness

In an entirely special and exceptional way Mary is united to Christ 8

and similarly she is eternally loved in this "beloved Son," this Son who is of one being with the Father, in whom is concentrated all the "glory of grace."

At the same time, she is and remains perfectly open to this "gift from above." (cf. Jas. 1:17) As the Council teaches, Mary "stands out among the poor and humble of the Lord, who confidently await and receive salvation from him." (LG 55) 8

[Mary's election] 9 - as Mother of the Son of God.

at the same time the "fullness of grace" indicates all the supernatural munificence from which Mary benefits by being chosen and destined to be the Mother of Christ.

[if election for everyone] then the election of Mary is wholly exceptional and unique. Hence, also the singularity and uniqueness of her place in the mystery of Christ.

Because of this gift of sublime grace, she far surpasses all other creatures, both in heaven and on earth." (LG 53) 9

Mary, Mother of the Incarnate Word, is placed at the very center of that enmity, that struggle which accompanies the history of humanity on earth and the history of salvation itself. In this central place, she who belongs to the "weak and poor of the Lord" bears in herself, like no other member of the human race, that "glory of grace" which the Father "has bestowed on us in his beloved Son," and this grace determines the extraordinary greatness and beauty of her whole being.11

Mary thus remains before God, and also before the whole of humanity, as the unchangeable and inviolable sign of God's election, spoken of in Paul's letter: "in Christ ... he chose us ... before the foundation of the world .... he destined us ... to be his sons." (Eph. 1:4, 5) 11

The fullness of grace announced by the angel means the gift of God himself. Mary's faith, proclaimed by Elizabeth at the Visitation, indicates how the Virgin of Nazareth responded to this gift.12

Letter to Priests for Holy Thursday, 1988

The Council text goes on to develop this typological analogy: "The Church, moreover, contemplating Mary's mysterious sanctity, imitating her charity and faithfully fulfilling the Father's will, becomes herself a mother by faithfully accepting God's word." [LG 64] 4

The Virgin Mary in Intellectual and Spiritual Formation, 1988

becoming by grace " Mother of God."( cf. LG 53) 6

In view of this unique mission, ..., enriched her with an abundance of heavenly gifts and, in the plan of his Wisdom "willed that consent of the predestined mother should precede the Incarnation." (LG 56) 6 [See also 9]

Mulieris Dignitatem, 1988

The "fullness of time" manifests the extraordinary dignity of the "woman." ... This dignity consists in the supernatural elevation to union with God in Jesus Christ, which determines the ultimate finality of the existence of every person both on earth and in eternity. [hence] the "woman" is the representative and the archetype of the whole human race ...4

She "precedes" everyone on the path to holiness. 27

Redemptoris Custos, St. Joseph, 1988

"It is certain that the dignity of the Mother of God is so exalted that nothing could be more sublime; yet because Mary was united to Joseph by the bond of marriage, there can be no doubt but that Joseph approached as no other person ever could that eminent dignity whereby the Mother of God towers above all creatures. Since marriage is the highest degree of association and friendship, involving by its very nature a communion of goods, it follows that God, by giving Joseph to the Virgin, did not give him to her only as a companion for life, a witness of her virginity and protector of her honor: he also gave Joseph to Mary in order that he might share, through the marriage pact, in her own sublime greatness." [Leo XIII] 20

This bond of charity was the core of the Holy Family's life. 21

Veritatis Splendor, 1993

"all-holy" 106

Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 1994

In the broad perspective of commitments, Mary Most Holy, the highly favored daughter of the Father, will appear before the eyes of believers as the perfect model of love towards both God and neighbor. 54

Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994 Fidei Depositum, 1992

490 To become the mother of the Savior, Mary "was enriched by God with gifts appropriate to such a role." (LG 56) The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as "full of grace." (Lk 1:28) In fact, in order for Mary to be able to give the free assent of her faith to the announcement of her vocation, it was necessary that she be wholly born by God's grace.

492 The "splendor of an entirely unique holiness" by which Mary is "enriched from the first instant of her conception" comes wholly from Christ: she is "redeemed, in a more exalted fashion, by reason of the merits of her Son." (LG 53, 56) The Father blessed Mary more than any other created person "in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" and chose her "in Christ before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless before him in love." (cf. Eph 1:3-4)

493 The Fathers of the Eastern tradition call the Mother of God "the All-Holy" (Panagia) and celebrate her as "free from any stain of sin, as though fashioned by the Holy Spirit and formed as a new creature." (LG 56) By the grace of God Mary remained free of every personal sin her whole life long.

867 The Church is holy: the Most Holy God is her author; Christ, her bridegroom, gave himself up to make her holy; the Spirit of holiness gives her life. Since she still includes sinners, she is "the sinless one made up of sinners." (no source given) Her holiness shines in the saints; in Mary she is already all-holy.

Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 2002

I wish to lift up my thanks to the Lord in the words of his Most Holy Mother, under whose protection I have placed my Petrine ministry: Totus Tuus! 3

When in the Rosary we plead with Mary, the sanctuary of the Holy Spirit (cf. Lk 1:35), she intercedes for us before the Father who filled her with grace and before the Son born of her womb, praying with us and for us. 16

She is "all-powerful by grace," to use the bold expression, which needs to be properly understood, of Blessed Bartolo Longo in his Supplication to Our Lady. 16

Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 2003

Above all, let us listen to Mary Most Holy, in whom the mystery of the Eucharist appears, more than in anyone else, as a mystery of light. Gazing upon Mary, we come to know the transforming power present in the Eucharist. In her we see the world renewed in love. 62

Deus Caritas Est, 2005

Outstanding among the saints is Mary, Mother of the Lord and mirror of all holiness. 41

In the saints one thing becomes clear: those who draw near to God do not withdraw from men, but rather become truly close to them. In no one do we see this more clearly than in Mary. 42

  1. Gaudete et Exultate, 2016
  2.  
  3. I would like these reflections to be crowned by Mary, because she lived the Beatitudes of Jesus as none other. She is that woman who rejoiced in the presence of God, who treasured everything in her heart, and who let herself be pierced by the sword. Mary is the saint among the saints, blessed above all others. She teaches us the way of holiness and she walks ever at our side. She does not let us remain fallen and at times she takes us into her arms without judging us. Our converse with her consoles, frees and sanctifies us. Mary our Mother does not need a flood of words. She does not need us to tell her what is happening in our lives. All we need do is whisper, time and time again: “Hail Mary…” 176

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MOTHER OF GOD

Lumen Gentium, 1964

The Father of mercies willed that the Incarnation should be preceded by assent on the part of the predestined mother. 56

predestination of Blessed Virgin as Mother of God 61

[as gift and role from the Father] the Mother of God is a type of the Church... 63

exalted...as most holy Mother of God who was involved in the mysteries of Christ [therefore cult] 66

Christi Matri Rosarii, 1968

[articles using the term as a title: 13, 15, 19, 20, 22]

Signum Magnum, 1967

was accorded a special "role...in the mystery of the Incarnate Word and the mystery of the Mystical Body," [LG 54] that is, "in the economy of salvation." [LG 55] 5

privileges (her role as Mother of God being the pre-eminent one) 6chosen by God to be the spotless Mother of his only begotten Son 17

General Catechetical Directory, 1971

Because she is the Mother of God and "mother to us in the order of grace" (LG, 61) 68

Basic Teaching for Catholic Education (USA), 1973

[special gift from God] being Mother of God 24

Behold Your Mother (USA), 1973

Mary of Nazareth, the "predestined mother" who would not merely "contribute to life" but bring into the world the One who is Life itself and who renews all things. 20

Blessed be the great Mother of God (Divine Praises) 10

The merciful Father intervenes in human history to send the new Adam, born of the Virgin Mary through the power of the Spirit. 24

eternally predestined, in conjunction with the Incarnation of the divine Word to be the Mother of God" (LG 61, repeating Pope Pius IX) 55

In the liturgy "we honor Mary the ever-virgin Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God" (Eucharistic Prayer 1); "Mary, the virgin Mother of God" (Prayers 11 and 111); and "the Virgin Mary, the Mother of God." (Prayer IV) 62

the title "Mother of God," which was declared to be the faith of the Church at the Third Ecumenical Council, held at Ephesus, in 431 AD 62 [See also 106]

no other formula makes so evident the intimate link between devotion to the Virgin Mary and belief in the Incarnation 62

prayer, "We fly to thy patronage, O holy Mother of God" [maybe 3 c] 62

By God's call and her free response in the power of his grace, Mary became the Mother of Jesus, Son of God made man, and thus truly "Mother of God." 114

More on Mother of God 63-64, 106

[especially Constantinople, Ephesus 431, Chalcedon 451, II Constantinople 553 and a further quote of St. Cyril of Alexandria]
Mother of God [use in eastern liturgy] 90

Marialis Cultus, 1974

[1 Jan, liturgical celebration of, one of four Marian solemnities in revised liturgy] 5, 6, 11

[liturgy, doctrinal theme] 11

Sharing the Light of Faith (USA), 1979

Special gifts bestowed on her by God include her vocation as mother of God. 106

Redemptor Hominis, 1979

Nobody has been brought into it [the mystery of the Redemption] by God himself as Mary has. It is in this that the exceptional character of the grace of the divine Motherhood consists.

Not only is the dignity of this Motherhood unique and unrepeatable in the history of the human race, but Mary's participation, due to the Maternity, in God's plan for man's salvation through the mystery of the Redemption is also unique in profundity and range of action. Final paragraph.

Catechesi Tradendae, 1979

Mother of God [listed as: give full place (to this teaching)] 30

Dominum et Vivificantem, 1986

In the magnificent confession of the fatherhood of God, Jesus of Nazareth also manifests himself, his divinity "I:" for he is the Son "of the same substance," and therefore "no one knows who the Son is except the Son," that Son who "for us and for our salvation" became man by the power of the Holy Spirit and was born of the virgin whose name was Mary. 21

Redemptoris Mater, 1987

"The Father of mercies willed that the consent of the predestined Mother should precede the Incarnation." (LG 56) 13

For it must be recognized that before anyone else it was God himself, the Eternal Father, who entrusted himself to the Virgin of Nazareth, giving her his own Son in the mystery of the Incarnation. 39 [See C. Neumann, S.M., MS, 1988, 162: relied on; not entrusted]

The Virgin Mary in Intellectual and Spiritual Formation, 1988

[Creed] The first symbols of the faith and, successively, the dogmatic formulas of the Councils of Constantinople (381), of Ephesus (431) and of Chalcedon (451) are - evidence of the developing appreciation of the mystery of Christ, true God and true man, - at the same time of the progressive discovery of the role of Mary in the mystery of the Incarnation, a discovery which led to the dogmatic definition of Mary's divine and virginal motherhood. 2

Mary, therefore, who, by her condition, was the Handmaid of the Lord [relationship to the Father] (cf. Lk 1:38,48), "received the Word of God in her heart and in her body, and gave life to the world," becoming by grace " Mother of God." (cf. LG 53). 6

For Christ, and therefore also for the Church, God willed and predestined the Virgin from all eternity. 9

post-conciliar debate to a more suitable illustration of dogmas brought about in: ... on the Incarnation of the Word (dogma of the virginal conception of Christ, dogma of the divine maternity) ... 12

Mulieris Dignitatem, 1988

The particular union of the "Theotokos" with God - which fulfills in the most eminent manner the supernatural predestination to union with the Father which is granted to every human being (filii in Filio) - is a pure grace and, as such, a gift of the Spirit. [see also free will] 4

This divine motherhood ... is an altogether unforeseen response to the human expectation of women in Israel; it comes to Mary as a gift from God himself. ... it is a sign of eschatological hope. 20

Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 1994

The Father chose her for a unique mission in the history of salvation: that of being the Mother of the long-awaited Savior. 54

Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994 Fidei Depositum, 1992

466, 467, 469, 495, 509, 529, 975, Creed, 1138

Novo Millennio Ineunte, 2001

Yes, Jesus is true God and true man! Like the Apostle Thomas, the Church is constantly invited by Christ to touch his wounds, to recognize, that is, the fullness of his humanity taken from Mary, given up to death, transfigured by the Resurrection: "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side." (Jn 20:27) 21

Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 2002

If it is the Father's plan to unite all things in Christ (cf. Eph 1:10), then the whole of the universe is in some way touched by the divine favor with which the Father looks upon Mary and makes her the Mother of his Son. 20

The first part of the Hail Mary, drawn from the words spoken to Mary by the Angel Gabriel and by St. Elizabeth, is a contemplation in adoration of the mystery accomplished in the Virgin of Nazareth. These words express, so to speak, the wonder of heaven and earth; they could be said to give us a glimpse of God's own wonderment as he contemplates his "masterpiece" - the Incarnation of the Son in the womb of the Virgin Mary. If we recall how, in the Book of Genesis, God "saw all that he had made," (Gen 1:31) we can find here an echo of that "pathos with which God, at the dawn of creation, looked upon the work of his hands." (Letter to Artists, April 4, 1996) The repetition of the Hail Mary in the Rosary gives us a share in God's own wonder and pleasure: in jubilant amazement we acknowledge the greatest miracle of history. 33

Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 2003

It is not by chance that the Eastern Anaphoras and the Latin Eucharistic Prayers honor Mary, the ever-Virgin Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God, the angels, the holy apostles, the glorious martyrs and all the saints. 19

In a certain sense Mary lived her Eucharistic faith even before the institution of the Eucharist, by the very fact that she offered her virginal womb for the Incarnation of God's Word. The Eucharist, while commemorating the passion and resurrection, is also in continuity with the incarnation. (2-2) 55

Mary was asked to believe that the One whom she conceived "through the Holy Spirit" was "the Son of God." (Lk 1:30-35) In continuity with the Virgin's faith, in the Eucharistic mystery we are asked to believe that the same Jesus Christ, Son of God and Son of Mary, becomes present in his full humanity and divinity under the signs of bread and wine. (3-1, 6-2b) 55

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EVER VIRGIN

Lumen Gentium, 1964

glorious ever Virgin Mary...[Canon of the Roman Mass] 52

ever virgin 69

Virgin Mary...is acknowledged...53

Christ's virginal conception 57

at the birth of Our Lord, who did not diminish his mother's virginal integrity but sanctified it 57

born of a virgin 65


Signum Magnum, 1967

The chaste spouse of St. Joseph remained a virgin during and after the birth of Christ, as the Catholic church has always believed and professed. [ftn 31 lists seven early sources and LG 52, 55, 57, 59, 63] 18

altogether fitting...honor of divine motherhood 18


Creed, Paul VI, 1968

We believe that Mary is the Mother, who remained ever a Virgin,... [cf. Conc. Ephes., DS 251-252] 14

Blessed Virgin 15


General Catechetical Directory, 1971 Guidelines on Doctrine for Catechetical Materials, 1990

Ever-Virgin Mother 68

Basic Teaching for Catholic Education (USA), 1973

The "ever-virgin mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God," [Footnoted: 106 First Eucharistic Prayer of the Mass 24


Behold Your Mother (USA), 1973

Blessed be the name of Mary, Virgin and Mother (Divine Praises) 10

Virgin Birth:

"How can this be since I do not know man?" Mary's question is evidence of the belief of the early Church that Jesus was virginally conceived, the doctrine usually called the "Virgin Birth." 24

The conception of the Son of Mary without a human father is the sign that the Incarnation is the new creation, independent of the will of man or urge of the flesh. (Jn 1:13) 24

Mary's virginal conception of Jesus, and her life-long virginal vocation, were taken as the model of the Church's virginal faith. 39

Both St. Luke and St. Matthew bear witness to the fact that Jesus had no human father. St. Luke brings this out in relating Mary's question (1:34) and St. Matthew in telling of Joseph's dream. (1:20-25) Some of the Fathers read an allusion to the Virgin birth in St. John's reference to those "begotten not by blood, nor by carnal desire, nor by man's willing it, but by God." (1:13) 42 [See also 133]

What is normative in the matter of the Virgin birth is the teaching of the Church. [fourfold: sense of the people, theologians, liturgy/prayers, magisterial teaching] 43

creed..."born of the Virgin Mary." 44, 106

The Virgin birth...not...symbolical [description], not...a literary device...nor...a human construct 44

Catholic belief in the Virgin birth rests not on the Scriptures alone, but on the constant and consistent faith of the Church. 44

Ignatius of Antioch (d. Ca. 110), "the Son of God...truly born of a virgin;" St. Justin, "Virgin Mary;" Hippolytus, "I believe in ...born from the Holy Spirit of Mary the Virgin." 45

The Virgin birth...a sign and means for the Spirit to build the new People of God, the Body of Christ, the Church. 48 [See also 79]

virgin 106

more on the Virgin birth 46-48

and which His Virgin Mother also chose." 50

Always a Virgin:

The truth that Mary remained always a virgin, that is, that she had no other children and never used her marital rights, emerges clearly in the Church's consciousness in the fourth century, when "ever-virgin" became a common description of her. 49

[Consecrated virginal life] discovered in Mary an exemplar of virginal consecration to Christ. 49

In the writings of St. Athanasius of Alexandria (d. 373), of St. Ambrose (d. 397), of St. Augustine (d. 430), and of St. Jerome (d.420), our Lady's lifelong virginity is praised. 49

By the time of the Council of Ephesus, 431 A.D., belief in the perpetual virginity of Mary was well formulated. 49

This teaching about Mary's lifelong virginity is an example of the Church's growth in understanding of Christian doctrine. 50

In Mary's virginal dedication to her Son's saving work, the Church sees delineated her own mission ... the kingdom of God, in its present reality as well as in its future completion. The Dogmatic Constitution on the Church repeated this conviction, urging religious to "pattern (themselves) after that manner of virginal and humble life which Christ the Lord elected for himself and which His Virgin Mother also chose." (LG 46) 50

"the ever-virgin Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God," (Eucharistic Prayer I) 62

God called Mary and Joseph to sublimate the consummation of their married love in exclusive dedication to the holy Child, conceived not by a human father but by the Holy Spirit. When Mary said to Gabriel, "How can this be since I do not know man?" (Lk 1:34), the angel told her of the virginal conception. 133


Marialis Cultus, 1974

The Christmas season is a prolonged commemoration of the divine, virginal and salvific motherhood of her whose "inviolate virginity brought the Savior into the world." (Euch Prayer I, Christmas Communicante) 5

[liturgy, doctrinal theme] unblemished and fruitful virginity 11


Sharing the Light of Faith (USA), 1979

In taking on human flesh through the ever-virgin Mary 87

"ever-virgin mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God," [Footnoted: 45 Roman Ritual, First Eucharistic Prayer of the Mass.] 106


Catechesi Tradendae, 1979

ever Virgin 30


Dominum et Vivificantem, 1986

where he had lived for thirty years in the house of Joseph the carpenter, with Mary, his Virgin Mother 18


Redemptoris Mater, 1987

while preserving her virginity intact 20

conceived in her virginal womb 30

Orientals pay high tribute, in very beautiful hymns, to Mary ever Virgin ... God's Most Holy Mother." (UR 15) 31

[See Mary's role as virgin and mother in 39]


The Virgin Mary in Intellectual and Spiritual Formation, 1988

[Creed, see above]

conceived the Son of God in his human nature in her virginal womb through the action of the Holy Spirit and without the intervention of man (cf. LG 57,61) 7

post-conciliar debate to a more suitable illustration of dogmas brought about in: on the Incarnation of the Word (dogma of the virginal conception of Christ, dogma of the divine maternity ... 12


Mulieris Dignitatem, 1988

[see Annunciation] 3

[see discussion virginity and motherhood] The description of the Annunciation ... clearly shows that this seemed impossible to the Virgin ... 17

firm in her resolve to preserve her virginity 17 [See also 20]

Virginity and motherhood co-exist in her: they do not mutually exclude each other or place limits on each other. 17

On the basis of the Gospel, the meaning of virginity was developed and better understood as a vocation for women too, one in which their dignity, like that of the Virgin of Nazareth, finds confirmation. ... the ideal of the consecration of the person ... exclusive dedication to God. 20


Redemptoris Custos, St. Joseph, 1989

The nature of this "marriage" is explained indirectly when Mary, after hearing what the messenger says about the birth of the child, asks, "How can this be, since I do not know man?" (Lk 1:34) 2

Although Mary is already "wedded" to Joseph, she will remain a virgin, because the child conceived in her at the Annunciation was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. 2

While clearly affirming that Jesus was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit, and that virginity remained intact in the marriage (cf. Mt. 1:18-25; Lk 1:26-38), the evangelists refer to Joseph as Mary's husband and to Mary as his wife (cf. Mt 1:16, 18-20, 24; Lk 1:27; 2:5). 7

And while it is important for the Church to profess the virginal conception of Jesus, it is no less important to uphold Mary's marriage to Joseph, because juridically Joseph's fatherhood depends on it. 7

Scripture recognizes that Jesus is not born of Joseph's seed, since in his concern about the origin of Mary's pregnancy, Joseph is told that it is of the Holy Spirit. 7

[St. Augustine] "...Finally, even the Virgin Mary, well aware that she has not conceived Christ as a result of conjugal relations with Joseph, still calls him Christ's father." 7

In the Eucharistic Sacrifice, the Church venerates the memory of Mary the ever Virgin Mother of God and the memory of St. Joseph. 16

Hence, what had taken place earlier, namely, Joseph's marriage to Mary, happened in accord with God's will and was meant to endure. In her divine motherhood Mary had to continue to live as "a virgin, the wife of her husband." (cf. Lk 1:27) 18


Veritatis Splendor, 1993

virgin mother of God 106


Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994 Fidei Depositum, 1992 Virginity of Mary:

p. 49: Apostles' Creed and Nicene Creed

437, 452, 456, 469, 470, 487, 496, 497, 498, 499, 500, 501, 503, 505, 506, 510, 717 [BB]

[See also 494, 504, 505]

499 The deepening of faith in the virginal motherhood led the Church to confess Mary's real and perpetual virginity even the act of giving birth to the son of God made man. (cf. DS 291; 294, 427, 442, 503, 571, 1880) In fact, Christ's birth "did not diminish his mother's virginal integrity but sanctified it." (LG 57) And so the liturgy of the Church celebrates Mary as Aeiparthenos, the "Ever-virgin." (Cf. LG 52)

502 The eyes of faith can discover in the context of the whole of Revelation the mysterious reasons why God in his saving plan wanted his Son to be born of a virgin. These reasons touch both on the person of Christ and his redemptive mission, and on the welcome Mary gave that mission on behalf of all men.

503 Mary's virginity manifests God's absolute initiative in the Incarnation. Jesus has only God as Father. "He was never estranged from the Father because of the human nature which he assumed....He is naturally Son of the Father as to his divinity and naturally son of his mother as to his humanity, but properly Son of the Father in both natures." (Council of Friuli, 796 )

506 Mary is a virgin because her virginity is the sign of her faith "unadulterated by any doubt," and of her undivided gift of herself to God's will. (LG 63, cf. 1 Cor 7:34-35) It is her faith that enables her to become the mother of the Savior: "Mary is more blessed because she embraces faith in Christ than because she conceives the flesh of Christ." (Augustine)

510 Mary "remained a virgin in conceiving her Son, a virgin in giving birth to him, a virgin in carrying him, a virgin in nursing him at her breast, always a virgin" (St. Augustine, Serm. 186, 1:PL 38, 999): with her whole being she is "the handmaid of the Lord." (Lk 1:38)


Vita Consecrata, 1996

The consecrated life has always been seen primarily in terms of Mary - virgin and bride. This virginal love is the source of a particular fruitfulness which fosters the birth and growth of divine life in people's hearts (Theresa of the Child Jesus, Manuscrits Autobiographiques B, 2: "To be your bride, O Jesus ... to be, in union with you, a mother of souls.") 34

receptive in fruitful virginity 112


Novo Millennio Ineunte, 2001

The Evangelists took pains to represent him on the basis of trustworthy testimonies which they gathered (cf. Lk 1:3) and working with documents which were subjected to careful ecclesial scrutiny. It was on the basis of such first-hand testimony that, enlightened by the Holy Spirit's action, they learnt the humanly perplexing fact of Jesus' virginal birth from Mary, wife of Joseph. 18


Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 2002

It [the Rosary] is an echo of the prayer of Mary, her perennial Magnificat for the work of the redemptive Incarnation which began in her virginal womb. 1

"The Jesus that each Hail Mary recalls is the same Jesus whom the succession of mysteries proposes to us now as the Son of God, now as the Son of the Virgin." [MC 155] 18


Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 2003

It is not by chance that the Eastern Anaphoras and the Latin Eucharistic Prayers honor Mary, the ever-Virgin Mother of Jesus Christ our Lord and God, the angels, the holy apostles, the glorious martyrs and all the saints. 19

In a certain sense Mary lived her Eucharistic faith even before the institution of the Eucharist, by the very fact that she offered her virginal womb for the Incarnation of God's Word. The Eucharist, while commemorating the passion and resurrection, is also in
continuity with the incarnation. 55


Pastores Gregis, 2003

To commend oneself to the word of God and to keep it, like the Virgin Mary, Virgo audiens, requires the practice of certain aids constantly proposed by the Church's tradition and spiritual experience. 15


Deus Caritas Est, 2005

In the saints one thing becomes clear: those who draw near to God do not withdraw from men, but rather become truly close to them. In no one do we see this more clearly than in Mary. 42


Lumen Fidei, 2013

We can say that in the Blessed Virgin Mary we find something I mentioned earlier, namely that the believer is completely taken up into his or her confession of faith. Because of her close bond with Jesus, Mary is strictly connected to what we believe. As Virgin and Mother, Mary offers us a clear sign of Christ’s divine sonship. LF 59

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OTHER

Lumen Gentium, 1964

presented him to the Lord in the temple 57

presented him to the Father in the temple 61

Catechesi Tradendae, 1979

What kind of catechesis would it be that failed to give their full place to...her role in the mystery of salvation. 30

Redemptoris Mater, 1987

[Note fundamental premise: plan of salvation, eternal, providential plan of the Most Holy Trinity is the central reality of Revelation and of faith.]

The Virgin Mary in Intellectual and Spiritual Formation, 1988

She presented him to the Father in the Temple. (LG 61, cf. 56, 58) 7

Veritatis Splendor, 1993

At the foot of the cross, when she accepts John as her son, when she asks, together with Christ, forgiveness from the Father for those who do not know what they do (cf. Lk 23:34), Mary experiences, in perfect docility to the Spirit, the richness and the universality of God's love, which opens her heart and enables it to embrace the entire human race. 120

Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994 Fidei Depositum, 1992

Trinity and Mary: 1024, 1053, 2097 [BB]

1053
We believe that the multitude of those gathered around Jesus and Mary in paradise forms the Church of heaven where in eternal blessedness they see God as he is and where they are also, to various degrees, associated with the holy angels in the divine governance exercised by Christ in glory, by interceding for us and helping our weakness by their fraternal concern." (Paul VI, CPG 29)

Vita Consecrata, 1996

Consecrated life looks to her as the sublime model of consecration to the Father [based on LG 53]. 28


© This material has been compiled by M. Jean Frisk and Danielle M. Peters, S.T.D.
Copyright is reserved for The Marian Library/International Marian Research Institute.
Most recently updated in 2019.

All About Mary includes a variety of content, much of which reflects the expertise, interpretations and opinions of the individual authors and not necessarily of the Marian Library or the University of Dayton. Please share feedback or suggestions with marianlibrary@udayton.edu.

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