Colegio de Sta.

Rosa
Brgy. Conchu, Trece Martires City, Cavite
RESEARCH STUDY ON MARIOLOGY

THEOLOGY 4

NAME: Charade P. Mosenabre GR.&SEC: 12-St. Rita SCORE:______

DATE SUBMITTED: STRAND: STEM S.Y. 2019-2020

MARIOLOGY

OBJECTIVES:

To enable the Rosenan learner to…

1. Look up for biblical clues into Mary’s personality;

2. Recognize the importance of Mary in the history of salvation;

3. Know some insights of other religions about Mary;

4. Learn about the Marian Dogma and how it affects Catholic faith.

DEFINE:

- Mariology
- Soteriology
- Christology

1. Mariology

Mariology is the theological study of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Within the Roman
Catholic Church, Mary is venerated over all other saints. Anglicans share some of the
beliefs of Roman Catholic Mariology, but not all. The Eastern Orthodox Church calls
Mary the “God-bearer,” emphasizing Mary’s status as the mother of God Incarnate, gives

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her the title “Ever Virgin,” and emphasizes her sublime holiness, her share in redemption,
and her role as a mediator of grace.

Most Protestants endorse the Apostles’ Creed, which acknowledges the virgin birth of
Christ, do they not believe in most of the other tenets of Mariology. Protestants denounce
the veneration of Mary as practiced by Roman Catholicism and Eastern Orthodoxy.

Mariology is the branch of theology that studies the life and privileges of the Blessed
Virgin, along with her place in the economy of salvation and sanctification. In theology,
that word “economy” refers to the divine plan for humanity, from creation through
redemption to final beatitude (exalted happiness).

2. Soteriology

Soteriology is the study of the doctrine of salvation. Soteriology discusses how Christ's
death secures the salvation of those who believe. It helps us to understand the doctrines of
redemption, justification, sanctification, propitiation, and the substitutionary atonement.
Soteriology is the area where Christianity is the most different from the cults and other
world religions. Soteriology, the doctrine of salvation, embraces all of time as well as
eternity past and future. It relates in one way or another to all of mankind, without
exception. It is the theme of both the Old and New Testaments. It is personal, national,
and cosmic. And it centers on the greatest Person, our Lord Jesus Christ. According to the
broadest meaning as used in Scripture, the term salvation encompasses the total work of
God by which He seeks to rescue man from the ruin, doom, and power of sin and bestows
upon him the wealth of His grace encompassing eternal life, provision for abundant life
now, and eternal glory.

The word “salvation” is the translation of the Greek word soteria which is derived from
the word soter meaning “savior.” The word “salvation” communicates the thought of
deliverance, safety, preservation, soundness, restoration, and healing. In theology,
however, its major use is to denote a work of God on behalf of men, and as such it is a
major doctrine of the Bible which includes redemption, reconciliation, propitiation,
conviction, repentance, faith, regeneration, forgiveness, justification, sanctification,
preservation, and glorification. On the one hand, salvation is described as the work of

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God rescuing man from his lost estate. On the other hand salvation describes the estate of
a man who has been saved and who is vitally renewed and made a partaker of the
inheritance of the saints.

Titus 3:5-8 is a tremendous of Soteriology, "He saved us, not because of righteous things
we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and
renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ
our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace, we might become heirs having the
hope of eternal life."

3. Christology

Christian reflection, teaching, and doctrine concerning Jesus of Nazareth. Christology is

the part of theology that is concerned with the nature and work of Jesus, including such
matters as the Incarnation, the Resurrection, and his human and divine natures and their
relationship. The word "Christology" comes from two Greek words meaning "Christ /
Messiah" and "word" - which combine to mean "the study of Christ." Christology is the
study of the Person and work of Jesus Christ. 

Almost every major religion teaches that Jesus was a prophet, or a good teacher, or a
godly man. The problem is, the Bible tells us that Jesus was infinitely more than a
prophet, a good teacher, or a godly man. Although Jesus never uttered the words “I am
God,” He made many other statements that can’t be properly interpreted to mean
anything else. The Bible teaches that Jesus is both fully human and fully divine, that there
is no mixture or dilution of either nature, and that He is one united Person, forever.

A Biblical understanding of Jesus Christ is crucial to our salvation. Many cults and world
religions claim to believe in Jesus Christ. The problem is that they do not believe in the
Jesus Christ presented in the Bible. That is why Christology is so important. It helps us to
understand the significance of the deity of Christ. It demonstrates why Jesus is the
atoning sacrifice for our sins. Christology teaches us that Jesus had to be man so that He
could die - and had to be God so that His death would pay for our sins. It is perhaps the
most important area of theology.

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RESEARCH

1. Who is Virgin Mary?

Mary, or Virgin Mary, is one of the most controversial woman in the history of religion.
According to the New Testament Mary is the mother of Jesus. She was an ordinary
Jewish woman of Nazareth, and she was impregnated by God in a sinless way.
Protestants believe she was not sinless, while Catholics and Orthodox Christians honor
her virginity. Mary, also known as St. Mary the Virgin, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint
Mary, Mary Mother of God or the Virgin Mary is believed by many to be the greatest of
all Christian saints. The Virgin Mother "was, after her Son, exalted by divine grace above
all angels and men."

Mary is venerated with a special cult, called by St. Thomas Aquinas, hyperdulia, as the
holiest of all creatures. The main events of her life are celebrated as liturgical feasts of
the universal Church. Mary's life and role in the history of salvation is foreshadowed in
the Old Testament, while the events of her life are recorded in the New Testament.
Traditionally, she was declared the daughter of Sts. Joachim and Anne. Born in
Jerusalem, Mary was presented in the Temple and took a vow of virginity. Living in
Nazareth, Mary was visited by the archangel Gabriel, who announced to her that she
would become the Mother of Jesus, by the Holy Spirit

The first recorded miracle of Jesus was performed at a wedding in Cana, and Mary was
instrumental in calling Christ's attention to the need. Mary was present at the Crucifixion
in Jerusalem, and there she was given into John the Apostle's care. She was also with the
disciples in the days before the Pentecost, and it is believed that she was present at the
resurrection and Ascension.

The Blessed Virgin Mary is taken as a patroness of any good activity, for she is often
cited as the patroness of all humanity. Mary is also associated with protecting many
occupations and locations. The role of Mary in salvation history is clearly shown in the
Gospel where she is seen constantly at her son's side during his soteriological mission.
Because of this role, exemplified by her acceptance of Christ into her womb, her offering
of him to God at the Temple, her urging him to perform his first miracle, and her standing

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at the foot of the Cross at Calvary Mary was joined fully in the sacrifice by Christ of
himself.

2. Why is the study of Mary important in the life of the Church?

Mother Mary is originally inseparable to Jesus Christ. From the very beginning, Mary
was chosen by God to give birth to Jesus and raise him. By doing this, she also
cooperated in the salvation of all people. She was a deeply religious woman who loved
her son with all her heart. When Jesus had to suffer, she suffered with him.

Mariology, or the study of Mary, is important in the life of the Church because it helps us
remember how important the Mother of God is in the history of salvation. Mariology
talks about the veneration (as opposed to the worship) that we give to Mary. Many
people, often of a generally-Protestant persuasion, do not see the veneration of Mary as
important. Indeed some see it as offensive. The main reason for the perceived offence is
because Mary is seen to detract from the divinity of her Son. He is the unique Mediator
with the Father; He is the Saviour; He is the Redeemer. Why do we need to pray to
Mary?

The answer to this question is that Our Lord asks us to have a relationship with His
Mother. From the Cross, He tells St John, “Behold, this is your Mother”, after having told
Mary to look after the Beloved disciple: “This is your son” (Jn 19,26-27). The Church
has always believed that this is an encouragement for all of us to develop a relationship
with Mary, conceived without sin.

Veneration of Mary is important because it helps us to remember that we are in a

communion of trust and friendship not just with Christ, the unique Saviour of the world.
He gives us the saints, of whom Mary is the greatest (being His Mother) to help us on our
way. Just as we ask family and friends for help on life’s journey, so we seek the help of
Mary and the saints to achieve our goal – the will of God and our own personal salvation.
Theologically it also makes sense to venerate Mary. Christ chose to be born of a woman
“when the fullness of time had come” (Gal. 4, 4). If we are to be like Christ, then we too
need to develop a relationship with him, as “sons in the Son”. His Mother brought Him

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into the world. In a spiritual sense she brings many more spiritual sons into the world:
Christians who want to follow Jesus the Son of Mary.

3. What is Mariology for…

a) Roman Catholic

Catholic Mariology refers to Mariology—the systematic study of the person of Mary,

mother of Jesus, and of her place in the Economy of Salvation—within Catholic
theology. Mary is seen as having a singular dignity above the saints. The Catholic Church
teaches that she was conceived without original sin, therefore receiving a higher level of
veneration than all other saints. Catholic Mariology thus studies not only her life but also
the veneration of her in daily life, prayer, hymns, art, music, and architecture in modern
and ancient Christianity throughout the ages. The four dogmas of perpetual
virginity, Mother of God, Immaculate Conception and Assumption form the basis of
Mariology. However, a number of other Catholic doctrines about the Virgin Mary have
been developed by reference to sacred scripture, theological reasoning and Church
tradition. The development of Mariology is ongoing and since the beginnings it has
continued to be shaped by theological analyses, writings of saints, and papal statements,
e.g. while two Marian dogmas are ancient, the other two were defined in the 19th and
20th centuries; and papal teachings on Mary have continued to appear in recent times

b) Anglicans

Anglican Marian theology is the summation of the doctrines and beliefs

of Anglicanism concerning Mary, mother of Jesus. As Anglicans believe that Jesus was
both human and God the Son, the second Person of the Trinity, within the Anglican
Communion and Continuing Anglican movement, Mary is accorded honour as
the theotokos, a Koiné Greek term that means "God-bearer" or "one who gives birth to
God".

Anglicans of evangelical or low church tradition tend to avoid honouring Mary. Other

Anglicans respect and honour Mary because of the special religious significance that she
has within Christianity as the mother of Jesus Christ. This honour and respect is
termed veneration.

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Mary always held a place of honour within the English Church, but many of the doctrines
surrounding her have been called into question over the centuries, most as the result of
the Reformation. While Protestantism is based upon interpretation of scripture by a
variety of 16th century reformers, who mostly rejected the practice of speaking directly to
Mary and other saints, Anglicanism has allowed for Mary and the saints to be addressed.

c) The Eastern Orthodox Church

Mary is the “new Eve” who said “yes” to God where the first Eve said “no”.

In Eastern Orthodox Mariology, the Mother of God is the fulfillment of the Old
Testament archetypes revealed in the Ark of the Covenant (because she carried the New
Covenant in the person of Christ) and the burning bush that appeared
before Moses (symbolizing the Mother of God's carrying of God without being
consumed). Accordingly, the Eastern Orthodox consider Mary to be the Ark of the New
Covenant and give her the respect and reverence as such. The Theotokos, in Orthodox
teaching, was chosen by God and she freely co-operated in that choice to be the Mother
of Jesus Christ, the God-man.

The Eastern Orthodox believe that Christ, from the moment of his conception, was both
fully God and fully human. Mary is thus called the Theotokos or Bogoroditsa as an
affirmation of the divinity of the one to whom she gave birth. It is also believed that her
virginity was not compromised in conceiving God-incarnate, that she was not harmed and
that she remained forever a virgin. Scriptural references to "brothers" of Christ are
interpreted as kin, given that the word "brother" was used in multiple ways, as was the
term "father". Due to her unique place in salvation history, Mary is honoured above all
other saints and especially venerated for the great work that God accomplished through
her.

Orthodox Church believes that Mary, as a human being, could indeed have sinned, but
chose not to. In the Roman Catholic understanding, it seems that Mary, who according to
Roman doctrine had been exempted from the guilt of original sin [the Orthodox do not
accept that humans share the guilt of the first sin but, rather, only the consequences]
before all eternity, and thus could not have sinned.

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 d) Protestants

“We too know very well that God did not derive his divinity from Mary; but it does not
follow that it is therefore wrong to say that God was born of Mary, that God is Mary’s
Son, and that Mary is God’s mother.”

Protestant views on Mary include the theological positions of major Protestant

representatives such as Martin Luther and John Calvin as well as some modern
representatives. While it is difficult to generalize about the place of Mary, mother of
Jesus in Protestantism given the great diversity of Protestant beliefs, some summary
statements are attempted.

While reformers such as Martin Luther, Huldrych Zwingli, and John Calvin at different

points in their writings had expressed what seem to be examples of a
residual Catholic Marian piety, the Protestant emphasis on sola scriptura, solus
Christus, soli Deo gloria, among others kept the honoring of Mary to a minimum, and
Protestant teaching about Mary co-terminous with her short part in scripture and creeds.
A newer Protestant view of Mary emerging out of the Evangelical movement sees Mary
as a feisty, assertive, and radically Christian woman.

4. How do Protestants view Mary in comparison to Catholics?

Roman Catholics see veneration, not as praying to the Virgin Mary, but as
praying through her. In addition, the Catholic Church also calls her as the Queen of
Heaven. Historically, Mary was given a less prominent position in Protestantism as a
reaction to this emphasis in the Catholic Church. There is no equivalent to this kind of
veneration in Protestantism, as Protestants emphasize direct access to God. Protestants
claim that veneration of Mary as it is practiced by Catholics is not biblical.

5. What is Mariology according to Pope Benedict XVI?

”An expression of the closeness of God."

Mary offers Pope Benedict XVI the closeness of a mother, but even more important, she
is herself an expression of the closeness of God. Mary, being close to God and close to
us, we may draw a logical conclusion, which indeed the Pope himself formulated at the

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start of this month of May: He invited the faithful to "contemplate Christ with Mary's
eyes." In doing so, he took up the example of John Paul II: "With his words and even
more so with his example, Pope John Paul II taught us to contemplate Christ with Mary's
eyes, valuing especially the prayer of the Rosary." In his own way, Benedict XVI values,
too, the prayer of the rosary. For a "restless spirit" like his, the rosary "allows the soul to
settle into tranquility. . .makes it calm and free and grants it a vision of God." The Pope
associates the rosary with consolation and healing, an inner refuge, and the certitude "to
be enfolded in the rhythm of the prayer of the whole Church."

6. What are the 3 separate characteristics of Mariology or Marian studies

according to Pope Benedict XVI?

Pope Benedict XVI has stated that Marian studies have three separate characteristics: first

personalizing the Church so it is not seen just as a structure but as a person, secondly the
incarnational aspect and the relation to God, and third Marian piety which involves the
heart and the emotional component.

7. What is the Perspective or Position of Mary in the Catholic Church?

It’s all about Jesus. Just as we learn much about the life, teachings, and person of Jesus
from the Gospels, we can learn much about Jesus from Mary. She has a unique
perspective. She can tell us things about Jesus, and teach us things that nobody else can.
Everything Mary does and is brings us closer to Jesus.

The Catholic Church has always celebrated Mary. Everything we believe leads us closer
to Jesus. If Mary is the mother of Jesus, and Jesus is God, then Mary is the Mother of
God. Saying Mary isn’t the Mother of God denies the divinity of Jesus. This teaching is
called “theotokos,” which literally means “God-bearer.” God became man in Mary’s
womb. Mary fulfilled Old Testament prophecies by miraculously conceiving and giving
birth to Jesus as a virgin, and she maintained her virginity throughout the rest of her time
on earth. Her perpetual virginity celebrates that amazing moment when God became man.

Apparitions Of Mary
People around the world have reported appearances of Mary. We hear messages of hope
and healing, and, most importantly, messages calling us back to her son. The Church

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evaluates these appearances and carefully approves ones believed to be true. The key
apparitions of Mary include:
Miraculous Medal. Mary appeared as Our Lady of Grace in 1830 to St. Catherine
Labouré in Paris. She revealed the image of the Miraculous Medal, promising special
graces to anyone who wears it. Mary also gave this prayer to be included on the medal,
“O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to thee.”
Lourdes. In 1858, Mary appeared to 14-year-old St. Bernadette in the small French town
of Lourdes. Our Lady appeared 18 times, encouraging people to pray and return to God.
She urged people to pray the rosary, and called herself the Immaculate Conception. Mary
also helped St. Bernadette find a miraculous spring with healing waters.
Fatima. Mary appeared six times to three young shepherd children in 1917 in Fatima,
Portugal. Mary urgently called for people to return to God and to pray the Rosary.
Devotion To Mary
There are many ways to focus our relationship with God. Love and devotion to Mary has
been a part of Christianity that can be traced back to the very first Christians. Many holy
men and women of monumental virtue considered Mary to be a sure path to a deep
relationship with God. They have surrendered themselves completely to Mary’s
protection and guidance, begging her to lead them ever closer to her son.
Popular devotions include wearing the Miraculous Medal, praying novenas (a nine-day
set of prayers for a specific intention), consecrating themselves to Jesus through Mary
and praying the Rosary.
8. Mary’s predestination:

I. CCC 488: Born of the Virgin Mary

"God sent forth his Son", but to prepare a body for him, he wanted the free co-

operation of a creature. For this, from all eternity God chose for the mother of
his Son a daughter of Israel, a young Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee,
"a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and
the virgin's name was Mary"

The Father of mercies willed that the Incarnation should be preceded by assent on

the part of the predestined mother, so that just as a woman had a share in
the coming of death, so also should a woman contribute to the coming of life

II. Luke 1:26-27: The Birth of Jesus Foretold

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”In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a
town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant
of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.”

III. CCC 489

“Throughout the Old Covenant the mission of many holy women prepared for that

of Mary. At the very beginning there was Eve; despite her disobedience,
she receives the promise of a posterity that will be victorious over the evil one, as well as
the promise that she will be the mother of all the living. By virtue of
this promise, Sarah conceives a son in spite of her old age. Against
all human expectation God chooses those who
were considered powerless and weak to show forth his faithfulness to
his promises: Hannah, the mother of Samuel; Deborah; Ruth; Judith and Esther; and
many other women. Mary "stands out among the poor and humble of the Lord,
who confidently hope for and receive salvation from him. After
a long period of waiting the times are fulfilled in her, the exalted Daughter of Sion, and
the new plan of salvation is established.”

IV. Genesis 3:15-20

“I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her
offspring he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel. To the woman he said,
“I will surely multiply your pain in childbearing; in pain you shall bring forth children.
Your desire shall be contrary to your husband but he shall rule over you.” And to Adam
he said “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife and have eaten of the tree of
which I commanded you ‘You shall not eat of it,’ cursed is the ground because of you; in
pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life;  thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for
you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your face you shall eat
bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to
dust you shall return.” The man called his wife's name Eve, because she was the mother
of all living.”

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 V. Genesis 18:10-14;21:1-2: The Birth of Isaac

“Then one of them said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah
your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which
was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already very old, and Sarah was past the age
of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and my
lord is old, will I now have this pleasure?”  Then the Lord said to Abraham, “Why did
Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’  Is anything too hard
for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a
son.”

“Now the Lord was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the Lord did for Sarah what he
had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the
very time God had promised him.”

VI. 1 Corinthians 1:17

“For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and
eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

VII. 1 Samuel: The Birth of Samuel

“There was a certain man from Ramathaim, a Zuphite from the hill country of
Ephraim, whose name was Elkanah son of Jeroham, the son of Elihu, the son of Tohu, the
son of Zuph, an Ephraimite. He had two wives; one was called Hannah and the other
Peninnah. Peninnah had children, but Hannah had none.

Year after year this man went up from his town to worship and sacrifice to
the Lord Almighty at Shiloh, where Hophni and Phinehas, the two sons of Eli, were
priests of the Lord. Whenever the day came for Elkanah to sacrifice, he would give
portions of the meat to his wife Peninnah and to all her sons and daughters. But to
Hannah he gave a double portion because he loved her, and the Lord had closed her
womb.”

9. What is Mariology in Catholic Teachings?

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Biblically, Mary was betrothed to Joseph.  Because of her faith, she was chosen to give
birth to the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  She was overshadowed by the Holy Spirit, and
conceived Jesus. There was no physical union, and therefore Jesus was born of a
virgin. While no doubt a faithful and godly woman, Mary was nonetheless just a
woman. In fact, apart from Acts 1:14, Mary is not mentioned anywhere outside the
Gospels. Even in the Gospels, her spiritual power and authority are almost non-existent.
Neither Jesus, nor Paul, nor any other biblical writer ever gave Mary the place or
devotion that the Catholic Church has given her.  The New Testament epistles (letters)
were written for the spiritual guidance of the Church, and have a great deal to say about
doctrine and worship. Her absence from the epistles must then call into doubt the role that
Catholics ascribe to her. 

In Roman Catholicism, Mary is more than human.  Catholic Tradition includes the
following teachings:

Mary as immaculate conception. This doctrine teaches that she was born without original
sin, and was therefore sinless throughout her life. During her tutelage in the temple as a
child, Mary received almost nightly visits by angels.

Mary’s perpetual virginity. This doctrine asserts that she had no children before Jesus
(biblical) or after Him (unbiblical).

Mary’s physical ascension into heaven. This teaches that because of her sinlessness,
Mary never experienced a physical death – the result of sin.  Instead, she was raised
bodily into the presence of Christ.

Mary’s role as Co-redemptrix and Mediatrix of all graces.This doctrine holds that the
obedience and sufferings of Mary were essential to secure the full redemption bought by
Christ.

Mary’s right to veneration and/or worship. This teaching holds that because of her
unparalleled role in salvation, Mary is worthy of special adoration. 

There are three specific terms of worship in Catholicism:  latria – adoration that is due
God alone, dulia – veneration afforded to the saints, and hyperdulia – special veneration

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given to Mary.  In practice, these become practically indistinguishable.  As a matter of
point, Catholics pray to Mary and expect that she hears and answers all such prayers. 
This elevates her to a position of deity. 

10. What is Mariology in Christology related?

Mariology (the study of Mary) has been related to Christology (the study of Christ) and
in the Catholic theological and papal writings has been viewed as interwoven with the
mystery of Christ. Pope John Paul II discussed the "precise place of Mary" in the plan of
salvation in the encyclical Redemptoris Mater and stated: "I wish to emphasize the
special presence of the Mother of God in the mystery of Christ and his Church. For this is
a fundamental dimension emerging from the Mariology of the Council".

Catholic theologians have also explored the interwoven natures of Mariology and
Christology.Pope Benedict XVI characterized the relationship by stating that
"Christology and Mariology are inseparably interwoven" from their very beginnings. In
his view, Mariology underscores the nexus of the mysteries of Christology
and ecclesiology, and reflects they are intrinsically interwoven.

Early Christians and numerous saints focused on this connection and popes

highlighted the inner link between Marian doctrines and a fuller understanding of
Christological themes. Given the Catholic perspective that the Church lives in its relation
to Christ, being the Body of Christ, it also has a relation to his mother, whose study is the
subject of Catholic Mariology. Pope Saint Pius X in Ad diem illum stated: "there is no
more direct road than by Mary for uniting all mankind in Christ."

11. What is the meaning of the name of Mary?

 In Hebrew: Miryam

Miriam is a feminine given name recorded in Biblical Hebrew, recorded in the Book of

Exodus as the name of the sister of Moses, the prophetess Miriam. Many believe it
to mean "sea of bitterness" or "sea of sorrow." However, some sources cite the alternative
definitions of "rebellion," "wished-for child," and "mistress or lady of the sea." The
name is borne in the Bible by the sister of Moses and Aaron.

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  In Greek: Mariam

This name derives from the Ancient Greek names "Mariám and Maríā", found in the New
Testament, meaning “bitterness, beloved, wished for child“. Both New Testament names
were forms of the Hebrew name “Maryâm / Miryâm”. The name has been widely used
due to its associations with the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, and with Saint Mary
Magdalene, who was called an apostle to the apostles. The name might be derived from
an Egyptian word “Myr” (beloved) or “mr” (love), or even the Ancient Egyptian name
“Meritamen” or "Merit-Amun", meaning "beloved of Amun". Mariam has been a popular
name in predominantly Muslim countries due to the respect given to Mary, mother of
Jesus, in Islam. Muslim parents want their daughters to be like Mary in her "chastity and
demureness".

 According to Catholic Dictionary

Meaning "lady," "beautiful," or "well beloved." A favorite name given to Jewish women
at the time of Christ. It was the name of Moses' sister. Nowadays an honored name with
Catholics and one of the most popular. Christian names of women, in a variety of forms,
e.g., Maria, Marie, Miriam, and in combination with other names, e.g., Marianne,
Rosemary. The Irish word for Mary, "Muire," is given only to Mary the Mother of God;
all other Marys are called Moira. Its special feast in the Western Church was observed on
September 12, since 1684, in grateful memory of the Christian victory over the Turks at
Vienna in 1683. The feast has been suppressed since the Second Vatican Council.

 In Latin: Maria

Maria is a feminine given name. It is given in many languages influenced by Latin

Christianity. It has its origin as the feminine form of the Roman name Marius and, after
Christianity religion has spread across the Roman empire, it became the Latinised form of
the name of Miriam: Mary, mother of Jesus. Maria is a lovely name but it means
bitterness.

12. What do Pope St. Pius X state in his “Ad diem illum” that tells about the
relationship study of Mariology and Christology? How do you interpret this?

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"There is no more direct road than by Mary for uniting all mankind in Christ."

Pope Pius X, issued in 1904, explaining that Mary is the mediatrix of all graces. The
union of her will with Christ in suffering now makes her the principal agent in
distributing graces. The quote above by Pope Pius X only means that Christ and Mary is
inseparable even from the very beginning. The Most Blessed Virgin Mary is inseparable
from the Triune God, her glory is Theirs and Their glory is her, since the divine will
places everything in common. It cannot be denied that God in choosing and destining
Mary to be the Mother of his Son, granted her the highest honor. And at this day, the
blessedness brought to us by Christ cannot be the subject of our praise, without
reminding us, at the same time, of the distinguished honor which God was pleased to
bestow on Mary, in making her the mother of his Only Begotten Son.

13. What are Mary’s important virtues?

We can find the Ten Evangelical Virtues of the Blessed Virgin Mary recorded in the
Gospels. There, she is presented as the Most Holy Virgin Mary — an evangelical model
for the whole Church:

 Most Pure (Mt 1:18, 20, 23; Lk 1:27,34)

“ This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about: His mother Mary was
pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to
be pregnant through the Holy Spirit.”

 Most Prudent (Lk 2:19, 51)

“But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.”

 Most Humble (Lk 1:48)

“For he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all
generations will call me blessed.”

 Most Faithful (Lk 1:45; Jn 2:5)

“Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

 Most Devout (Lk 1:46-7; Acts 1:14)

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 “They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary
the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.”

 Most Obedient (Lk 1:38; 2:21-2, 27)

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.”

Then the angel left her.”

 Most Poor (Lk 2:7)

“..and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed
him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.”

 Most Patient (Jn 19:25)

“Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of
Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.”

 Most Merciful (Lk 1:39, 56)

“At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea.”

 Most Sorrowful (Lk 2:35)

“…so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce
your own soul too.”

14. How does Mary fit in with the Catholic Catechism?

Catholics hold Mary, the Mother of God, in a special place in their hearts and give Mary
a unique position in the pantheon of Catholic saints. Through the ages, more poems,
hymns, sermons have been produced on one woman than any other in all human history.

Mary gave birth to the Son of God, so although she was human and could not create God,
she gave birth to Jesus, who is God, which makes her the Mother of God. Mary is the
Mother of the church. Christians are children of God and brothers and sisters in Christ by
adoption. So by extension, Christians inherit Christ’s mother Mary. Mary is the Mother
of the Mystical Body of Christ. Mary is called the Mother of the Church, because she’s
the Mother of Christ, and the Church is the Mystical Body of Christ. So the Mother of

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Christ can also be called the Mother of his Mystical Body. This mystical title means that
the Church is more than an external organization, structure, and institution, but also and
more primarily, it’s a union of all the members forming one body.

15. Mary in Scripture:

 Matthew 1:23

“Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his
name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.”

 Isaiah 7:14

“ 
Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and
bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

 Luke 1:26-38

“And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee,
named Nazareth, to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of
David; and the virgin's name was Mary 28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail,
thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.  And
when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of
salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found
favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son,
and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the
Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he
shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no
end.Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?  And the
angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power
of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born
of thee shall be called the Son of God. And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also
conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called
barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid
of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.”

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  CCC 487, 495

“What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ,
and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ.”

“Called in the Gospels "the mother of Jesus", Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the
prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as "the mother of my
Lord".144 In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly
became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the
second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly
"Mother of God"

 Zep 3:14-17

Sing, O daughter of Zion!

Shout, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 
The LORD has taken away your judgments,
He has cast out your enemy.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
You shall [a]see disaster no more.
16 
In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not fear;
Zion, let not your hands be weak.
17 
The LORD your God in your midst,
The Mighty One, will save;
He will rejoice over you with gladness,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.”
 CCC 411, 726

“The Christian tradition sees in this passage an announcement of the "New Adam" who,
because he "became obedient unto death, even death on a cross", makes amends

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superabundantly for the disobedience, of Adam. Furthermore many Fathers and Doctors
of the Church have seen the woman announced in the Protoevangelium as Mary, the
mother of Christ, the "new Eve". 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.”

“At the end of this mission of the Spirit, Mary became the Woman, the new Eve ("mother
of the living"), the mother of the "whole Christ." As such, she was present with the
Twelve, who "with one accord devoted themselves to prayer," at the dawn of the "end
time" which the Spirit was to inaugurate on the morning of Pentecost with the
manifestation of the Church.”

 CCC 165

”It is then we must turn to the witnesses of faith: to Abraham, who "in hope... believed
against hope"; to the Virgin Mary, who, in "her pilgrimage of faith", walked into the
"night of faith" in sharing the darkness of her son's suffering and death; and to so many
others: "Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also
lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance
the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the pioneer and perfecter of our faith."

 Luke 8:21, 11:27-28

“And he answered and said unto them, My mother and my brethren are these which hear
the word of God, and do it.”

“And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up
her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou
hast sucked.  But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep
it.”

 John 2:1-11

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“And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was
there: and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they
wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.  Jesus saith unto her,
Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.  His mother saith unto
the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots
of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins
apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to
the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast.
And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and
knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of
the feast called the bridegroom,  And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set
forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast
kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee,
and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.”

 John 19:25-27

“Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife
of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the
disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy
son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple
took her unto his own home.”

 Quotes of St.Augustine CCC 963

“Since the Virgin Mary's role in the mystery of Christ and the Spirit has been treated, it is
fitting now to consider her place in the mystery of the Church. "The Virgin Mary is
acknowledged and honored as being truly the Mother of God and of the redeemer. She is
'clearly the mother of the members of Christ' since she has by her charity joined in
bringing about the birth of believers in the Church, who are members of its head. Mary,
Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church."

16. Mary in Catholic Doctrine

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 A. The Role of the Blessed Virgin in the Plan of Salvation

It is Mary who bridges the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament records God's
plan for man's salvation in His preparations to make the world ready for the Incarnation. 
Of all the tribes of the earth He chose a particular people to whom He reveals Himself. 
He nurtures and instructs them through His prophets in order for them to be able to
recognize the Son of God when it was time for Him to come.  In order to accomplish this
He takes these people to Himself in a covenant bond, establishing worship based on
sacrifice to prepare them to understand the ultimate sacrifice that the Son of God would
offer for the salvation of man, for these people would be the conduit through which the
message of the Son would be carried to the world. And when the time came, from among
these people, He chooses a woman from a certain preordained family, the house of
David.  It was absolutely necessary that she be set apart in her purity and virtue so as not
to make the Incarnation of the Son of God a sacrilege and so she is conceived without
original sin and set apart in a holy state of purity and perpetual virginity. 

This is Mary's role in Salvation History: ever virgin and yet fruitful mother.  It is Mary, a
daughter of the Old Covenant, who is not only the bearer of Christ in the Annunciation
but Mary also "labors" in prayer in the Upper Room with the other disciples for the birth
of the Church at Pentecost for the New Covenant believers will become her spiritual
children. She stands as the Christian model, which we should all emulate.  From her
obedience at the Annunciation to the events of Christ's passion she illustrates for us a
model of Christian virtue, faith and obedience as she remained true to Christ and His
word.  Her fidelity shows us that true faith can be preserved in one individual and down
through history the Church has honored her for this by considering her the mother of the
true remnant of Israel in the New Covenant Church.

B. The Blessed Virgin and the Church

No creature could ever be counted as equal with the Incarnate Word and Redeemer. Just
as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways both by the ministers and by the
faithful, and as the one goodness of God is really communicated in different ways to 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.

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There is but one Mediator as we know from the words of the apostle, “for there is one
God and one mediator of God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a
redemption for all”.The maternal duty of Mary toward men in no wise obscures or
diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows His power. For all the
salvific influence of the Blessed Virgin on men originates, not from some inner necessity,
but from the divine pleasure. It 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. In
no way does it impede, but rather does it foster the immediate union of the faithful with
Christ.

Predestined from eternity by that decree of divine providence which determined the
incarnation of the Word to be the Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin was in this earth the
virgin Mother of the Redeemer, and above all others and in a singular way the generous
associate and humble handmaid of the Lord. She conceived, brought forth and nourished
Christ. she presented Him to the Father in the temple, and was united with Him by
compassion as He died on the Cross. In this singular way she cooperated by her
obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the work of the Saviour in giving back
supernatural life to souls. Wherefore she is our mother in the order of grace.

This maternity of Mary in the order of grace began with the consent which she gave in
faith at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering beneath the cross,
and lasts until The eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay
aside this salvific duty, but by her constant intercession continued to bring us the gifts of
eternal salvation.

The Church does not hesitate to profess this subordinate role of Mary. It knows it through
unfailing experience of it and commends it to the hearts of the faithful, so that
encouraged by this maternal help they may the more intimately adhere to the Mediator
and Redeemer.

C. Devotion to the Blessed Virgin in the Church

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The Church’s devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary is shown in many ways, but one of the
more subtle is that Mary can be celebrated liturgically every Saturday in the
“Ordinary Time” of the liturgical year unless that Saturday happens to be taken by
another obligatory memorial or feast. This means that on perhaps half of the total number
of Saturdays in a calendar year, Mary can be specially honored.

The genuine significance of Catholic devotion to Mary is to be seen in the light of the
Incarnation itself. The Church cannot separate the Son and the Mother. Because the
Church conceived of the Incarnation as God's descent into flesh and into time, and His
great gift of Himself to His creatures, she also believes that the one who was closest to
Him in this great mystery was the one who participated most perfectly in the gift. When a
room is heated by an open flame, surely there is nothing strange in the fact that those who
stand closest to the fireplace are the ones who are warmest. And when God comes into
the world through the instrumentality of one of His servants, then there is nothing
surprising about the fact that His chosen instrument should have the greatest and most
intimate share in the divine gift.

D. Mary, a sign of Sure Hope and Solace for the Pilgrim People of God

The immaculate Virgin Mary, preserved from all stain of original sin, was raised up to
the glory of heaven, body and soul, at the close of her life on earth and was exalted by the
Lord as Queen of the universe so that she might resemble her Son, the Lord of Lords and
Victor over sin and death, more perfectly,...Just as the Mother of Jesus, glorified in body
and soul in heaven, is the image and beginning of the Church as it is to be perfected is the
world to come, so too does she shine forth on earth, until the day of the Lord shall come
as a sign of sure hope and solace to the people of God during its sojourn on earth.

It gives great joy and comfort to this holy and general Synod that even among the
separated brethren there are some who give due honor to the Mother of our Lord and
Savior, especially among the Orientals, who with devout mind and fervent impulse give
honor to the Mother of God, ever virgin. The entire body of the faithful pours forth
instant supplications to the Mother of God and Mother of men that she, who aided the
beginnings of the Church by her prayers (Acts 1,14), may now, exalted as she is above all

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the angels and saints, intercede before her Son in the fellowship of all the saints, until all
families of people, whether they are honored with the title of Christian or whether they
still do not know the Savior, may be happily gathered together in peace and harmony into
one people of God, for the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity.

17. Mary can be understood only in the concert with Jesus Christ, the Trinity,
and the Church.

Mary’s importance lies in her relation to Christ.

 Gal. 4:4

“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under
the law.”

 CCC 422

“But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under
the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as
sons.' This is 'the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God': God has visited his people. He
has fulfilled the promise he made to Abraham and his descendants. He acted far beyond
all expectation - he has sent his own 'beloved Son'.”

 CCC 423

We believe and confess that Jesus of Nazareth, born a Jew of a daughter of Israel at
Bethlehem at the time of King Herod the Great and the emperor Caesar Augustus, a
carpenter by trade, who died crucified in Jerusalem under the procurator Pontius Pilate
during the reign of the emperor Tiberius, is the eternal Son of God made man. He 'came
from God', 'descended from heaven', and 'came in the flesh'. For 'the Word became flesh
and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the
only Son from the Father. . . And from his fullness have we all received, grace upon
grace.'

 CCC 471-483

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Apollinarius of Laodicaea asserted that in Christ the divine Word had replaced the soul or
spirit. Against this error the Church confessed that the eternal Son also assumed a
rational, human soul. This human soul that the Son of God assumed is endowed with a
true human knowledge. As such, this knowledge could not in itself be unlimited: it was
exercised in the historical conditions of his existence in space and time. This is why the
Son of God could, when he became man, "increase in wisdom and in stature, and in favor
with God and man", and would even have to inquire for himself about what one in the
human condition can learn only from experience. This corresponded to the reality of his
voluntary emptying of himself, taking "the form of a slave". But at the same time, this
truly human knowledge of God's Son expressed the divine life of his person. "The human
nature of God's Son, not by itself but by its union with the Word, knew and showed forth
in itself everything that pertains to God." Such is first of all the case with the intimate and
immediate knowledge that the Son of God made man has of his Father. The Son in his
human knowledge also showed the divine penetration he had into the secret thoughts of
human hearts.  

By its union to the divine wisdom in the person of the Word incarnate, Christ enjoyed in
his human knowledge the fullness of understanding of the eternal plans he had come to
reveal. What he admitted to not knowing in this area, he elsewhere declared himself not
sent to reveal. Similarly, at the sixth ecumenical council, Constantinople III in 681, the
Church confessed that Christ possesses two wills and two natural operations, divine and
human. They are not opposed to each other, but cooperate in such a way that the Word
made flesh willed humanly in obedience to his Father all that he had decided divinely
with the Father and the Holy Spirit for our salvation. Christ's human will "does not resist
or oppose but rather submits to his divine and almighty will.

Since the Word became flesh in assuming a true humanity, Christ's body was
finite. Therefore the human face of Jesus can be portrayed; at the seventh ecumenical
council (Nicaea II in 787) the Church recognized its representation in holy images to be
legitimate. At the same time the Church has always acknowledged that in the body of
Jesus "we see our God made visible and so are caught up in love of the God we cannot
see." The individual characteristics of Christ's body express the divine person of God's

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Son. He has made the features of his human body his own, to the point that they can be
venerated when portrayed in a holy image, for the believer "who venerates the icon is
venerating in it the person of the one depicted".

Jesus knew and loved us each and all during his life, his agony and his Passion, and gave
himself up for each one of us: "The Son of God. . . loved me and gave himself for
me." He has loved us all with a human heart. For this reason, the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
pierced by our sins and for our salvation, "is quite rightly considered the chief sign and
symbol of that. . . love with which the divine Redeemer continually loves the eternal
Father and all human beings" without exception. At the time appointed by God, the only
Son of the Father, the eternal Word, that is, the Word and substantial Image of the Father,
became incarnate; without losing his divine nature he has assumed human nature.

Jesus Christ is true God and true man, in the unity of his divine person; for this reason he
is the one and only mediator between God and men. Jesus Christ possesses two natures,
one divine and the other human, not confused, but united in the one person of God's Son.
Christ, being true God and true man, has a human intellect and will, perfectly attuned and
subject to his divine intellect and divine will, which he has in common with the Father
and the Holy Spirit. The Incarnation is therefore the mystery of the wonderful union of
the divine and human natures in the one person of the Word.

 CCC 484-512

Conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit…

The Annunciation to Mary inaugurates "the fullness of time", the time of the fulfillment
of God's promises and preparations. Mary was invited to conceive him in whom the
"whole fullness of deity" would dwell "bodily". The divine response to her question,
"How can this be, since I know not man?", was given by the power of the Spirit: "The
Holy Spirit will come upon you." The mission of the Holy Spirit is always conjoined and
ordered to that of the Son. The Holy Spirit, "the Lord, the giver of Life", is sent to
sanctify the womb of the Virgin Mary and divinely fecundate it, causing her to conceive
the eternal Son of the Father in a humanity drawn from her own.  The Father's only Son,
conceived as man in the womb of the Virgin Mary, is "Christ", that is to say, anointed by

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the Holy Spirit, from the beginning of his human existence, though the manifestation of
this fact takes place only progressively: to the shepherds, to the magi, to John the Baptist,
to the disciples. Thus the whole life of Jesus Christ will make manifest "how God
anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power."

Born of the Virgin Mary…

What the Catholic faith believes about Mary is based on what it believes about Christ,
and what it teaches about Mary illumines in turn its faith in Christ. "God sent forth his
Son", but to prepare a body for him, he wanted the free co-operation of a creature. For
this, from all eternity God chose for the mother of his Son a daughter of Israel, a young
Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee, "a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was
Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary": The Father of mercies
willed that the Incarnation should be preceded by assent on the part of the predestined
mother, so that just as a woman had a share in the coming of death, so also should a
woman contribute to the coming of life. Throughout the Old Covenant the mission of
many holy women prepared for that of Mary. At the very beginning there was Eve;
despite her disobedience, she receives the promise of a posterity that will be victorious
over the evil one, as well as the promise that she will be the mother of all the living. By
virtue of this promise, Sarah conceives a son in spite of her old age. Against all human
expectation God chooses those who were considered powerless and weak to show forth
his faithfulness to his promises: Hannah, the mother of Samuel; Deborah; Ruth; Judith
and Esther; and many other women. Mary "stands out among the poor and humble of the
Lord, who confidently hope for and receive salvation from him. After a long period of
waiting the times are fulfilled in her, the exalted Daughter of Sion, and the new plan of
salvation is established."

The Immaculate Conception

To become the mother of the Savior, Mary "was enriched by God with gifts appropriate
to such a role." The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as "full
of grace". 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 borne by God's grace.
Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, "full of grace"

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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.

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". 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". 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". By the grace of God Mary remained free of
every personal sin her whole life long.

Let it be done unto me according to thy word…

 At the announcement that she would give birth to "the Son of the Most High" without
knowing man, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary responded with the obedience of
faith, certain that "with God nothing will be impossible": "Behold, I am the handmaid of
the Lord; let it be [done] to me according to your word." Thus, giving her consent to
God's word, Mary becomes the mother of Jesus. Espousing the divine will for salvation
wholeheartedly, without a single sin to restrain her, she gave herself entirely to the person
and to the work of her Son; she did so in order to serve the mystery of redemption with
him and dependent on him, by God's grace: As St. Irenaeus says, "Being obedient she
became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race." Hence not a few
of the early Fathers gladly assert. . .: "The knot of Eve's disobedience was untied by
Mary's obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by
her faith." Comparing her with Eve, they call Mary "the Mother of the living" and
frequently claim: "Death through Eve, life through Mary."

Called in the Gospels "the mother of Jesus", Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the
prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as "the mother of my

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Lord". In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became
her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second
person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of
God" From the first formulations of her faith, the Church has confessed that Jesus was
conceived solely by the power of the Holy Spirit in the womb of the Virgin Mary,
affirming also the corporeal aspect of this event: Jesus was conceived "by the Holy Spirit
without human seed". The Fathers see in the virginal conception the sign that it truly was
the Son of God who came in a humanity like our own. Thus St. Ignatius of Antioch at the
beginning of the second century says:

You are firmly convinced about our Lord, who is truly of the race of David according to
the flesh, Son of God according to the will and power of God, truly born of a virgin,. . .
he was truly nailed to a tree for us in his flesh under Pontius Pilate. . . he truly suffered, as
he is also truly risen. The Gospel accounts understand the virginal conception of Jesus as
a divine work that surpasses all human understanding and possibility: "That which is
conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit", said the angel to Joseph about Mary his fiancee.
The Church sees here the fulfillment of the divine promise given through the prophet
Isaiah: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son." People are sometimes troubled
by the silence of St. Mark's Gospel and the New Testament Epistles about Jesus' virginal
conception. Some might wonder if we were merely dealing with legends or theological
constructs not claiming to be history. To this we must respond: Faith in the virginal
conception of Jesus met with the lively opposition, mockery or incomprehension of non-
believers, Jews and pagans alike; so it could hardly have been motivated by pagan
mythology or by some adaptation to the ideas of the age. The meaning of this event is
accessible only to faith, which understands in it the "connection of these mysteries with
one another" in the totality of Christ's mysteries, from his Incarnation to his Passover. St.
Ignatius of Antioch already bears witness to this connection: "Mary's virginity and giving
birth, and even the Lord's death escaped the notice of the prince of this world: these three
mysteries worthy of proclamation were accomplished in God's silence."

Mary - "ever-virgin"

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The deepening of faith in the virginal motherhood led the Church to confess Mary's real
and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to the Son of God made man. In
fact, Christ's birth "did not diminish his mother's virginal integrity but sanctified it." And
so the liturgy of the Church celebrates Mary as Aeiparthenos, the "Ever-virgin". Against
this doctrine the objection is sometimes raised that the Bible mentions brothers and
sisters of Jesus. The Church has always understood these passages as not referring to
other children of the Virgin Mary. In fact James and Joseph, "brothers of Jesus", are the
sons of another Mary, a disciple of Christ, whom St. Matthew significantly calls "the
other Mary". They are close relations of Jesus, according to an Old Testament expression.
Jesus is Mary's only son, but her spiritual motherhood extends to all men whom indeed
he came to save: "The Son whom she brought forth is he whom God placed as the first-
born among many brethren, that is, the faithful in whose generation and formation she co-
operates with a mother's love."

Mary's virginal motherhood in God's plan

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. 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." Jesus is conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin
Mary's womb because he is the New Adam, who inaugurates the new creation: "The first
man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven." From his
conception, Christ's humanity is filled with the Holy Spirit, for God "gives him the Spirit
without measure." From "his fullness" as the head of redeemed humanity "we have all
received, grace upon grace."

By his virginal conception, Jesus, the New Adam, ushers in the new birth of children
adopted in the Holy Spirit through faith. "How can this be?" Participation in the divine
life arises "not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of

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God". The acceptance of this life is virginal because it is entirely the Spirit's gift to man.
The spousal character of the human vocation in relation to God is fulfilled perfectly in
Mary's virginal motherhood. 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. 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."

At once virgin and mother, Mary is the symbol and the most perfect realization of the
Church: "the Church indeed. . . by receiving the word of God in faith becomes herself a
mother. By preaching and Baptism she brings forth sons, who are conceived by the Holy
Spirit and born of God, to a new and immortal life. She herself is a virgin, who keeps in
its entirety and purity the faith she pledged to her spouse." 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": 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. Mary is truly "Mother of God" since she is the mother of the
eternal Son of God made man, who is God himself.

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).
The Virgin Mary "cooperated through free faith and obedience in human salvation" (LG
56). She uttered her yes "in the name of all human nature" (St. Thomas Aquinas, STh III,
30, 1). By her obedience she became the new Eve, mother of the living.

 CCC 721-726

"Rejoice, you who are full of grace"

Mary, the all-holy ever-virgin Mother of God, is the masterwork of the mission of the
Son and the Spirit in the fullness of time. For the first time in the plan of salvation and
because his Spirit had prepared her, the Father found the dwelling place where his Son
and his Spirit could dwell among men. In this sense the Church's Tradition has often read

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the most beautiful texts on wisdom in relation to Mary. Mary is acclaimed and
represented in the liturgy as the "Seat of Wisdom."

In her, the "wonders of God" that the Spirit was to fulfill in Christ and the Church began
to be manifested: The Holy Spirit prepared Mary by his grace. It was fitting that the
mother of him in whom "the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily" should herself be "full
of grace." She was, by sheer grace, conceived without sin as the most humble of
creatures, the most capable of welcoming the inexpressible gift of the Almighty. It was
quite correct for the angel Gabriel to greet her as the "Daughter of Zion": "Rejoice." It is
the thanksgiving of the whole People of God, and thus of the Church, which Mary in her
canticle lifts up to the Father in the Holy Spirit while carrying within her the eternal Son.

In Mary, the Holy Spirit fulfills the plan of the Father's loving goodness. Through the
Holy Spirit, the Virgin conceives and gives birth to the Son of God. By the Holy Spirit's
power and her faith, her virginity became uniquely fruitful. In Mary, the Holy
Spirit manifests the Son of the Father, now become the Son of the Virgin. She is the
burning bush of the definitive theophany. Filled with the Holy Spirit she makes the Word
visible in the humility of his flesh. It is to the poor and the first representatives of the
gentiles that she makes him known.

Finally, through Mary, the Holy Spirit begins to bring men, the objects of God's merciful
love, into communion with Christ. And the humble are always the first to accept him:
shepherds, magi, Simeon and Anna, the bride and groom at Cana, and the first disciples.
At the end of this mission of the Spirit, Mary became the Woman, the new Eve ("mother
of the living"), the mother of the "whole Christ." As such, she was present with the
Twelve, who "with one accord devoted themselves to prayer," at the dawn of the "end
time" which the Spirit was to inaugurate on the morning of Pentecost with the
manifestation of the Church.

 CCC 963-975

Since the Virgin Mary's role in the mystery of Christ and the Spirit has been treated, it is
fitting now to consider her place in the mystery of the Church. "The Virgin Mary is
acknowledged and honored as being truly the Mother of God and of the redeemer. She is

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'clearly the mother of the members of Christ' since she has by her charity joined in
bringing about the birth of believers in the Church, who are members of its head. "Mary,
Mother of Christ, Mother of the Church."

Wholly united with her Son .  .  .

Mary's role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly
from it. "This union of the mother with the Son in the work of salvation is made manifest
from the time of Christ's virginal conception up to his death"; it is made manifest above
all at the hour of his Passion: Thus the Blessed Virgin advanced in her pilgrimage of
faith, and faithfully persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross. There she stood,
in keeping with the divine plan, enduring with her only begotten Son the intensity of his
suffering, joining herself with his sacrifice in her mother's heart, and lovingly consenting
to the immolation of this victim, born of her: to be given, by the same Christ Jesus dying
on the cross, as a mother to his disciple, with these words: "Woman, behold your son.”

After her Son's Ascension, Mary "aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers." In
her association with the apostles and several women, "we also see Mary by her prayers
imploring the gift of the Spirit, who had already overshadowed her in the Annunciation."

"Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the
course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory,
and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully
conformed to her Son, the Lord of lords and conqueror of sin and death." The
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection and
an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians: In giving birth you kept your
virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of God, but were
joined to the source of Life. You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will
deliver our souls from death.

By her complete adherence to the Father's will, to his Son's redemptive work, and to
every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church's model of faith and
charity. Thus she is a "preeminent and . . . wholly unique member of the Church"; indeed,
she is the "exemplary realization" of the Church. Her role in relation to the Church and to

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all humanity goes still further. "In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her
obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior's work of restoring supernatural
life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace."

"This motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the
consent which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without
wavering beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to
heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues
to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation . Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the
Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix."

Mary's function as mother of men 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 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.

“All generations will call me blessed": "The Church's devotion to the Blessed Virgin is
intrinsic to Christian worship." The Church rightly honors "the Blessed Virgin with
special devotion. From the most ancient times the Blessed Virgin has been honored with
the title of 'Mother of God,' to whose protection the faithful fly in all their dangers and
needs. This very special devotion differs essentially from the adoration which is given to
the incarnate Word and equally to the Father and the Holy Spirit, and greatly fosters this
adoration." The liturgical feasts dedicated to the Mother of God and Marian prayer, such
as the rosary, an "epitome of the whole Gospel," express this devotion to the Virgin
Mary.

After speaking of the Church, her origin, mission, and destiny, we can find no better way
to conclude than by looking to Mary. In her we contemplate what the Church already is
in her mystery on her own "pilgrimage of faith," and what she will be in the homeland at

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the end of her journey. There, "in the glory of the Most Holy and Undivided Trinity," "in
the communion of all the saints," the Church is awaited by the one she venerates as
Mother of her Lord and as her own mother. In the meantime the Mother of Jesus, in the
glory which she possesses in body and soul in heaven, is the image and beginning of the
Church as it is to be perfected in the world to come. Likewise she shines forth on earth
until the day of the Lord shall come, a sign of certain hope and comfort to the pilgrim
People of God.

By pronouncing her "fiat" at the Annunciation and giving her consent to the Incarnation,
Mary was already collaborating with the whole work her Son was to accomplish. She is
mother wherever he is Savior and head of the Mystical Body. Most Blessed Virgin Mary,
when the course of her earthly life was completed, was taken up body and soul into the
glory of heaven, where she already shares in the glory of her Son's Resurrection,
anticipating the resurrection of all members of his Body. "We believe that the Holy
Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her
maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ

18. The most important features of Mary’s role and person are captured in the
four Marian dogmas.

a. What is Dogma?

Dogma is an official system of principles or doctrines of a religion, such as

Roman Catholicism, or the positions of a philosopher or of a philosophical
school such as Stoicism. In the pejorative sense, dogma refers to enforced
decisions, such as those of aggressive political interests or authorities.

b. What are the Dogmas?

The four dogmas of Roman Catholic Mariology are: 1) the title “Mother of God”; 2) the
Immaculate Conception; 3) the Perpetual Virginity of Mary; 4) the Assumption of Mary;
5) Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate.

Mother of God: In AD 431, the Council of Ephesus countered the Nestorian heresy by

declaring that Mary was truly the Mother of God: “Not that the nature of the Word or his

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divinity received the beginning of its existence from Mary, but the holy body, animated
by a rational soul, which the Word of God united to himself, was born from Mary.” One
problem with this wording is that it awakened the old Arian heresy that the Logos (Jesus)
was a created being. In AD 451, at the Council of Chalcedon, Leo, Bishop of Rome,
ratified the decision that Mary was theotokos (“God-bearer”) only as to the humanity of
Jesus. The title had nothing to do with Jesus’ divinity as the eternal Word of God. The
Chalcedonian definition added the words “as to the manhood” immediately
after theotokos, which should have ended erroneous thinking. But the populace took this
word theotokos as an uplifting of Mary’s status and started to venerate her. The
term theotokos was not incorporated into the Nicene Creed of 321 or the
Constantinopolitan Creed of 381. Neither is that expression used in the Anglican Articles
or in the Westminster Confession of Faith.

Immaculate Conception: This tenet of Mariology holds that Mary, at her conception, was
sinless (immaculate), preserved from original sin. According to the Roman Catholic
Encyclopedia of Theology, no statement of Mary’s being free from original sin is found
in the West before AD 1000. It was not until 1854 that faith in Mary’s Immaculate
Conception was taught as an official church dogma.

Perpetual Virginity: According to Roman Catholic Mariology, Mary was always a

virgin before, during, and after giving birth to Jesus. The Roman Catholic Encyclopedia
of Theology admits that the formula of “virginity before, in and after giving birth” did not
come into use till after the 7th century.

Assumption: The Assumption of Mary teaches that Mary, when she died, was taken up

(assumed) body and soul into heavenly glory. It was not until 1950 that Pope Pius XII
defined the doctrine of “Mary’s bodily assumption into heaven.”

Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate: Mary suffered with Jesus. As co-redemptrix,

we acknowledge her intimate cooperation with Jesus in the redemption of humanity, in
his amazing sacrifice for us on the cross. She bore him, raised him, supported him in his
ministry, and walked with him every step of the way to his passion and death. Now in

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heaven, our mother loves us as mediatrix and advocate. This means Mary tirelessly
brings our needs to her son, and gives us his graces. Whatever we’re struggling with or
whatever our loved ones are struggling with, we can bring to Mary.

 CCC 495

Called in the Gospels "the mother of Jesus", Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the
prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as "the mother of my
Lord".144 In fact, the One whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly
became her Son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the
second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly
"Mother of God"

 CCC 967-970

She is our Mother in the order of grace…

By her complete adherence to the Father's will, to his Son's redemptive work, and to
every prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church's model of faith and
charity. Thus she is a "preeminent and wholly unique member of the Church"; indeed,
she is the "exemplary realization" of the Church. Her role in relation to the Church and to
all humanity goes still further. "In a wholly singular way she cooperated by her
obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior's work of restoring supernatural
life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace." "This
motherhood of Mary in the order of grace continues uninterruptedly from the consent
which she loyally gave at the Annunciation and which she sustained without wavering
beneath the cross, until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did
not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us the
gifts of eternal salvation . . . . Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church
under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix."

Mary's function as mother of men 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 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

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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."

 CCC 499-501

Mary - "ever-virgin"

The deepening of faith in the virginal motherhood led the Church to confess Mary's real
and perpetual virginity even in the act of giving birth to the Son of God made man. In
fact, Christ's birth "did not diminish his mother's virginal integrity but sanctified it." And
so the liturgy of the Church celebrates Mary as Aeiparthenos, the "Ever-virgin". Against
this doctrine the objection is sometimes raised that the Bible mentions brothers and
sisters of Jesus. The Church has always understood these passages as not referring to
other children of the Virgin Mary. In fact James and Joseph, "brothers of Jesus", are the
sons of another Mary, a disciple of Christ, whom St. Matthew significantly calls "the
other Mary". They are close relations of Jesus, according to an Old Testament expression.
Jesus is Mary's only son, but her spiritual motherhood extends to all men whom indeed
he came to save: "The Son whom she brought forth is he whom God placed as the first-
born among many brethren, that is, the faithful in whose generation and formation she co-
operates with a mother's love."

 CCC 502-507-508 TO 511

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.

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."

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Jesus is conceived by the Holy Spirit in the Virgin Mary's womb because he is the New
Adam, who inaugurates the new creation: "The first man was from the earth, a man of
dust; the second man is from heaven.” From his conception, Christ's humanity is filled
with the Holy Spirit, for God "gives him the Spirit without measure." From "his fullness"
as the head of redeemed humanity "we have all received, grace upon grace."

By his virginal conception, Jesus, the New Adam, ushers in the new birth of children
adopted in the Holy Spirit through faith. "How can this be?" Participation in the divine
life arises "not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God".
The acceptance of this life is virginal because it is entirely the Spirit's gift to man. The
spousal character of the human vocation in relation to God is fulfilled perfectly in Mary's
virginal motherhood.

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. 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.

At once virgin and mother, Mary is the symbol and the most perfect realization of the
Church: "the Church indeed. . . by receiving the word of God in faith becomes herself a
mother. By preaching and Baptism she brings forth sons, who are conceived by the Holy
Spirit and born of God, to a new and immortal life. She herself is a virgin, who keeps in
its entirety and purity the faith she pledged to her spouse. 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": 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.

Mary is truly "Mother of God" since she is the mother of the eternal Son of God made
man, who is God himself. 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": with her whole being she is "the handmaid of the Lord" (Lk 1:38). The Virgin
Mary "cooperated through free faith and obedience in human salvation". She uttered her

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yes "in the name of all human nature". By her obedience she became the new Eve,
mother of the living.

 CCC 490-494

The Immaculate Conception

To become the mother of the Savior, Mary "was enriched by God with gifts appropriate
to such a role." The angel Gabriel at the moment of the annunciation salutes her as "full
of grace". 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 borne by God's grace.
Through the centuries the Church has become ever more aware that Mary, "full of grace"
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.

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". 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". 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". By the grace of God Mary remained free of
every personal sin her whole life long.

Let it be done unto me according to thy word…

At the announcement that she would give birth to "the Son of the Most High" without
knowing man, by the power of the Holy Spirit, Mary responded with the obedience of
faith, certain that "with God nothing will be impossible": "Behold, I am the handmaid of
the Lord; let it be [done] to me according to your word." Thus, giving her consent to
God's word, Mary becomes the mother of Jesus. Espousing the divine will for salvation

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wholeheartedly, without a single sin to restrain her, she gave herself entirely to the person
and to the work of her Son; she did so in order to serve the mystery of redemption with
him and dependent on him, by God's grace: As St. Irenaeus says, "Being obedient she
became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race." Hence not a few
of the early Fathers gladly assert. . .: "The knot of Eve's disobedience was untied by
Mary's obedience: what the virgin Eve bound through her disbelief, Mary loosened by
her faith." Comparing her with Eve, they call Mary "the Mother of the living" and
frequently claim: "Death through Eve, life through Mary."

 CCC 974

The Most Blessed Virgin Mary, when the course of her earthly life was completed, was
taken up body and soul into the glory of heaven, where she already shares in the glory of
her Son's Resurrection, anticipating the resurrection of all members of his Body.

 CCC 964-965

Mary's role in the Church is inseparable from her union with Christ and flows directly
from it. "This union of the mother with the Son in the work of salvation is made manifest
from the time of Christ's virginal conception up to his death"; it is made manifest above
all at the hour of his Passion: Thus the Blessed Virgin advanced in her pilgrimage of
faith, and faithfully persevered in her union with her Son unto the cross. There she stood,
in keeping with the divine plan, enduring with her only begotten Son the intensity of his
suffering, joining herself with his sacrifice in her mother's heart, and lovingly consenting
to the immolation of this victim, born of her: to be given, by the same Christ Jesus dying
on the cross, as a mother to his disciple, with these words: "Woman, behold your son.”

After her Son's Ascension, Mary "aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers." In
her association with the apostles and several women, "we also see Mary by her prayers
imploring the gift of the Spirit, who had already overshadowed her in the Annunciation.

c. The purpose of the Dogmas

 CCC 88-89-85-95

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The task of giving an authentic interpretation of the Word of God, whether in its written
form or in the form of Tradition, has been entrusted to the living teaching office of the
Church alone. Its authority in this matter is exercised in the name of Jesus Christ." This
means that the task of interpretation has been entrusted to the bishops in communion with
the successor of Peter, the Bishop of Rome.

The Church's Magisterium exercises the authority it holds from Christ to the fullest extent
when it defines dogmas, that is, when it proposes, in a form obliging the Christian people
to an irrevocable adherence of faith, truths contained in divine Revelation or also when it
proposes, in a definitive way, truths having a necessary connection with these.

There is an organic connection between our spiritual life and the dogmas. Dogmas are
lights along the path of faith; they illuminate it and make it secure. Conversely, if our life
is upright, our intellect and heart will be open to welcome the light shed by the dogmas of
faith.

It is clear therefore that, in the supremely wise arrangement of God, sacred Tradition,
Sacred Scripture and the Magisterium of the Church are so connected and associated that
one of them cannot stand without the others. Working together, each in its own way,
under the action of the one Holy Spirit, they all contribute effectively to the salvation of
souls.

19. How does the Church institute dogmas and why are they important?

The Church's Magisterium declares that it exercises the authority it holds from Christ to

the fullest extent when it defines dogmas, that is, when it proposes, in a form obliging
Catholics to an irrevocable adherence of faith, truths contained in divine Revelation or
also when it proposes, in a definitive way, truths having a necessary connection with
these. Dogma can also pertain to the collective body of the Church's dogmatic teachings
and doctrine. The faithful are required to accept with the divine and Catholic faith
everything the Church presents either as solemn decision or as general teaching. Yet not
all teachings are dogma. The faithful are only required to accept those teachings as
dogma if the Church clearly and specifically identifies them as error-free dogmas.

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The purpose of dogmas is to guide us to fully understand the Bible and its content.
Dogmas “cannot be considered as abstract theological concepts, but as truths that
critically concern man and his life.” We speak so much about dogma because truth is our
life and our way. Truth illumines our path, not only in an intellectual way, but also in an
existential one. The dogma helps us to live the right life, and thus be saved.

20. Why do Catholic Christians pray the Holy Rosary? Justify your answer.

‘When the Holy Rosary is said well, it gives Jesus and Mary more glory and is more
meritorious than any other prayer.’ – St. Louis de Montfort

Catholics pray the rosary because it’s a powerful prayer to God, through His mother,
Mary. Praying the rosary has been a tradition in the Church for a long time. Throughout
Church history, many popes and saints have highly recommended that we pray the
rosary.

The rosary begins with the recitation of the Apostle’s Creed, an Our Father, three Hail
Mary’s and a Glory Be. Then there are five decades which each begin and end with an
Our Father and Glory Be, and have ten Hail Mary’s in between. When you pray the
rosary, you meditate on the events in Jesus’ life. There are the joyful, luminous,
sorrowful, and glorious mysteries. In some apparitions, Mary has appeared holding a
rosary and has asked that we continue to pray this prayer. She always leads us to her Son,
and presents our needs before Him. Prayer is about developing our relationship with God,
and loving Him more, so it makes sense to get to know Him through the events of the life
of Christ that we meditate on during the rosary.

According to the Cathechism of the Catholic Church, meditation engages thought,

imagination, emotion, and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to
deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart, and strengthen our
will to follow Christ. Christian prayer tries above all to meditate on the mysteries of
Christ, as in lectio divina or the rosary. This form of prayerful reflection is of great value,
but Christian prayer should go further to the knowledge of the love of the Lord Jesus, to
union with him.

a. Is it scriptural?

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“The angel went to her and said, "Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is
with you." – Luke 1:28

Yes, the Rosary is completely and undeniably in the bible. It is visible in the Gospel
written by St. Luke. However, there are a lot of misconceptions about the Rosary. First,
the Rosary is not a prayer to Mary. It is a meditation on the life of Christ. Each mystery
of the rosary is focused on the very Biblical events of the Gospels. Every part of it is
biblical in nature. Each part has deep meaning contrary to the claim of “mindless pagan
babbling” or “vain repetition” that it’s often described as.

When Catholics pray the “Hail, Mary” prayer they are not praying to Mary but are
asking for her prayers of intercession for us, in the same manner that you may ask
friends, family, or your clergy to pray for you. Only her intercessory prayers are more
powerful because she is the Mother of our Lord and sits at His side in Heaven.  The Hail
Mary prayer is taken straight out of the Bible, off the lips of the Archangel Gabriel, the
messenger of the Lord, and from Elizabeth’s words of praise when the child in her womb
recognized Jesus as the Messiah.

The Mysteries of the Rosary are meditated on while praying each Hail Mary beads, with
the purposes of drawing the person praying deeper into reflecting on Christ’s’ joys,
sacrifices, sufferings, and the glorious miracles of His life.  

b. What is its purpose?

Devotion to the Rosary is one of the most distinguishable features of popular Catholic
spirituality. The Rosary inspires us to meditate on the mysteries of the lives of Jesus and
Mary. Meditation is an important of our lives as Catholics. All throughout the history of
the Catholic Church, many popes and saints have encouraged praying the Rosary. As we
begin to understand and appreciate the Rosary and pray it more frequently, we come to
see the true meaning of its meditations. We begin to appreciate how its prayers are
reminders not only of Mary the Mother of God but of Christ himself.

Through Mary, we are led to a closer relationship with her son, Jesus. The Rosary is an
invitation for us to present our needs to God and to love Him more. When we recite the
twelve prayers that form the decade of the rosary, we need to deeply reflect on the

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mystery associated with that decade. Simple recitation, whether vocally or in silence, is
not enough because we miss the true essence of the prayers.

Praying the Rosary therefore is not just simply about reciting prayers. It involves
reflecting on the grace of God. Praying is a powerful act that lets us develop and
strengthen our relationship with God and the Rosary offers the same beautiful reward. By
praying the Rosary, we meditate on the events in the life of Jesus Christ and this lets us
know God more.

Rosaries are not just beads or a prayer that we recite during the month of October. Many
spiritual battles have been won because of this symbolic act. Many hearts have been
touched and many discouraged people have been uplifted because of the Rosary.

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REFERENCES

https://www.gotquestions.org/Mariology.html

https://bible.org/article/soteriology-doctrine-salvation

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Christology

http://www.documentarytube.com/articles/8-facts-you-need-to-know-about-virgin-mary

https://udayton.edu/imri/mary/m/magisterial-documents-mary-and-jesus-christ.php

https://www.academia.edu/13299282/An_Intro_to_Mariology

https://www.stots.edu/article.php?id=31

http://www.prayerfoundation.org/why_protestants_dont_pray_to_mary.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_in_Christianity

http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p122a3p2.htm

https://www.jstor.org/stable/3155127?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents

http://mariandevotions.org/portal/mariology-dogmas/

https://catholictruth.net/CTNet_RC/en/archive.asp?d=20141121P

https://www.agapebiblestudy.com/documents/The%20Virgin%20Mary's%20Role%20in
%20Salvation%20History.htm

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/resources/mary/general-information/the-four-
marian-dogmas

https://www.gotquestions.org/prayer-saints-Mary.html

https://aleteia.org/2016/10/20/yes-the-rosary-is-a-completely-biblical-prayer/

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