Compiled by Fr. C Magsino
Introduction
The title “Mediatrix” refers to Mary’s unique role in the economy of salvation as the one who stands between God and men to reconcile them. When Adam and Eve committed original sin, they, as well as all their descendants, lost that friendship with God. There was a need for a mediator, someone who goes between God and man to reconcile the two parties. This only and unique mediator is Jesus Christ, the perfect mediator because he is both God and man.
However, God wanted to involve the cooperation of a woman in this plan of mediation. God had to assume the human nature in the person of Jesus Christ. And for this he needed a mother. And so, Mary comes into the picture. Mary performs her mediatory role in a subordinate and participatory way with the one Mediator, Jesus Christ.
The Church does not teach that Mary adds to or replaces Christ’s mediation, but that her intercession and cooperation with divine grace serve God’s plan of salvation, who willed that she be involved in our salvation.
1. Christ the One Mediator (1 Timothy 2:5) and Mary’s Cooperation
St. Paul says in 1 Timothy 2:5, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.”
St. Thomas says: “Properly speaking, the office of a mediator is to join together those between whom he mediates: for extremes are united by an intermediary. Now to unite men to God perfectly belongs to Christ, through whom men are reconciled to God, according to II Cor. 5: 19: ‘God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself.’ And, consequently, Christ alone is the perfect Mediator of God and men, inasmuch as, by His death, He reconciled the human race to God. Hence the Apostle, after saying, ‘Mediator of God and man, the man Christ Jesus,’ added: ‘Who gave Himself a redemption for all’. However, nothing hinders certain others from being called mediators, in some respect, between God and man, forasmuch as they cooperate in uniting men to God, dispositive or ministerially.” In this sense, adds St. Thomas, the prophets and priests of the Old Testament may be called mediators, and also the priests of the New Testament, as ministers of the true Mediator.[1]
This foundational truth is non-negotiable: Christ alone is the Redeemer. However, this does not exclude subordinate participations in Christ’s mediation. In his life, Jesus called to his side disciples and later he named some as apostles. He took pains to teach them his saving truths. He also gave them the example of his holy life, which he wanted them to follow and to teach also to others. Clearly, he wanted to associate other men with him to continue his work of salvation.
He gave these men certain powers, which he practiced in the first place. He preached and he asked his disciples also to preach and teach. He instituted the Eucharist and he asked his apostles to do the same in his remembrance. He forgave sins and he asked his apostles to forgive sins in his name. He prayed for his disciples in the Last Supper and he also wanted his apostles to pray for everyone.
And so, Jesus is the only true and unique mediator because he alone is God and man. And yet, he wanted others to cooperate in this work of mediating between God and man.
And Mary occupies a unique role in this mediation because she alone cooperated in Jesus’ work of Redemption by her unique role of bringing Jesus into this world. And by fulfilling her role as his mother, she took care of him from the beginning of his life until the end. By being at Jesus’ side in his Passion and Crucifixion, she shared in his sufferings and death in a special way.
We pray and intercede to God for others. Because of her special position in relation to God and Jesus, Mary’s intercession is supreme among all creatures.
2. Scriptural Foundations for Mary’s Mediation
a. The Wedding at Cana (John 2:1–11)
Mary intercedes on behalf of the wedding couple: “They have no wine.”
Though Jesus initially says, “My hour has not yet come,” He performs the miracle. Mary told the attendants, “Do whatever he tells you.” This shows Mary was certain Jesus would do something to solve the problem. That is how effective Mary’s maternal mediation was, moving her Son to act on behalf of others.
b. Mary at the Foot of the Cross (John 19:26–27)
Jesus says to John, “Behold your mother.”
In this solemn moment, Mary is given as the spiritual mother to all disciples. A mother mediates life and nurtures her children. The giver of life is God who alone can give life. But the mother participates in God giving life because she bears children and gives birth to them.
Mary is our spiritual mother. It is God who gives us supernatural life by giving us his presence in our souls through grace. But Jesus wanted that grace comes to us through her, in the same way that he wanted to come into the world through her. Her role as mother doesn’t end with Jesus’ birth but extends to all of us, His Mystical Body.
“At the moment when her Son was about to die on the cross, apparently defeated and abandoned, she did not cease for a moment to believe that He was the Word made flesh, the Savior of the world, who would rise in three days as He had predicted. This was the greatest act of faith and hope ever made; after Christ’s act of love, it was also the greatest act of love. It made Mary the queen of martyrs, for she was a martyr, not only for Christ but with Christ; so much so, that a single cross sufficed for her Son and for her. She was, in a sense, nailed to it by her love for Him. She was thus the co-redemptrix, as Pope Benedict XV says, in this sense, that with Christ, through Him, and in Him, she bought back the human race.”[2]
c. The Visitation (Luke 1:39–56)
Mary visits Elizabeth and she brings Jesus with her in her womb. John the Baptist bore witness to Jesus’ presence by leaping in the womb. And so, Mary becomes a bearer of Grace, in fact, Grace Himself, the uncreated Grace, the one who is All Grace. Her Magnificat reveals her awareness of this greatness and so, she declared that “all generations shall call me blessed.”
3. The Early Church Fathers
a. St. Irenaeus (2nd century)
He calls Mary the “cause of our salvation” insofar as she gave her “fiat”: “Being obedient, she became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race.” (Adv. Haer. III, 22, 4)
The main task of Jesus is our salvation. Salvation means the taking away of our sins, and the healing of the wounds in our nature caused by original sin and personal sins.
By saying “fiat” be it done, Mary became the Mother of Jesus and with that she brought Jesus into this world and she took on the role of being the closest and most effective collaborator in Jesus work of salvation.
Her task did not end with her being assumed into heaven. Even there, she continues her cooperation with Jesus in the work of our salvation.
b. St. Ephraim the Syrian (306-373 A.D.)
He called her “Mediatrix of the whole world”, showing that this idea existed centuries before it was dogmatically explored. He wrote, “With the mediator, you are the Mediatrix of the whole world.”
c. St. Cyril of Alexandria (5th Century)
St. Cyril defended the idea that Mary is Theotokos (God-bearer) a status that implies a mediating role. At the Council of Ephesus (431), he defended this idea so that Mary can be rightfully called the Mother of God. With this, her unique role of bringing Jesus into the world was recognized. And through her maternity, she became a bridge between God and man.
d. St. John Damascene (7th Century)
He wrote that Mary is “a treasury of all good things” and that through her we receive “every good gift.” This language supports the notion of Mary as a conduit or mediator of divine grace. She bears all graces and distributes them to men.
e. St. Bernard of Clairvaux
He described Mary as the “neck” of the Mystical Body through which all graces pass from the Head (Christ) to the body (the Church).
4. Magisterial Teaching
a. Leo XIII (1878-1903)
In his encyclical Octobri Mense (1891), he said: “It is right to say that nothing at all of that very great treasure of grace which the Lord brought us—for ‘grace and truth came through Jesus Christ’—nothing is imparted to us except through Mary.”
b. Pope Pius X (1903-1914)
In his encyclical Ad Diem Illum, 1904, he taught that Mary “united herself to the Passion and offered her Son to divine justice,” making her a cooperator in redemption.
c. Second Vatican Council (Lumen Gentium 60–62)
This document is very important because it explicitly attached the name Mediatrix to Mary: “The maternal duty of Mary toward men in no wise obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of Christ, but rather shows His power… Therefore, the Blessed Virgin is invoked by the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.”
5. Spiritual and Pastoral Implications
Understanding Mary as Mediatrix deepens our appreciation of her role in salvation history. She is a loving mother who leads us to her Son and intercedes for us. By drawing close to Mary, we come to know Christ more intimately. She magnifies the Lord and helps us do the same.
6. The Title Mary revealed: Mediatrix of All Grace
Mary is honored by the title “Mediatrix of All Graces. The Feast of Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces, is celebrated on May 31st in the Catholic Church. This feast was established by Pope Benedict XV in 1921 in response to requests from the bishops of Belgium. It is a liturgical feast acknowledging Mary’s role as the intercessor of all graces. In Latin it is rendered as “Omnium gratiarum mediatrix.”
But Mary did not use this title to name herself to Teresita Castillo. She said she is the Mediatrix of All Grace. If we were to render this title into Latin it would be Mediatrix Totae Gratiae, Tagapamagitan ng Tanang Biyaya.
The title refers to God who is the Uncreated Grace. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says, “Grace is first and foremost the gift of the Spirit who justifies and sanctifies us.” (no. 2003) God is Grace himself. God is one. And so, the Grace who is God is singular. “Grace” is foremost the uncreated gift, who is God himself.
“Graces” means the created gifts God gives us: actual graces, charisms, blessings, etc. Graces in the plural means the created graces.
When we say “All Grace” we are referring to the simplicity of God’s essence. We mean the same when we say that God is All-Knowing, Almighty, All-merciful. God is All Grace. God is simple and so, his essence is the same as his attributes.
And Mary brought Jesus into the world. Since Jesus is All Grace, then Mary is the channel, the Mediatrix of All Grace.
Conclusion
In summary, the Church sees Mary as the Mediatrix in a subordinate and participatory way. This truth is rooted in Scripture, affirmed by the Church Fathers, and upheld in the Magisterium. To honor Mary as Mediatrix is not to detract from Christ but to marvel at how God includes His creatures in His divine plan.
And to honor Mary as Mediatrix of All Grace is to honor who is being mediated by Mary and that is Jesus, God, who is All Grace. While when we honor Mary as Mediatrix of All Graces, we are honoring her with respect to what she is mediating, all the created graces that come from God.
Let us conclude with the words of St. Louis de Montfort: “To Jesus through Mary.”
False and True Devotion to Mary
The topic of true and false devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary remains essential for any Christian seeking to grow in holiness. Drawing from the timeless spiritual classic True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis Marie Grignion de Montfort, this reflection explores how to properly honor Mary in a way that leads us closer to Jesus Christ, rather than away from Him.
De Montfort offers both a critique of mistaken forms of devotion and a rich, spiritually profound guide to authentic Marian consecration.
Understanding the Need for Discernment
St. Louis de Montfort emphasizes that devotion to Mary is not optional for those who wish to attain sanctity. He asserts that Mary is the surest, easiest, and most perfect path to Jesus. Nevertheless, he observes that not all Marian devotion is genuine or fruitful. Many Christians, though well-meaning, fall into false or disordered forms of devotion that do not lead to deeper union with Christ.
The Seven Types of False Devotees
De Montfort identifies seven categories of false devotees, each representing a distortion of true Marian devotion:
1. Critical Devotees
These individuals minimize or mock devotion to Mary, often seeing it as excessive or superstitious. They fail to grasp the honor God Himself has given her.
2. Scrupulous Devotees
Motivated by a fear of offending Jesus, these devotees avoid honoring Mary altogether, not realizing that devotion to her is actually a way of honoring Christ.
3. External Devotees
Their devotion consists of outward practices—rosaries, processions, and medals—without any real interior transformation or commitment to holiness.
4. Presumptuous Devotees
These people live in sin while assuming that Mary will save them no matter what, using her mercy as an excuse to avoid conversion.
5. Inconstant Devotees
Easily swayed by emotions or external events, they abandon their devotion whenever trials arise.
6. Hypocritical Devotees
They use Marian devotion to appear holy while remaining in sinful lifestyles.
7. Interested Devotees
They turn to Mary only for temporal benefits—health, wealth, or success—rather than for sanctity and deeper love of God.
These false devotions are spiritually dangerous because they either fail to lead to Jesus or, worse, foster a counterfeit piety that leads to self-deception that may even justify living sinful lives.
Characteristics of True Devotion to Mary
In contrast, St. Louis de Montfort lays out five marks of authentic Marian devotion:
Interior: It flows from the heart and leads to a deep love for Mary and Jesus.
Trustful: It is full of confidence in Mary’s intercession and maternal care.
Holy: It leads to a desire for virtue, detachment from sin, and imitation of Mary’s virtues.
Constant: It perseveres in prayer and devotion despite feelings, dryness, or opposition.
Disinterested: It seeks not personal gain but God’s glory and the sanctification of the soul.
This kind of devotion is not an end in itself but a path to perfect union with Christ through Mary.
Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary
The heart of de Montfort’s teaching is the act of total consecration to Jesus through Mary. This is a deliberate and complete surrender of oneself to Mary so that she may lead the soul to Jesus in the most perfect way. One offers to her all merits, goods, and actions, trusting that she will purify, direct, and multiply them according to God’s will.
This “holy slavery” to Mary is not servitude in the worldly sense, but a loving, voluntary dependence on the Mother of God. Just as Jesus came to us through Mary, so we return to Him most effectively by the same path.
Biblical and Theological Foundations
This teaching is rooted in Scripture. Mary’s fiat—“Be it done unto me according to thy word” (Luke 1:38)—shows total submission to God’s will. At Cana, her instruction to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5), reveals her role as the one who directs us to Christ. In this way, she acts as a spiritual mold: those who give themselves to her are formed into the likeness of her Son.
Fruits of True Devotion
According to de Montfort, true devotion to Mary brings about powerful spiritual effects:
Rapid growth in holiness
A profound union with Christ
Deep peace and joy
Greater humility and detachment from the world
Special protection in spiritual warfare
These fruits testify to the effectiveness of Marian consecration in the Christian life.
Conclusion
St. Louis de Montfort warns against false devotions that mislead or lull the soul into complacency. True devotion to Mary, on the other hand, is the safest, surest, and most perfect path to union with Jesus Christ. By embracing Mary as our spiritual mother and consecrating ourselves to her, we enter more fully into the mystery of divine love.
Let us echo the words of St. John Paul II, whose papal motto was drawn from de Montfort: Totus Tuus —”I am all yours, O Mary.”
[1] Garrigou-Lagrange, Reginald, The Three Ages of the Interior Life, Part I, VI, A.
[2]Garrigou-Lagrange, op. cit.