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Mother of the Church

April 04, 2023

Mother of the Church (Latin: Mater Ecclesiae) is a title given to Mary in the Roman Catholic Church, as officially declared by Pope Paul VI in 1964. The title first appeared in the 4th century writings of Saint Ambrose of Milan, as rediscovered by Hugo Rahner.[1] It was also used by Pope Benedict XIV in 1748[2] and then by Pope Leo XIII in 1885.[3] Pope John Paul II placed it in the Catechism of the Catholic Church[4] and Pope Francis inserted a feast by this title into the Roman Calendar.[5]

St. Ambrose and Hugo Rahner

The Church has traditionally portrayed the Blessed Virgin Mary together with the apostles and disciples gathered at that first Pentecost, joined in prayer with the first members of the Church. The title Mater Ecclesiae is found in the writings of Berengaud, bishop of Treves (d. 1125).[6] In the 1895 encyclical Adjutricem populi (Helper of the People) Pope Leo XIII wrote, "She is invoked as Mother of the Church and the teacher and Queen of the Apostles". Following the title's usage by Leo XIII, it was later used many times in the teachings of John XXIII and Paul VI,[7] John Paul II and Benedict XVI.

The use of the Mater Ecclesiae title to the Virgin Mary goes back to Ambrose of Milan in the 4th century, but this was not known until its 1944 rediscovery by Hugo Rahner.[1] Rahner's Mariology, following Ambrose, sees Mary in her role within the Church. His interpretation, based solely on Ambrose and the early Fathers,[1] greatly influenced Vatican II[8] and Pope Paul VI,[9] who, quoting Ambrose, declared Mary the "Mother of the Church".

Pope Paul VI

 
Pope Paul VI

The Blessed Mother of God, the New Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven her maternal role with regard to Christ's members, cooperating with the birth and growth of divine life in the souls of the redeemed. – Pope Paul VI's "Credo of the People of God".[10]

A former archbishop of Milan, Paul VI used similar language to that of Saint Ambrose of Milan, calling Mary Model of the Church in light of her faith, love and complete unity with Christ and Mother of the Church because she gave birth to Christ.[11] During his speech upon the closing of the third session of the Second Vatican Council on November 21, 1964, Paul VI said: "We declare Mary Most Holy Mother of the Church, that is, of all the Christian people"[9]

In Redemptoris Mater Pope John Paul II referred to Paul VI's "Credo of the People of God" as a reaffirmation of the statement that Mary is the "mother of the entire Christian people, both faithful and pastors" and wrote that the Credo "restated this truth in an even more forceful way":[12]

Pope John Paul II

 
Mosaic of Mater Ecclesiae in St. Peter's Square. The mosaic bears the personal arms and motto of Pope John Paul II, who approved the installation of the image and blessed it personally.

In 1980, during the UNIV Forum,[13] an annual gathering of university students from all over the world held in Rome during Holy Week and born by inspiration of Saint Josemaría Escrivá, founder of Opus Dei, a young man taking part in the gathering told Pope John Paul II that he was not able to find an image of Our Lady in St. Peter's Square, considered the heart of Christendom. In fact, although there are 162 statues of saints, none of them depict the Mother of God. The pope answered immediately: "then we should finish the square". When Blessed Álvaro del Portillo, successor of Saint Josemaría Escrivá, heard this story, he asked the Spanish architect Javier Cotelo to find a good solution for the image. In July 1980 and January 1981, Cotelo submitted to the pope a proposal of using one of the windows of the building located between St. Peter's Square and the Cortile di San Damaso, since from there the image could be seen from any part of the square. The pope accepted the suggestion and on December 7, 1981, a mosaic of Maria Mater Ecclesiae ("Our Lady, Mother of the Church") was installed following Cotelo's proposal. On the following day, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, the pope blessed the mosaic from his window; this mosaic is considered to be last stone of St. Peter's Square.[14] Moreover, this mosaic overlooks the spot on the square where an assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II was made in 1981. It is thus also considered a tribute to the intercession of Mary in saving his life.

In 1987, John Paul repeated this title Mother of the Church in his encyclical Redemptoris Mater and at a general audience on September 17, 1997.[15]

With regard to the title "Mother of the Church", John Paul used Redemptoris Mater as an opportunity to explain how the Blessed Virgin Mary's maternity of Christ's faithful derives from her maternity of Christ, as well as how Mary serves as a "type", or model, of the Church as a whole.

Mary is present in the Church as the Mother of Christ, and at the same time as that Mother whom Christ, in the mystery of the Redemption, gave to humanity in the person of the Apostle John. Thus, in her new motherhood in the Spirit, Mary embraces each and every one in the Church, and embraces each and every one through the Church. In this sense Mary, Mother of the Church, is also the Church's model. Indeed, as Paul VI hopes and asks, the Church must draw "from the Virgin Mother of God the most authentic form of perfect imitation of Christ."[16]

On September 17, 1997, Pope John Paul II devoted a Wednesday general audience to the title "Mother of the Church" with regard to its application to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The faithful first called upon Mary with the title "Mother of God", "Mother of the faithful" or "our Mother" to emphasize her personal relationship with each of her children. Later, because of the greater attention paid to the mystery of the Church and to Mary’s relationship to her, the Blessed Virgin began more frequently to be invoked as "Mother of the Church"."[17]
The title "Mother of the Church" thus reflects the deep conviction of the Christian faithful, who see in Mary not only the mother of the person of Christ, but also of the faithful.[18]

Pope Benedict XVI

 
Madonna del Popolo (Madonna of the people) by Federico Barocci, 1579

Pope Benedict XVI referred to the Credo of Paul VI and stated that it sums up all of the scriptural texts that relate to the matter.[19]

Benedict addresses the issue, why Roman Catholic Mariology is related to ecclesiology, the teaching about the Church. On first sight, he argues, it may seem accidental, that the Council moved Mariology into ecclesiology. This relation helps to understand what "Church" really is. The theologian Hugo Rahner showed that Mariology was originally ecclesiology. The Church is like Mary.[20] The Church is virgin and mother, she is immaculate and carries the burdens of history. She suffers and she is assumed into heaven. Slowly she learns, that Mary is her mirror, that she is a person in Mary. Mary on the other hand is not an isolated individual, who rests in herself. She is carrying the mystery of the Church.[20]

Pope Francis

In 2018, Pope Francis decreed that the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church be inserted into the Roman Calendar on the Monday after Pentecost (also known as Whit Monday) and to be celebrated every year, outranking even obligatory memorials.[5] The decree was signed on February 11, 2018, the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes, on the 160th anniversary of the Lourdes apparitions. It was issued on March 3, 2018.

See also

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mater Ecclesiae.

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Hugo Rahner, "Mater Ecclesia - Lobpreis der Kirche aus dem ersten Jahrtausend", Einsiedeln/Köln 1944
  2. ^ Bullarium Romanum,series 2, t. 2, n. 61, p. 428
  3. ^ Acta Leonis XIII, 15, 302
  4. ^ "Mary, Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church." Catechism item 963 at the Vatican web site
  5. ^ a b "Decreto della Congregazione per il Culto Divino e la Disciplina dei Sacramenti sulla celebrazione della beata Vergine Maria Madre della Chiesa nel Calendario Romano Generale". press.vatican.va. Retrieved 2020-07-01.
  6. ^ . Archived from the original on 2016-03-21. Retrieved 2016-04-04.
  7. ^ Pope John Paul II General Audience. September 17, 1997. "The Blessed Virgin is Mother of the Church", no. 2
  8. ^ Lumen Gentium Chapter eight,
  9. ^ a b CONCLUSIONE DELLA III SESSIONE DEL CONCILIO VATICANO II ALLOCUZIONE DEL SANTO PADRE PAOLO VI, paragraph no. 30
  10. ^ http://www.vatican.va/content/paul-vi/en/motu_proprio/documents/hf_p-vi_motu-proprio_19680630_credo.html "Credo of the People of God"
  11. ^ Ambrose of Milan, De inst. Virg 98, PL 16, 328 and IV, 3,4,PL17,876
  12. ^ John Paul II, Redemptoris Mater, no. 47, citing Pope Paul VI, Solemn Profession of Faith (30 June 1968), 15: Acta Apostolicae Sedis 60 (1968) 438f.
  13. ^ . univforum.org. Archived from the original on 2018-06-13. Retrieved 2018-05-20.
  14. ^ Javier Martinez (2011-07-14), La historia del mosaico de la Virgen María "Mater Ecclesia" de la plaza de San Pedro, archived from the original on 2021-12-21, retrieved 2018-05-20
  15. ^ Blessed Virgin Is Mother Of The Church
  16. ^ Redemptoris Mater, no. 47, citing Pope Paul VI, Discourse of 21 November 1964: AAS 56 (1964) 1016
  17. ^ John Paul II. General Audience. September 17, 1997. "Blessed Virgin is Mother of the Church," no. 2
  18. ^ John Paul II. General Audience. September 17, 1997. "The Blessed Virgin is Mother of the Church," no. 5
  19. ^ Mary: The Church at the Source by Benedict XVI, Adrian Walker and Hans Urs Von Balthasar (Oct 1, 2005) ISBN 158617018X pages 58-59
  20. ^ a b Joseph Kardinal Ratzinger: Weggemeinschaft des Glaubens. Kirche als Communio. Festgabe zum 75. Geburtstag, hg. vom Schülerkreis, Augsburg (2002)

April 04, 2023
mother, church, latin, mater, ecclesiae, title, given, mary, roman, catholic, church, officially, declared, pope, paul, 1964, title, first, appeared, century, writings, saint, ambrose, milan, rediscovered, hugo, rahner, also, used, pope, benedict, 1748, then, . Mother of the Church Latin Mater Ecclesiae is a title given to Mary in the Roman Catholic Church as officially declared by Pope Paul VI in 1964 The title first appeared in the 4th century writings of Saint Ambrose of Milan as rediscovered by Hugo Rahner 1 It was also used by Pope Benedict XIV in 1748 2 and then by Pope Leo XIII in 1885 3 Pope John Paul II placed it in the Catechism of the Catholic Church 4 and Pope Francis inserted a feast by this title into the Roman Calendar 5 Contents 1 St Ambrose and Hugo Rahner 2 Pope Paul VI 3 Pope John Paul II 4 Pope Benedict XVI 5 Pope Francis 6 See also 7 NotesSt Ambrose and Hugo Rahner EditThe Church has traditionally portrayed the Blessed Virgin Mary together with the apostles and disciples gathered at that first Pentecost joined in prayer with the first members of the Church The title Mater Ecclesiae is found in the writings of Berengaud bishop of Treves d 1125 6 In the 1895 encyclical Adjutricem populi Helper of the People Pope Leo XIII wrote She is invoked as Mother of the Church and the teacher and Queen of the Apostles Following the title s usage by Leo XIII it was later used many times in the teachings of John XXIII and Paul VI 7 John Paul II and Benedict XVI The use of the Mater Ecclesiae title to the Virgin Mary goes back to Ambrose of Milan in the 4th century but this was not known until its 1944 rediscovery by Hugo Rahner 1 Rahner s Mariology following Ambrose sees Mary in her role within the Church His interpretation based solely on Ambrose and the early Fathers 1 greatly influenced Vatican II 8 and Pope Paul VI 9 who quoting Ambrose declared Mary the Mother of the Church Pope Paul VI Edit Pope Paul VI The Blessed Mother of God the New Eve Mother of the Church continues in heaven her maternal role with regard to Christ s members cooperating with the birth and growth of divine life in the souls of the redeemed Pope Paul VI s Credo of the People of God 10 A former archbishop of Milan Paul VI used similar language to that of Saint Ambrose of Milan calling Mary Model of the Church in light of her faith love and complete unity with Christ and Mother of the Church because she gave birth to Christ 11 During his speech upon the closing of the third session of the Second Vatican Council on November 21 1964 Paul VI said We declare Mary Most Holy Mother of the Church that is of all the Christian people 9 In Redemptoris Mater Pope John Paul II referred to Paul VI s Credo of the People of God as a reaffirmation of the statement that Mary is the mother of the entire Christian people both faithful and pastors and wrote that the Credo restated this truth in an even more forceful way 12 Pope John Paul II Edit Mosaic of Mater Ecclesiae in St Peter s Square The mosaic bears the personal arms and motto of Pope John Paul II who approved the installation of the image and blessed it personally In 1980 during the UNIV Forum 13 an annual gathering of university students from all over the world held in Rome during Holy Week and born by inspiration of Saint Josemaria Escriva founder of Opus Dei a young man taking part in the gathering told Pope John Paul II that he was not able to find an image of Our Lady in St Peter s Square considered the heart of Christendom In fact although there are 162 statues of saints none of them depict the Mother of God The pope answered immediately then we should finish the square When Blessed Alvaro del Portillo successor of Saint Josemaria Escriva heard this story he asked the Spanish architect Javier Cotelo to find a good solution for the image In July 1980 and January 1981 Cotelo submitted to the pope a proposal of using one of the windows of the building located between St Peter s Square and the Cortile di San Damaso since from there the image could be seen from any part of the square The pope accepted the suggestion and on December 7 1981 a mosaic of Maria Mater Ecclesiae Our Lady Mother of the Church was installed following Cotelo s proposal On the following day the Feast of the Immaculate Conception the pope blessed the mosaic from his window this mosaic is considered to be last stone of St Peter s Square 14 Moreover this mosaic overlooks the spot on the square where an assassination attempt on Pope John Paul II was made in 1981 It is thus also considered a tribute to the intercession of Mary in saving his life In 1987 John Paul repeated this title Mother of the Church in his encyclical Redemptoris Mater and at a general audience on September 17 1997 15 With regard to the title Mother of the Church John Paul used Redemptoris Mater as an opportunity to explain how the Blessed Virgin Mary s maternity of Christ s faithful derives from her maternity of Christ as well as how Mary serves as a type or model of the Church as a whole Mary is present in the Church as the Mother of Christ and at the same time as that Mother whom Christ in the mystery of the Redemption gave to humanity in the person of the Apostle John Thus in her new motherhood in the Spirit Mary embraces each and every one in the Church and embraces each and every one through the Church In this sense Mary Mother of the Church is also the Church s model Indeed as Paul VI hopes and asks the Church must draw from the Virgin Mother of God the most authentic form of perfect imitation of Christ 16 On September 17 1997 Pope John Paul II devoted a Wednesday general audience to the title Mother of the Church with regard to its application to the Blessed Virgin Mary The faithful first called upon Mary with the title Mother of God Mother of the faithful or our Mother to emphasize her personal relationship with each of her children Later because of the greater attention paid to the mystery of the Church and to Mary s relationship to her the Blessed Virgin began more frequently to be invoked as Mother of the Church 17 The title Mother of the Church thus reflects the deep conviction of the Christian faithful who see in Mary not only the mother of the person of Christ but also of the faithful 18 Pope Benedict XVI Edit Madonna del Popolo Madonna of the people by Federico Barocci 1579Pope Benedict XVI referred to the Credo of Paul VI and stated that it sums up all of the scriptural texts that relate to the matter 19 Benedict addresses the issue why Roman Catholic Mariology is related to ecclesiology the teaching about the Church On first sight he argues it may seem accidental that the Council moved Mariology into ecclesiology This relation helps to understand what Church really is The theologian Hugo Rahner showed that Mariology was originally ecclesiology The Church is like Mary 20 The Church is virgin and mother she is immaculate and carries the burdens of history She suffers and she is assumed into heaven Slowly she learns that Mary is her mirror that she is a person in Mary Mary on the other hand is not an isolated individual who rests in herself She is carrying the mystery of the Church 20 Pope Francis EditIn 2018 Pope Francis decreed that the Memorial of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother of the Church be inserted into the Roman Calendar on the Monday after Pentecost also known as Whit Monday and to be celebrated every year outranking even obligatory memorials 5 The decree was signed on February 11 2018 the memorial of Our Lady of Lourdes on the 160th anniversary of the Lourdes apparitions It was issued on March 3 2018 See also Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Mater Ecclesiae Mystical Rose Mother of the Church Roman Catholic Mariology Titles of Mary Mater Ecclesiae Abbey Benedcitine abbey in Italy Mater Ecclesiae Monastery monastery in the Vatican CityNotes Edit a b c Hugo Rahner Mater Ecclesia Lobpreis der Kirche aus dem ersten Jahrtausend Einsiedeln Koln 1944 Bullarium Romanum series 2 t 2 n 61 p 428 Acta Leonis XIII 15 302 Mary Mother of Christ Mother of the Church Catechism item 963 at the Vatican web site a b Decreto della Congregazione per il Culto Divino e la Disciplina dei Sacramenti sulla celebrazione della beata Vergine Maria Madre della Chiesa nel Calendario Romano Generale press vatican va Retrieved 2020 07 01 Mauriello Matthew R Mary Mother of the Church Fairfield County Catholic January 1996 Archived from the original on 2016 03 21 Retrieved 2016 04 04 Pope John Paul II General Audience September 17 1997 The Blessed Virgin is Mother of the Church no 2 Lumen Gentium Chapter eight a b CONCLUSIONE DELLA III SESSIONE DEL CONCILIO VATICANO II ALLOCUZIONE DEL SANTO PADRE PAOLO VI paragraph no 30 http www vatican va content paul vi en motu proprio documents hf p vi motu proprio 19680630 credo html Credo of the People of God Ambrose of Milan De inst Virg 98 PL 16 328 and IV 3 4 PL17 876 John Paul II Redemptoris Mater no 47 citing Pope Paul VI Solemn Profession of Faith 30 June 1968 15 Acta Apostolicae Sedis 60 1968 438f History Univforum univforum org Archived from the original on 2018 06 13 Retrieved 2018 05 20 Javier Martinez 2011 07 14 La historia del mosaico de la Virgen Maria Mater Ecclesia de la plaza de San Pedro archived from the original on 2021 12 21 retrieved 2018 05 20 Blessed Virgin Is Mother Of The Church Redemptoris Mater no 47 citing Pope Paul VI Discourse of 21 November 1964 AAS 56 1964 1016 John Paul II General Audience September 17 1997 Blessed Virgin is Mother of the Church no 2 John Paul II General Audience September 17 1997 The Blessed Virgin is Mother of the Church no 5 Mary The Church at the Source by Benedict XVI Adrian Walker and Hans Urs Von Balthasar Oct 1 2005 ISBN 158617018X pages 58 59 a b Joseph Kardinal Ratzinger Weggemeinschaft des Glaubens Kirche als Communio Festgabe zum 75 Geburtstag hg vom Schulerkreis Augsburg 2002 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Mother of the Church amp oldid 1141884506, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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