About our Lady
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The Virgin
Mary...is acknowledged and honoured 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.'
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 fulfilment of all the elect. Taken up to
heaven she did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold
intercessions 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 .
'All generations will call me blessed.'
'The Church's devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic to
Christian worship' The Church rightly honours 'the Blessed Virgin
with special devotion. From the most ancient times the Blessed
Virgin has been honoured 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 Jesus Christ and equally to the Father and the
Holy Spirit, and greatly fosters this adoration.' The liturgical
feasts dedicated to the Mother of God of Marian prayer, such as the
rosary, an 'epitome of the whole Gospel', express this devotion to
the Virgin Mary.
From the Catechism of the Catholic Church |
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