Grace Thompson
The title Co-Redemptrix (also spelled Coredemptrix or Co-Redemptress) is used by some Catholics to refer to the Blessed Virgin Mary's role in the redemption of all peoples. The concept, which was especially common in the late Middle Ages, refers to Mary's subordinate but essential participation in redemption. While the term has been used occasionally in various documents from the Magisterium, it has not been used recently and has faced resistance from the Catholic Church due to theological ambiguity. Despite popular and ecclesiastical support for proposing a formal dogmatization, the Church has not declared it as dogma, and recent comments from high-level figures do not encourage hopes that it will be.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Term | Co-Redemptrix (also spelled Coredemptrix; Co-Redemptress is an equivalent term) |
| Who it refers to | The Blessed Virgin Mary |
| What it refers to | Mary's role in the redemption of all peoples |
| Support | Popular and ecclesiastical |
| Petitioners | Over 500 bishops, 44 cardinals, and approximately 4.8 million Catholic faithful from 157 countries |
| Related concepts | Mary as Mediatrix, Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix |
| Relation to dogma | Not a dogma, but efforts to propose a formal dogmatization |
| Previous attempts | Pope Pius XII's veto in the 1920s-1940s, Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis have distanced themselves from it |
| Marian dogmas | Mother of God, Immaculate Conception, Perpetual Virginity, Assumption of Mary into Heaven |
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What You'll Learn
The role of Mary in the redemption of all peoples
The title Co-Redemptrix (also spelled Coredemptrix or Co-Redemptress) is used by some Catholics to refer to the Blessed Virgin Mary's role in the redemption of all peoples. It refers to Mary's subordinate but essential participation in redemption, notably her free consent to give life to the Redeemer, which meant sharing his life, suffering, and death, which were redemptive for the world.
The concept of Mary as Co-Redemptrix is not a Catholic dogma, despite attempts to propose a formal dogmatization, which has had both popular and ecclesiastical support. The proposal for the dogma is often associated with the alleged apparitions of The Lady of All Nations to Ida Peerdeman in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The visionary reported that the apparition instructed her to petition Pope Pius XII to define Mary's spiritual motherhood under the threefold title of Coredemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate. However, the Vatican has rejected this proposal due to serious theological difficulties, and recent high-level comments in the Church have not encouraged these hopes.
The term Co-Redemptrix has been used occasionally in various documents from the Magisterium, but it has not been used recently. Popes Benedict XVI and Pope Francis have distanced themselves from the term, recognizing the problems and difficulties it can create in people's understanding. The Second Vatican Council, which many theologians hold to be a comprehensive summary of Roman Catholic Mariology, refers to Mary as "Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Adjutrix, and Mediatrix," but notably does not use the term "Co-Redemptrix."
Despite not being defined as dogma, the concept of Mary as Co-Redemptrix is deeply rooted in Catholic tradition and Mariology, the study of Mary and her relation to Jesus Christ. Mary is seen as having a singular dignity above the saints, receiving a higher level of veneration due to her Immaculate Conception, where she was conceived and born without the stain of original sin. This concept of Mary as the "New Eve" is foundational to Catholic Mariology, along with her Divine Motherhood or being the Mother of God (Theotokos in Greek), her Perpetual Virginity, and the Assumption of Mary into Heaven.
In conclusion, while the title of Co-Redemptrix is not a Catholic dogma, it reflects the traditional Catholic understanding of Mary's role in the redemption of all peoples and her unique place in the economy of salvation. The ongoing discussion and debate surrounding this topic highlight the complex and multifaceted nature of Mariology and the deeply held pious beliefs of Catholics.
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The Lady of All Nations and the Amsterdam visions
The Lady of All Nations refers to a series of visions that Ida Peerdeman, a secretary living in Amsterdam, claimed to have received between 1945 and 1959. Peerdeman was born in 1905 in Alkmaar, in the Netherlands, and her first reported vision occurred on 25 March 1945, when she saw a woman bathed in light who referred to herself as "the Lady" and "Mother". Peerdeman identified the woman as Mary, but the figure replied, "They will call me 'The Lady'".
In her visions, Peerdeman received various messages from Mary, including warnings about future events. For example, she described seeing "swastikas beneath the Cross. I see time fall, then stars – they fall away; sickles and hammers – everything falls beneath the Cross", which appears to predict the end of the Cold War and the fall of the Soviet Union. Peerdeman also had a vision of conflict in the Middle East, which may have foretold the Egyptian revolution in 2011 and the division between Arab Sunni and Iran Shia groups.
Peerdeman also received instructions from Mary about how her image should appear. She described Mary as standing on a globe, with her hands, face, hair, and veil clearly visible, while the rest of her body was "as in a haze". This image was created in 1951 by artist Heinrich Repke and caused controversy due to its suggestion that Mary had replaced Christ as co-redemptrix.
The Catholic Church has investigated Peerdeman's visions, and while some local bishops initially approved of the title "Lady of All Nations" and permitted public veneration, the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) has consistently affirmed that there is no evidence of the supernatural nature of the apparitions. In 1974, the CDF voted unanimously that the apparitions were not supernatural and would not be further investigated. Despite this, public devotion to "The Lady of All Nations" continues, and the title and image have gained widespread recognition within the Catholic Church.
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The Marian dogma and the Immaculate Conception
The title of Co-Redemptrix, also spelled Coredemptrix, is used by some Catholics for the Virgin Mary. It refers to Mary's role in the redemption of all people. The concept was especially common in the late Middle Ages, when it was promoted among the Franciscans. It is not, however, a Catholic dogma. Attempts to propose a formal dogmatization have been made, but they have not been successful. The Second Vatican Council, for example, did not use the term, and popes have distanced themselves from it. Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis have both stated that they do not think it is the best title because of the problems and difficulties it can create in people's understanding.
The dogma of the Immaculate Conception, on the other hand, is one of the four Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. It states that the Virgin Mary, "from the first moment of her conception, by a singular grace and privilege from Almighty God and in view of the merits of Jesus Christ, was kept free of every stain of original sin". This dogma was proclaimed by Pope Pius IX on December 8, 1854. It is based on the belief that Mary was a virgin before, during, and after giving birth to Jesus Christ, making Jesus her only biological son. The Immaculate Conception is seen as the source and basis for Mary's all-holiness as the Mother of God. It is also referred to as the "New Eve", signifying Mary's singular dignity above the saints and blessed souls in heaven.
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The Church's stance on Mary as Co-Redemptrix
The concept of Mary as Co-Redemptrix (also spelled Coredemptrix or Co-Redemptress) is a title used by some Catholics to refer to the Blessed Virgin Mary's role in the redemption of all people. It implies a subordinate but essential participation, including her free consent to give life to the Redeemer, sharing his life, suffering, and death, which were redemptive for the world. This belief is related to the concept of Mary as Mediatrix, which is sometimes included by Catholics who use the title Co-Redemptrix.
There have been attempts to promote a fifth Marian dogma affirming Mary as Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate. These attempts have garnered both popular and ecclesiastical support, with over 4.8 million petitions from Catholics in 157 countries across six continents. The proposal is often associated with alleged apparitions of The Lady of All Nations to Ida Peerdeman in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, who reportedly instructed her to petition Pope Pius XII to define Mary's spiritual motherhood under these titles.
However, the Vatican has rejected these proposals due to serious theological difficulties and the potential for misunderstanding. In 1996, a Mariological Congress in Częstochowa, Poland, established a commission to consider the possibility of a fifth Marian dogma on Mary as Co-Redemptrix. The commission unanimously voted against the proposal, expressing concerns about complicating ecumenical efforts to understand Mary's role in the salvation mystery of Jesus Christ.
While the Church has not formally adopted the title of Co-Redemptrix for Mary, it is important to note that the Church does recognize Mary's intimate role in redemption. Popes throughout history have fostered the veneration of the Blessed Virgin Mary and promoted Marian devotions, feast days, prayers, and initiatives. The Second Vatican Council declared Mary to be the Mother of the Church, and Pope John Paul II emphasized the study of Mary as a path to understanding the mystery of Christ.
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The history of the title Co-Redemptrix
The title "Co-Redemptrix" is one of the most controversial and misunderstood titles that some Catholics use for the Blessed Virgin Mary. The term refers to Mary's role in the redemption of all people. The concept was especially common in the late Middle Ages, when it was heavely promoted among the Franciscans but often resisted by the Dominicans.
The Latin verb "redimere" (or "re-emere") means "to buy back", while the suffix "-trix" is feminine, denoting "one who does something". Thus, the title "Co-Redemptrix" refers to the ""woman with the Redeemer" or "the woman who buys back with". The use of the prefix "co-" does not necessarily imply equality, but can instead mean "with". This is the sense that is intended when referring to Mary's role in the redemption of humanity alongside Jesus Christ.
The title "Co-Redemptrix" has been used in various documents from the Magisterium, by saints, popes, and in approved prayers. However, it has not been used recently and has been discouraged by recent Popes, including Benedict XVI and Pope Francis. Pope Francis has spoken out against the use of the term on two occasions, stating that it is misleading and creates a theological ambiguity.
Despite this, there have been petitions for a dogmatic definition of Co-Redemptrix, along with Mediatrix, by adherents of the Amsterdam visions and the international movement Vox Populi Mariae Mediatrici. However, recent high-level comments in the Church have not encouraged these hopes.
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Frequently asked questions
Co-Redemptrix (also spelled Coredemptrix) is a title used by some Catholics for the Blessed Virgin Mary. It refers to Mary's role in the redemption of all peoples.
No, Co-Redemptrix is not a Catholic dogma. Attempts to promote a fifth Marian dogma were vetoed by Pope Pius XII. The Vatican has rejected the idea due to serious theological difficulties.
The concept of Co-Redemptrix was especially common in the late Middle Ages, promoted heavily among the Franciscans. Attempts to establish it as a dogma were made in the 1920s-1940s and again in the early 1990s, but did not succeed.
The concepts of Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix are separate but related. Some adherents, particularly those of the Amsterdam visions, have petitioned for a dogmatic definition of both titles.
The idea of Mary as Co-Redemptrix is controversial and misunderstood by some. It does not make Mary equal to Jesus but refers to her subordinate but essential participation in redemption.
