An Apologetical Explanation of

Mary as the Mother of the Church

Why do we refer to the Blessed Virgin Mary as the “Mother of the Church”?

When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!”  Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!”  And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.  (Jn 19:26-27)

The Blessed Virgin Mary, because she is the Mother of Christ our Redeemer, is likewise the mother of the Church and, in a special way, the Mother of all believers as well as the Mother of all humanity.

The meaning of this title runs still deeper, however.  By her complete obedience and cooperation with God, the Blessed Virgin Mary models for us perfect discipleship.  she served as a key instrument in our salvation because through her Christ came to restore us in his grace and divine life.  Her role in giving earthly life to Christ made it possible for us to receive eternal life through Christ.  She is thus the Mother of the faithful “in the order of grace.”  (Cf. CCC 963, 968)

The faithful of the Church in Heaven, in Purgatory, and on earth are members of the Mystical Body of Christ.  The Blessed Virgin Mary, as the Mother of Christ, is the source of his human body.  St. Paul taught clearly that we are members of Christ’s Body.  Thus, the Mother of Christ is therefore the Mother of the Church and our Mother, too.

This was reinforced at the foot of the Cross when Christ entrusted his Mother to St. John, his faithful and beloved disciple; it serves as a sign of her Motherhood to all the faithful.  In a still larger sense, the Blessed Virgin Mary is the Mother not only to the faithful of the Church but also of all the living because Christ came in order to save every human person.  For members of the Church, she becomes our partner in prayer, as “the prayer of the Church is sustained by the prayer of Mary and united with it in hope” (CCC 2679).

We believe that the Blessed Mother of god, the New Eve, Mother of the Church (cf. LG 53, 56, 61, 63), continues in heaven her maternal role with regard to Christ’s members, cooperating with the birth and growth of divine life in the souls of the redeemed (cf. LG 62.  (Paul VI, CPG 15).

The Catechism addresses this question in paragraph 975.

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