Vatican rejects ‘Co-redemptrix’ for Mary, urges caution on ‘Mediatrix of all graces’ in new doctrinal note Mater populi fidelis, approved by Pope Leo XIV.
Newsroom (04/11/2025, Gaudium Press ) The Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith released a new doctrinal note on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, clarifying the use of titles for the Blessed Virgin Mary and firmly rejecting “Co-redemptrix” as inappropriate while calling for careful application of terms like “Mediatrix of all graces.”
Titled Mater populi fidelis (“The Mother of the Faithful People”), the document focuses on Mary’s cooperation in Christ’s work of salvation. Approved by Pope Leo XIV on October 7, it was signed by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, the dicastery’s prefect, and Monsignor Armando Matteo, secretary for its doctrinal section.
The note emerges from extensive collegial consultation and draws on Scripture, Church Fathers, Doctors of the Church, Eastern traditions, and teachings of recent popes to affirm Mary’s role as Mother of believers. It endorses titles such as “Mother of Believers,” “Spiritual Mother,” and “Mother of the Faithful,” which highlight her maternal association with Christ without detracting from his centrality.
In contrast, Mater populi fidelis deems “Co-redemptrix” problematic, warning it risks obscuring Christ’s unique mediation and causing confusion. The document notes that some popes used the term sparingly—often linking it to Mary’s divine motherhood or her union with Christ at the Cross—but the Second Vatican Council avoided it for dogmatic, pastoral, and ecumenical reasons.
Saint John Paul II referenced “Co-redemptrix” at least seven times, typically tying it to the redemptive value of sufferings united with Christ’s. However, then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger opposed defining it as dogma in 1996 internal discussions, arguing the title lacks clarity in Scripture and tradition. As Pope Benedict XVI in 2002, he reiterated that it “departs too greatly from the language of Scripture and the Fathers,” potentially misunderstanding Christ’s sole origin of redemption.
Pope Francis has opposed the title on at least three occasions. The note concludes that “Co-redemptrix” requires excessive explanations to avoid error, rendering it unhelpful for the faithful.
On “Mediatrix,” the document insists Christ is the “only Mediator” per biblical teaching. It allows the term in a subordinate sense—denoting cooperation, assistance, or intercession—provided it glorifies Christ’s power and includes his mediation. Mary’s role in the Incarnation is acknowledged as genuinely mediatory.
Titles like “Mother of Grace” and “Mediatrix of All Graces” are acceptable in precise contexts but warrant caution against overly broad interpretations. The note stresses no one, including Mary or the Apostles, dispenses grace universally; only God does so through Christ’s humanity. Mary, as the first redeemed, could not mediate the grace she received.
Approved titles emphasize Mary’s motherhood without portraying her as a “lightning rod” before divine justice or an alternative to God’s mercy. Cardinal Fernández, in presenting the note, praised popular devotion but cautioned against groups promoting dogmatic developments via social media that sow doubts.
Mater populi fidelis reaffirms that all aspects of Mary point to Christ, advising avoidance of titles prone to misinterpretation even if orthodox explanations exist.
The full text of Mater populi fidelis is available on the Vatican’s website.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican News
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