Did the Vatican just say that Mary is not Co-Redemptrix or Mediatrix? Did the Catholic Church previously teach these doctrines, only for the Pope to now reject them? What exactly is going on?
Some people object, claiming that Mary could not be called Co-Redemptrix. However, there have been several popes who have used or supported this terminology, including Pope St. John Paul II, who used the title on multiple occasions. Now, it appears that the Church is saying that Mary should not be called Co-Redemptrix. Understandably, this has caused confusion. Is the Catholic Church abandoning the teaching that Mary is Co-Redemptrix? And what does the title Co-Redemptrix actually mean?
Most people, especially non-Catholics, misunderstand the title Co-Redemptrix. They assume it means that Mary is a co-redeemer alongside Christ, that she somehow redeems us together with Jesus. However, the Catholic Church has consistently taught that Jesus Christ is our only Savior and Redeemer. He is the one Mediator between God and humanity, possessing a unique role of mediation that belongs to Him alone.
The title Co-Redemptrix has never meant that Mary is another redeemer who assists Christ in accomplishing our redemption. Rather, it refers to Mary’s unique participation in God’s plan of salvation. God chose her in a special way to cooperate in bringing the Savior into the world. It was part of God’s plan for Mary to give birth to His Son, Jesus Christ, and through her, to bring the Savior into the world. Mary humbly said yes, surrendered herself to God’s will, and freely cooperated with His plan. Through her, Jesus Christ entered the world, and she gave birth to the body of Christ that would become the instrument of redemption for the whole world.
If we carefully read the recent Vatican document, it does not deny these truths. It continues to affirm Mary’s unique role in salvation history, including her connection to the woman of Genesis 3:15 and her participation in Christ’s victory over Satan. Throughout the document, Scripture is used to explain Mary’s unique cooperation with Christ and her special place in God’s plan of salvation.
In a certain sense, all Christians are called to participate in bringing others to salvation. We may preach the Gospel to someone who then accepts Christ, encourage someone to go to Confession, help another person recognize and repent of sin, or share the faith with an atheist. God allows us to cooperate with His grace and participate in bringing others to Christ. The recent Vatican document acknowledges this kind of participation while also recognizing that Mary was given a unique role in God’s plan of salvation.
Why Is the Title Co-Redemptrix Controversial?
The central issue, however, is the title Co-Redemptrix itself. The term can easily be misunderstood by Catholics and non-Catholics alike, especially when it is used without explanation. Too often, the title is simply stated without explaining what the Church actually means by it. As a result, people may mistakenly conclude that Mary is another redeemer alongside Jesus Christ. Rather than clarify Catholic teaching, the terminology can create unnecessary confusion.
The prefix “co-” comes from the Latin word cum, meaning “with.” In this context, the title was intended to express Mary’s unique cooperation with the Redeemer, not equality with Him. In English, however, “co-” can imply an equal or equivalent role, creating the mistaken impression that Mary is equal to Jesus in the work of redemption.
That is not what the Church teaches. Mary participated in God’s plan with humility and complete surrender to His will. Through her willing cooperation, Jesus Christ entered the world. She gave birth to the Savior through whom salvation comes, giving Mary a unique and extraordinary role in God’s plan of salvation. The title does not imply that Mary is equal to Christ using the Latin form but is often misunderstood in the English language. This can lead people to misunderstand the title and, consequently, the Church’s actual teaching about Mary’s role in God’s plan of salvation.
In 1 Corinthians 3:9, Paul says, “We are God’s fellow workers.” This does not mean that we are equal to God or that our work is equal to His. Rather, God allows us to cooperate with Him in His work. Mary likewise cooperated with God in a unique way. She was chosen by God, humbly surrendered herself to His will, and participated in His plan of salvation. But she is not equal to Christ, nor is she equal to God. To claim otherwise would be contrary to Catholic teaching.
Why Has the Church Moved Away from the Title?
Although several popes have used the title Co-Redemptrix in the past, the Second Vatican Council chose not to use it. Pope Benedict XVI likewise expressed reservations about the title, explaining that it had not been sufficiently developed theologically to communicate its meaning clearly and responsibly. Pope Benedict XVI expressed concerns about terminology that could obscure rather than clarify Catholic teaching. He said, “The precise meaning of these titles, Co-redemptrix and Mediatrix, are not clear, and the doctrine contained in them are not mature. A defined doctrine of divine faith belongs to the deposit of faith, that is, to the revelation conveyed in scripture and the apostolic tradition. It departs to too great of an extent from the language of scripture and from the fathers and therefore gives rise to misunderstandings.”
The problem is that the term Co-Redemptrix can easily give the impression that Mary is a co-redeemer alongside Christ, that she somehow accomplishes redemption together with Him. But that is not what the Church teaches, nor is it what the title was intended to mean. When a term repeatedly requires extensive explanation to prevent people from misunderstanding a fundamental Catholic teaching, perhaps the problem is the terminology itself. Rather than continuing to use language that can easily create confusion, the Church is emphasizing terminology that more clearly preserves the unique and exclusive role of Jesus Christ as our Redeemer. So the Church is not abandoning the teaching about Mary’s unique participation in God’s plan of salvation. Rather, it is moving away from the title Co-Redemptrix because the term can easily be misunderstood and creates confusion. There have been efforts to elevate the title Co-Redemptrix to the level of a formally defined dogma. However, rather than moving toward a dogmatic definition, the Church has increasingly moved away from the title because of its potential for misunderstanding.
The Catholic Church wants to ensure that her consistent teaching throughout history, that Jesus Christ is the only Savior, the only Redeemer, and the unique Mediator, is never overshadowed by doctrines, titles, or terminology that could be misunderstood. The recent Vatican document emphasizes this point:
“Every spiritual blessing is bestowed upon us in Christ, as Scripture says. Such praise for the unique place of Christ in Scripture calls us to situate every creature in a clearly receptive position in relation to Him and to exercise carefully reverent caution whenever proposing any form of possible cooperation with Him in the realm of redemption.”
Mary cooperated with Christ in a special and unique way, but her participation was receptive and entirely dependent upon Him. Her role does not place her alongside Christ as an equal participant in redemption. Everything she received and everything she was able to do came through the grace of Christ. Mary has nothing apart from Christ and can do nothing apart from Him. Her unique participation in God’s plan of salvation is entirely the result of His grace working in and through her.
The Vatican document further emphasizes Christ’s unique salvific mediation and points to the words of Scripture, “There is salvation in no one else” and “there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). That name is Jesus Christ. Whatever we say about Mary’s participation in God’s plan of salvation must always preserve this fundamental truth: salvation comes through Christ alone.
Is the Church Changing Its Teaching About Mary?
The Catholic Church is not necessarily rejecting the teaching about Mary’s unique cooperation in God’s plan of salvation. Nor is Co-Redemptrix a formally defined dogma that the Church is now reversing. The Church is emphasizing that Co-Redemptrix is not a dogma of the Catholic faith and that the title cannot simply be imposed upon Scripture or the early Church as though it were part of the Church’s original theological language. The issue concerns the terminology used to express Mary’s role and whether that terminology adequately safeguards the unique role of Christ.
The document concludes by reaffirming the central truth of the Christian faith: Jesus Christ is “the Son of God, the Lord and only Savior,” who, through His Incarnation, death, and Resurrection, brought salvation history to fulfillment. Christ is its fullness and its center. This is what the Catholic Church has taught throughout her two-thousand-year history, and it is precisely what the Church wants to safeguard.
At the same time, the Vatican repeatedly reaffirms Mary’s unique participation and cooperation in God’s plan of salvation. It speaks of her role in Christ’s victory over Satan, drawing upon Genesis 3:15 and Revelation 12, as well as her unique maternal role and her intercession on our behalf.
All Christians are called to intercede for others, cooperate with Christ, and participate in bringing others to Him. Yet Mary’s participation is unique because of the extraordinary role God gave her in salvation history. As the document emphasizes, if Christians can truly cooperate with God’s grace in these ways, how much more does this apply to Mary?
The document does not deny Mary’s unique role or the special veneration given to her as the woman who is “blessed among women” and whom “all generations will call blessed.” Those truths remain firmly part of Catholic teaching.
The important distinction is this: the Church is not changing her teaching about Mary’s unique participation in God’s plan of salvation. Rather, she is moving away from titles that can be misunderstood or that could obscure the unique role of Jesus Christ as Savior and Redeemer.
