Why now? The Vatican’s odd ‘clarification’ of Marian piety

By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | Nov 05, 2025

So now we see the price that the Catholic Church must pay for the years of confusion over matters of doctrine during the reign of Pope Francis. When the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) publishes a statement, designed to clarify the proper language to use in praise of the Virgin Mary, faithful Catholics—who in the past would have carefully heeded such a cautionary note from the Vatican’s top doctrinal body—see the document as an offense against piety and a betrayal of the perennial tradition.

On its face, Mater Populi Fidelis, the document released by the DDF this week, would seem to be devoted to a somewhat arcane issue, of interest mainly to theologians. The vast majority of Catholics were unaware of the controversy surrounding the use of the title “Co-Redemptrix” to honor the Virgin. That title had been used for generations, by saints and scholars and popes, without causing any noticeable distress among the faithful. But in recent years a small cadre of Marian scholars has pushed for the Church to give formal recognition to the title. And for some reason, in this season of uncertainty, the DDF decided to respond to those pleas, in the negative.

Full disclosure: I myself have never been quite comfortable with the title “Co-Redemptrix.” The prefix “co-” can suggest equality. If I am “co-owner” of a house, that suggests that someone else has equal title; if I am “co-author” of a book, that means I did not write the book alone. But Jesus wrought our salvation by his Sacrifice alone. As the DDF document rightly remarks, Mary “was herself redeemed by Christ and transformed by the Spirit, prior to any possible action of her own.”

Properly understood, of course, the term “Co-Redemptrix” refers to the Virgin Mary’s powerful role in cooperating in the work of redemption, which is the work of her Divine Son. But the title could be a stumbling block to some people, particularly to Protestants who are leery of Marian devotion. In 1996, while serving as prefect of what was then the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger warned that the title “gives rise to misunderstandings.”

”Yet,” as Vatican correspondent Delia Gallagher noted, “Ratzinger in more than 30 years at the Vatican, never thought it fit to publish a Nota against Mary as Co-Redemptrix. Given Joseph Ratzinger’s attention to doctrinal correctness, we should ask why.”

Why now?

Why indeed? There was no urgent need for the Vatican to step in and settle a fierce debate, no groundswell of unrest among pious Catholics demanding an answer.

Nevertheless in Mater Populi Fidelis the DDF felt it important to announce that “it is always inappropriate” to use the title Co-Redemptrix. The document explained: “When an expression requires many repeated explanations to prevent it from straying from a correct meaning, it does not serve the faith of the People of God and becomes unhelpful.”

Well, if the DDF has set out to eliminate confusion and restore clarity, there were other, bigger fish to fry. Why not an answer to the dubia that were submitted by four prominent cardinals seeking clear answers to grave doctrinal questions raised by Amoris Laetitia? Or an explanation of how Fiducia Supplicans can allow for the blessing of same-sex couples without signaling approval of homosexual unions. Best of all, the Vatican’s doctrinal office might give us a clear definition of what the word “synodality” actually means. Instead the DDF issued a statement that will bring relief to no one, and consternation to tradition-minded Catholics already convinced that the Vatican leadership views them with hostility.

Insofar as the “Co-Redemptrix” title troubles anyone, the misunderstandings are most common among Protestants who fear that Marian piety among Catholics distracts from the unique role of Jesus Christ as our Savior. So it might be conceivable that this week’s document would resolve some obstacles to ecumenical progress. But ecumenical talks with the world’s Protestant bodies are not promising today, as the mainstream Protestant churches float ever further away from their Scriptural foundations. Meanwhile, more than a few Evangelical Christians are, like the late Charlie Kirk, discovering that the Virgin Mary leads them closer to the Catholic Church.

Meanwhile the Orthodox churches, which are and probably always have been more promising partners on the path to Christian unity, have always cherished a deep devotion to the Virgin Mary. Mater Populi Fidelis acknowledges that the Eastern churches spurred the growth of popular Marian piety; demanded the recognition of Mary’s role of Theotokos, the Mother of God; and incorporated the beautiful Akathist Hymn, with its dozens of titles of praise for Our Lady, into the Byzantine liturgy that is still used today.

More Marian devotion, not less

Some media reports on this week’s DDF document created the impression that the Vatican was discouraging an excessive devotion to the Virgin Mary. That is certainly not the stated aim of the statement. In a cover letter, Cardinal Victor Fernandez, the prefect of the DDF, says: “Marian devotion, which Mary’s motherhood engenders, is presented here as a treasure of the Church.”

Nevertheless, among many thousands of Catholics with a deep Marian devotion, the Vatican statement was perceived as a rebuke—perhaps in large part because those same Catholics have grown accustomed to such rebukes in recent years. The tradition of Marian piety is so deeply engrained in the Church’s tradition that it is difficult to see how a faithful Catholic can go astray in honoring Our Lady. And while the DDF concedes that numerous great saints have used the sort of language that is under scrutiny in this document, the document seems all too quick to perceive a problem where those great souls saw none.

The rejection of the “Co-Redemptrix” title is the most newsworthy aspect of Mater Populi Fidelis. But the document also cautions against another widely used title, “Mediatrix of All Graces.” Contrary to a widely circulated report, the statement does not flatly reject the use of that title. But again the DDF warns about potential misunderstandings, citing St. Paul’s statement (1 Tim 2:5-6) that “there is one mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all.”

But “mediation” can involve different sorts of work, performed by different agents. No believing Christian denies that Jesus is the sole Mediator before God, the source of all grace. Still just as Mary nourished the Incarnate Godhead in her spotless womb, so today and for all time she serves as the seamless conduit for the graces that He won for us—thus as Mediatrix. This title has an even richer history of use in both Catholic scholarship and popular devotion, although it is admittedly open to misunderstanding, it is difficult to see how anyone has been led astray.

The best part of Mater Populi Fidelis comes when the DDF explains the particular significance of Mary’s motherhood, and how her “mediation take place in a maternal way.” Mary the Mother of Jesus is also the Mother of the Church and our Mother. Her role, cooperating with Jesus in his work, is always a maternal role, expressing the ideal of femininity. In our era, when that female role is so rarely understood or appreciated, the exaltation of the Virgin could be a useful corrective to a host of errors in popular thought.

The Catholic tradition of Marian piety supplies that corrective. So again the question arises: Why did the Vatican see a need to speak now about arcane problems in Marian devotion: to search out minor flaws in a pious tradition that has done so much spiritual good, and could do so much more today? At a time when the civilization once known as Christendom is near collapse, when attacks on human dignity and human life are accelerating, surely there are more urgent problems requiring the attention of our Church leaders.

And now the DDF promises that, before the end of this month, there will be another teaching document, this time on monogamy. If you are nervous about what this next Vatican document might say, you are not alone.