PRAYERS FOR 5th DOGMA

"...PRAYER IS LACKING..." (Our Lady)


Special Prayers  For The FULFILLMENT  OF THE PROCLAMATION OF THE FIFTH DOGMA , Our Lady Mediatrix  Of All Graces, Co - Redemptrix  and Advocate .Amen.

Our Blessed Mother earnestly desires that we increase Prayers for the Proclamation that She be proclaimed as the Mediatrix of all Grace, Co-Redemptrix and Advocate. For those keeping the First Saturdays Reparation, please keep this as the INTENTION and also on 13th of every month. Great for those who do even daily.

Our Lady: “...Only remember, if you pray for My intentions all your intentions are also in them. I will reward you according to the will of God for each of your intentions that lay in your souls...” (September 12th 2012 Wednesday 9:00 am Holy Name of MARY Feast day)


Thank you in advance and God bless

Received on Feast Of The Immaculate Heart of Mary. Amen. ( 12th June 2010  ).

OUR LADY SPEAKS:
            “God The FATHER, God The SON, JESUS; True God : True Man. God The HOLY SPIRIT. My Spouse through Whom The Incarnate Word became Flesh in My Immaculate Womb. Amen.
The Divine Trinity has bestowed upon ME , All Power and All Graces as Mediatrix Of All Graces,  Co - Redemptrix in The Salvific Plan Of God. Through and with these Gifts, I Am able to do All things, that God desires of ME, and as God can do for HIS children. Pray for this request of Mine be fulfilled by The Holy Father, today Pope Benedict XVI. 
PRAY IN THIS MANNER: Dedicate a day of Prayer each Month (like First Saturdays and also 13th) to recite 3000 Hail Mary’s / Holy Mary’s. Each 1000 Honouring The Holy Trinity as : God The FATHER , God The SON JESUS ,: True God, : True Man,  God The HOLY SPIRIT. Amen.
            Begin with the Consecration prayer of My servant Marie Louie De Montfort, changing the word mistress to My Queen. Place all intentions at the beginning of each Thousand. Begin each Thousand with the prayer JESUS taught: “Our FATHER … Amen.” ending with the Hail Holy Queen …… at the end of all Three Thousand
 Hail Mary’s/ Holy Mary’s prayed, with the Hymn or Hymns that glorify God. Most efficacious  shall this manner of prayer be , if it is concluded with The  Holy Sacrifice , that all may accordingly go to Confession to be reconciled with God before The Holy Sacrifice, would be of much fruit bearing to each of My children and their intentions . I Am The Mother Of God, I Am The Mediatrix Of All
Graces, I Am your Mother, I love you dearly, Amen.”

After a little pause ……………….
Our Lady continues:
            “ Today this suffering  you are enduring is for the intentions of My Immaculate Heart, of foremost being that The Holy Father Pope Benedict  XVI declare Me as Mediatrix Of All Graces,Co – Redemptrix. This suffering shall be lifted up and out of you by The Holy Spirit, My Spouse , at the hour of Divine Mercy , 3:00p.m as it has come to be known. Take courage little one of My JESUS , My beloved daughter cleophas, I Am close to you always, Amen.”

PRAYER FORMAT

1): Sign Of The Cross. …Amen.

2): Consecration to our Blessed Mother.  *

3): I Believe in God……..

4): Our FATHER……….
            One Thousand Hail Mary’s / Holy Mary’s……….
            Ending with the Glory be……….
5): Our FATHER……….
            One Thousand Hail Mary’s / Holy Mary’s……….
            Ending with the Glory be……….
6): Our FATHER……….
            One Thousand Hail Mary’s / Holy Mary’s……….
            Ending with the Glory be……….

7): Hail Holy Queen………….
8): Litany to Our Lady Mediatrix Of All Graces **
9): Hymn that Glorifies God.

* CONSECRATION TO OUR BLESSED MOTHER. 

            O Eternal and Incarnate Wisdom ! O sweetest and most adorable JESUS ! True God and True Man , only Son of The Eternal FATHER , and of Mary, always Virgin ! I adore Thee profoundly in the bosom and splendours of Thy FATHER during Eternity ; and I adore Thee also in the Virginal bosom of Mary, Thy most worthy Mother , in the time of Thine Incarnation .
            I give Thee thanks for that Thou hast annihilated Thyself , taking the form of a slave in order to rescue me from the cruel slavery of the devil . I praise and glorify Thee for that Thou hast been pleased to submit Thyself to Mary , Thy Holy Mother, in all things in order to make me Thy faithful slave through Her. But alas ! Ungrateful and faithless as I have been , I have not kept the promises which I made so solemnly to Thee in my Baptism ; I have not fulfilled my obligations ; I do not deserve to be called Thy child, nor yet Thy slave ; and as there is nothing in me which does not merit Thy anger and Thy repulse , I dare not come by myself before Thy most Holy and august Majesty . It is on this account that I have recourse to the intercession of Thy most Holy Mother , Whom Thou hast given me for as Mediatrix with Thee.  It is through Her that I hope to obtain of Thee contrition , the pardon of my sins , and the acquisition and preservation of Wisdom.
            Hail, then , O  Immaculate Mary , living Tabernacle of The Divinity , where the Eternal Wisdom willed to be hidden and to be adored by Angels and by men ! Hail, O Queen of Heaven and Earth , to Whose empire everything is subject  which is under God. Hail, O sure Refuge of sinners , Whose Mercy fails no one . Hear the desires  which I have of the Divine Wisdom ; and for that end receive the vows and offerings which in my lowliness I present to Thee , I , name a faithless sinner renew and ratify today in Thy hands the vows of my Baptism; I renounce forever satan , his pomps and works ; and I  give myself entirely to JESUS CHRIST , The Incarnate Wisdom, to carry my cross after Him  all the days of my life, and to be more faithful to Him than I have ever been before .
            “In the presence of all the Heavenly court I chose Thee this day for my Mother and Queen . I deliver and Consecrate to Thee , as Thy slave , my body and soul,
my goods, both interior and exterior, and even the value of all my good actions, past , present and future; leaving to Thee the entire and full right of disposing of me , and all that belongs to me, without exception, according to Thy good pleasure , for the greater glory of God in time and in  Eternity.”
            Receive , O Benignant Virgin , this little offering of my slavery, in honour of , and in union with, that subjection which the Eternal Wisdom deigned to have to Thy Maternity , in homage to the power which Thou both  have over this poor sinner , and in thanksgiving for the privileges with which The Holy Trinity has favoured Thee. I declare that I wish henceforth , as Thy true slave , to seek Thy honour and to obey Thee in all things .
            O Admirable Mother , present me to Thy dear Son as His Eternal slave , so that as He has Redeemed me by Thee , by Thee He may receive me ! O Mother of Mercy , grant me the Grace to obtain the true Wisdom of God ; and for that end receive me among those Whom Thou lovest and teachest , Whom Thou leadest , nourishest and protectest as Thy children and Thy slaves.
            O Faithful Virgin , make me in all things so perfect a disciple , imitator and slave of The Incarnate Wisdom , JESUS CHRIST Thy Son, that I may attain , by Thine intercession and by Thine example , to the fullness of His age on Earth and of His Glory in Heaven . Amen.
____________________________________________________________________
**LITANY TO OUR LADY  MEDIATRIX OF ALL GRACES AMEN.

Lord have mercy on us.                                                          Lord have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.                                                         Christ have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us.                                                          Lord have mercy on us.
Christ hear  us.                                                                        Christ graciously here us.
God The FATHER  of Heaven .                                            Have mercy on us.
God The Son Redeemer of the World.                                   Have mercy on us.
God The Holy Spirit                                                               Have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity One God.                                                           Have mercy on us.
Holy Mary :                                                     Mediatrix of all Grace. Pray for us.
Holy Mother of God                                                               .”.                               
Holy Virgin of virgins.                                                            .”.                               
Mother of CHRIST.                                                               .”.                               
Mother of Divine Grace.                                                         .”.                               
Mother Most Pure.                                                                  .”.                               
Mother Most Chaste.                                                              .”.                               
Mother Inviolate.                                                                    .”.                               
Mother Undefiled.                                                                  .”.                               
Mother Most Amiable.                                                            .”.                               
Mother Most Admirable.                                                        .”.                               
Mother of Good Counsel.                                                       .”.                               
Mother of our Creator.                                                            .”.                               
Mother of our Saviour.                                                           .”.                               
Mother of our Redeemer                                                        .”.                               
Mother of The Church                                                            .”.                               
Virgin Most Prudent.                                                              .”.                               
Virgin Most Venerable.                                                          .”.                               
Virgin Most Renowned                                                          .”.                               
Virgin Most Powerful                                                             .”.                               
Virgin Most Merciful.                                                             .”.                               
Virgin Most Faithful.                                                              .”.                               
Mirror of Justice.                                                                     .”.                               
Seat of Wisdom                                                                      .”.                               
Cause of our Joy.                                                                    .”.                               
Spiritual Vessel                                                                       .”.                               
Vessel of honour                                                                     .”.                               
Singular Vessel of Devotion                                                   .”.                               
Mystical Rose.                                                                                    .”.                               
Tower of David.                                                                     .”.                               
Tower of Ivory                                                                        .”.                               
House of Gold                                                                                    .”.                               
Ark of The Covenant.                                                             .”.                               
Gate of Heaven.                                                                      .”.                               
Morning Star.                                                                          .”.                               
Health of the sick.                                                                   .”.                               
Refuge of sinners.                                                                   .”.                               
Comforter of the afflicted                                                      .”.                               
Help of Christians                                                                   .”.                               
Queen of Angels.                                                                    .”.                               
Queen of Patriarchs.                                                               .”.                               
Queen of Prophets.                                                     ________________________
Queen of Apostles.                                                                 .”.                               
Queen of Martyr’s.                                                                 .”.                               
Queen of Confessors.                                                             .”.                               
Queen of Virgins.                                                                   .”.                               
Queen of All Saints.                                                               .”.                               
Queen Conceived without the stain of original sin.               .”.                               
Queen Assumed into Heaven.                                                            .”.                               
Queen of The Most Holy Rosary. .                                         .”.                               
Queen of The  Family                                                             .”.                               
Queen of Peace.                                                                      .”.                               
Our Lady Mediatrix Of All Graces.                           Pray for us.                             
Our Lady Co - Redemptrix .                                                  .”.                               
Our Lady Advocate before JESUS The Divine Judge           .”.                               

Lamb of God , Who takest away the sins of the World.        Spare us O! Lord.

Lamb of God , Who takest away the sins of the World.        Graciously , hear us. O! Lord.

Lamb of God , Who takest away the sins of the World.        Have mercy on us. O! Lord.

V:        Pray for us, O! Holy Mother of God. Mediatrix Of All Grace.

R:        That we may be made worthy of the promises of CHRIST. Amen.

Let us Pray.
            Grant we beseech Thee, O! Lord God, unto us Thy servants, that we may rejoice in Thy Blessing of continual health of mind ,body and soul and by The Glorious intercession of The Blessed Mary ever Virgin, Mediatrix Of All Grace, we may be delivered from present sorrow and may enter into that Joy of Thy Eternal gladness . We ask this through JESUS CHRIST our Lord. Amen.

For The intention of The Holy Father: One Our FATHER……One Hail/ Holy Mary…….One Glory be…..Amen.  

OPTIONAL PRAYER MANNER:
 If reciting in a Prayer Cenacle (even at individual homes on the dedicated days like First Saturdays and also 13th of every month, even daily if possible) of:-
30 members, each member can pledge 100 Hail/ Holy Mary’s.    
Example: if 30 members are present (30x 100 =3000)
OR
 60 members, each member can pledge 50 Hail/ Holy Mary’s.    
Example: if 60 members are present (60x 50 =3000)

( Optional you can meditate on One or All Mysteries of The Holy Rosary. Amen.
Scripture reading before each 100 is also of great value. This is of great value for personal spiritual growth. Amen.
             Always keeping in mind as you recite each Hail/ Holy Mary that you are offering a Rose to Our Blessed Lady to present to God for you. Amen.)

Thank you for joining us and may God through His Blessed Mother; Mediatrix Of All Graces , Co – Redemptrix and Advocate in Heaven for us as our Holy Mother bless us  all abundantly. Amen.
(uploaded: 3 July 2014)



1)    OUR LADY, MEDIATRIX OF ALL GRACE, CO-REDEMPTRIX AND ADVOCATE: NEW MARIAN DEFINITION: by Fr George Dias 

Introduction: At important times, the Catholic Church has come out with Dogmas. A Dogma proposes truths contained in Divine Revelation or having a necessary connection with it. Dogmas are lights along our path of faith. These truths are grounded in Scripture. They reflect not only the full authority of the Church received from Christ but also the Church’s tradition, liturgical practice and the faith of the people (Sensus Fidelium). 

They have a binding character, and they open our intellect and heart to a deeper understanding of God’s mystery (CCC 88- 89). There are four Marian Dogmas stating important aspects of Mary’s role in salvation and her personal relationship with God. (1) Divine Motherhood (Ephesus 431) (2) Perpetual Virginity (Lateran 649) (3) Immaculate Conception (Pius IX, December 8,1854)  (4) Assumption (Pius XII November 1, 1950). These Dogmas help us to evaluate the role and person of Mary.
          
The Century 1850-1950 was dedicated to Mother Mary and from then on, once again the Catholic Church came at the crown of May, seeking her help and inspiration. Today, many scholars and theologians have searched the unique role of Mary in the lives of Humanity. They have felt that the time has ripened for the formal promulgation of the fifth Dogma Mary; the Spiritual Mother of Humanity. This would include three essential aspects as Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix of all Grace, and Advocate

The Belgian Catholic Ecumenical leader, Cardinal Desire Mercier initiated this process in 1920 and it was supported by Fr. Maximilian Kolbe. In recent times, others who signed this request to the Pope include Cardinal Telesphore Toppo, Archbishop of Ranchi and Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly, India. They argue that with the promulgation of this Dogma, Ecumenical relations will be strengthened and deepened.

Still, many have questioned; when we already have four, why do we need another formal promulgation?  To these, the Church answers that here we are dealing with Mary in relation to the lives of humans which was not the focus in previous definitions. 

Basis for the Definition
The scene at the foot of the Cross (Jn 19:25-27) is often understood as Jesus addressing someone with whom he has no relation. Many are puzzled when they see that Jesus addressed his Mother as “woman” thinking that it is an insult. But this is not an insult to her for Jesus herein establishes a new relationship.  He surpasses the biological relationship that exists between them and establishes a spiritual relationship.

The Evangelist’s primary interest is not only biographical, i.e. to report simply that after Jesus died his mother went to live in the home of a favourite disciple. If we interpret the scene at the foot of the cross as a simple report of John, it would be to misinterpret the way the evangelist uses signs/symbols as well as the significance he attributes to the beloved disciple.

The use of “Woman” (Gk gyneto address Mary, plus the fact that actual names are not used for the Mother or the beloved disciple, tells us that John is concerned primarily with expressing the new relationship between Jesus and Mary. It also expresses the symbolic roles of Mary and the disciple. Throughout John’s Gospel, the beloved disciple represents the community. Now as Jesus moves from death to resurrection, he leaves in the symbol of the disciple a community of faith. John also wants to say that Mary relates to Jesus not only physically but primarily in the same faith relationship, so Mary is given to the community symbolised by the beloved disciple.

The Mother of Jesus and the disciple play a role at the foot of the Cross which makes them the representatives of all the children of God, gathered together by the Son of Man lifted up from the earth. The Mother and the disciple represent much more than the two. Like Mark3:31-34, John says that the Mother and the family of Jesus are not so much his natural family as those who believe. This does not exclude the natural Mother of Jesus, but sees Her as the prime exemplar of the community born from the cross. The Mother’s primary role is not her physical Motherhood, since here, in a scene more benevolent than Cana, Jesus once more calls Her “Woman”. Her motherly role to the beloved disciple is not a physical one. It is the role she receives from her Son which signifies the era of the community. This new Mother-Son relationship proclaimed by Jesus reflects the replacement of his natural family by a new family of disciples, the eschatological family. Now at the hour of the glorification of her Son, her role in the salvation history is specified.
          
The supreme test of Mary’s faith was undoubtedly the crucifixion. St John Paul II says that at the Cross, Mary willingly consented to death of Her son. The St adds: “This is perhaps the deepest kenosis of faith in human history” (RM 18). She suffers what every human being undergoes today. Mary, present in the Church as the Mother of the Redeemer, takes part, as a Mother in that “monumental struggle against the powers of darkness” which continues throughout human history (RM 47). A sight on the Pieta becomes an inspiration for humanity to face the struggles of life. 

I) Mary is the Co-Redemptrix. The use of the prefix “co” does not mean equal, but comes from the Latin word, “cum” which means “with”. This title of Co-Redemptrix when applied to the Mother of Jesus never places Mary on a level of equality with Jesus Christ. Rather, it denotes Mary’s singular and unique role with Her Son in the saving work of redemption for the whole human family. Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI puts a strong emphasis on Co-Redemption of Mary in his prayer to Our Lady of Sheshan. 

Various Church Fathers have reflected on Mary’s cooperation in the work of redemption. This has deepened the analysis of her association with (Christ’s redemptive sacrifice. St Augustine gave the Blessed Virgin the title “co-operator” in the Redemption.  This title emphasizes Mary’s joint but subordinate action with Christ the Redeemer When we apply the turn “co-operator” to Mary, it acquires a specific meaning. Mary cooperated during the Calvary event itself.

Whereas, the collaboration of Christians (1 Cor 3:9), in salvation takes place after the Calvary event. Mary cooperated in the role of mother; thus her cooperation embraces the whole of Christ’s saving work.  She alone was associated in this way with the redemptive sacrifice that merited the salvation of all mankind. In union with Christ and in submission to him, she collaborated in obtaining the grace of salvation for all humanity.

II) Mary as Mediatrix.   Pope Leo XIII highlights Mary’s role as Mediatrix of all Grace. As in the case of our understanding of Mary’s coredemptive role, we must always recognize Mary’s mediation as secondary and subordinate to and dependent upon that of Christ himself. Indeed, in Lumen Gentium 60 the Fathers of the Second Vatican Council emphasized that. She is associated with Him forever, with power so to speak infinite, in the distribution of the graces which flow from his Redemption. Looking at the Scriptures, we know that the mystery of Mary’s indissoluble union with Jesus in the work of our redemption is already prophetically proclaimed in Genesis 3:15 and described in the Gospels of Luke Chapters 1,2 and 3 and John3:1-11 and 19:26- 27. Further, Revelation 12 shows us how Mary’s maternal relationship with Jesus is extended to “the rest of her offspring” (Rev. 12:17). Indeed, there is no other divine- human exchange to compare with this unique relationship between Jesus and Mary which exists precisely for us men and for our salvation. 

III) Mary as an Advocate.   As Mary is Coredemptrix and Mediatrix of all Grace, She is also our most perfect human Advocate before the Blessed Trinity. This title has profound roots in the Catholic tradition going all the way back to Saint Irenaeus in the second century. It occurs in the Hail, Holy Queen where we pray “turn then, most gracious Advocate, Thy eyes of mercy towards us”. The word Advocate is predicated of Mary literally hundreds of times in the papal Magisterium and reference to Her intercessory role is a constantly recurring theme. Indeed, the great Marian document of the Second Vatican Council readily recognized that Mary is rightly invoked as Advocate (LG 62). She is there for us always. 

Conclusion.
Any Marian devotion has Christological basis. Mary, although called “Mother in the order of Grace,” is not the Author of Grace. Her “spiritual motherhood” is the power of salvation (LG 60). Mary brought forth Her Son by the power of the Spirit It is in and through this same Holy Spirit that she exercises her maternal presence and activity on our behalf.  Mary at the Pentecost is there to encourage nay person who looks at life with as a mission. What we are speaking here is about a spiritual motherhoodThis means that Mary’s maternal activity is to unite us to Christ who is our life, truth and way (Jn 14:6). Several spiritual authors have used the expression “forming Jesus Christ in us” or “forming us in the likeness of her Son”. She is the Spiritual mother of humanity to Christ, the Son of God. 

Notes:                                                                                                                       
1 R. Brown et al, Mary in the New Testament, Paulist, NY 1978, 211. 2 ‘The Redeemer entrusts Mary to. John because he entrusts John to Mary. At the foot of the cross there begins that special entrusting of humanity to the Mother of Christ, which in the history of the Church has been practiced and expressed in different ways (Redemptoris Mater 45). Undoubtedly, the “woman” in  Revelation chapter 12 is Mary, not Israel or the Church (although the metaphor  of the church is not totally absent from the passage). As queen of Apostles, Mary’s crown of  ”twelve stars” symbolizes the twelve tribes of Israel twelve apostles of the church. The ‘moon under her feet” represents Mary’s Queenship over  heaven and earth, over angels and men (Pope Pius XII ,Ad CaeIi Reginam). 3  In the scene of the foot of the Cross., R. Bultmann eludes the beloved disciple as representing the Gentile Christianity and the mother of Jesus as representing the Jewish Christianity.  This weakens his thesis.
“Mary stood at the cross —the woman becomes the true ‘mother of the iving’ (Cnt 3:20) it was the hour for giving birth, the hour of her spiritual maternity (cf Jh 16: 21)” Pontifical International Marian Academy, The Mother of the Lord, Memory, Presence, Hope  (Trans, T Thompson SM) St Paul, NY 2007,41. 4  A J Tambasca ‘What are they saying about Mary?  Paulist, NY 1984,30. 
5  R Brown et al Mary in the New Testament , Paulist, NY 1978, 213. In later church writings continuing into modern Roman Catholicism this scene has been      invoked as a basis for spiritual motherhood of Mary or for the picture of Mary as the mother of Christians.
6  the Pope refers to Mary but it must not be mentioned as surpassing the Incarnation of Christ
7  St Agustin, De Sancta Virginitate, 6PL 40 339
 8  Leo XIII, Encyclical Letter  Adiutricem Populi .5 September - 1895 
Courtesy: Renovacao (Goa Archdiocesan bulletin) Sept 1-15, 2010, page 4.

Mother of God image at St Simon and St Jude Church, Mt Ganxim Goa India,                                            More on www.OurLadyBatim5thDogma.com


2)    ST. TERESA OF CALCUTTA After the 1993 St. Louis Rosary conference, Mother Teresa: “…….Mary is our Co-Redemptrix with Jesus. She gave Jesus His body and suffered with Him at the foot of the Cross. Mary is the Mediatrix of all Grace. She gave Jesus to us, and as Our Mother She obtains for us all His Grace. Mary is our Advocate who prays to Jesus for us. It is only through the Heart of Mary that we come to the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus. The Papal definition of Mary as Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix and Advocate will bring great Grace to the Church. All for Jesus through Mary. God bless you…….”

3)    ~ St. Maximillian Mary Kolbe-Franciscan Martyr of Auschwitz: “It is accepted as certain and irrefutable in the Catholic Church, although it is not yet declared as a Dogma, that the Mother of God is the Mediatrix of All Grace."




4)  MEDIATRIX IN THREE WAYS

According to world– renowned Mariologist J.B. Carol, O.F.M., “a mediator is one who stands between two persons or groups of persons either to facilitate an exchange of favors or to reconcile parties at variance [with one another]”. The universal mediation of Mary i.e., her maternal function in the acquisition, impetration, and distribution of graces, is certainly one of the most interesting and actual aspects of the entire Mystery of Mary in the History of Salvation.

Carol goes on to say that “our Lady may be styled ‘mediatrix’ either (a) because, as worthy Mother of God and full of grace, she occupies a middle position between God and his creatures; or (b) because, together with Christ and under him, she cooperated in the reconciliation of God and humankind while she was still on earth; or (c) because she distributes the graces that God bestows on His children.

“No matter in which of these three meanings it may be taken, Mary’s mediation must always be understood as secondary to, and dependent on, Christ’s primary and self – sufficient mediatorial role…

“For some theologians, the title ‘Co-Redemptrix’ refers to Mary’s cooperation in the Redemption in the sense that she knowingly and willingly gave birth to the Redeemer (technically: indirect, remote cooperation) and that she dispenses to us the fruits (graces) of the Redemption already accomplished by Christ alone (i.e., cooperation in the subjective Redemption).

“The majority  [of theologians] , however, believe that, besides the two types of cooperation just mentioned, Mary also contributed to the Redemption itself., i.e., to the redemptive action of Christ that was consummated on Calvary (called objective Redemption). Specifically: Together with Christ (though in total subordination to him an in virtue of his power), Mary atoned or satisfied for our sins, merited every grace necessary for salvation, and joined the Savior’s sacrifice on Calvary to appease the wrath of God.”

As a result of this joint operation of Jesus and his Mother, God canceled the debt of the human race and took its members back into His friendship that had been broken by sin.

Pope St. Pius X, in his 1904 Encyclical Ad Diem Illum Laetis Simum (“On That Joyful Day”) , indicated that Mary conceives and gives birth to us as Mother of the Redeemer:

“The Blessed Virgin did not conceive the eternal Son of God merely in order that He might be made man, taking His human nature from her, but also in order that by means of the nature assumed from her He might be the Redeemer of man…

“Accordingly , in the same holy bosom of His most chaste Mother, Christ took to Himself flesh and united to Himself the spiritual Body formed by those who were to believe in Him. Hence, Mary, carrying the Savior within her, may be said to have also carried all those whose life was contained in the life of the Savior…
“Thus , in a spiritual and mystical fashion, we are all children of Mary, and she is Mother of us all.”

Mary also gave spiritual birth to humankind at the foot of the Cross. Like a Mother suffering the pangs of childbirth, she stood by the Cross and in union with  and subordinate to Christ gave spiritual birth to the members of the Mystical Body. This point is brought out by the words of Father Pierre Benoit, a world- renowned Scripture scholar:

“In the birth pangs of the Church, in the agony of the Cross, Jesus was not alone. As man, sensitive and suffering, He needed a helper and His Mother stood beside the Cross. She helped to accept and offer everything to God; like a Mother, she shared in the birth of the Church.

“In my opinion it is incorrect to speak of Mary as ‘Virgin Priest’; she is not a priest. Jesus is the one and only priest and all other priests are His sacramental representatives. But Mary is the Mother of that priest and she alone can fill that role. She helped her Son to consummate His sacrifice.

“Thus all the graces that come to us from Jesus – and they come from Him alone since He is the one source of salvation – come through the hands of Mary, in glory beside her Son, collaborates with Him in distributing these graces, just as in her role of Mother, a role at once humble and exalted, she had collaborated with Him in the winning of grace.” 

History of the Title
The whole history of the Church demonstrates the existence of recourse to Mary to obtain her intercession in every circumstance of life. We have seen this in Chapter 7: “Help of Christians.”

At the same time, the Fathers of the Church consistently made statements that indicated Mary’s great power of mediation.

\In the third century, St. Irenaeus wrote: “Mary espoused but yet a virgin, became by her obedience a cause of salvation for herself and the whole human race” (against Heresies, III, 22).

In the fourth century, St. Jerome stated: “death came through Eve, but life through Mary” (Epistle 22, 21) .

At the Council of Ephesus in the fifth century, St. Cyril of Alexandria pronounced the greatest Marian sermon of antiquity, relating Mary’s mediation to her office as Mother of God and her relationship with the Blessed Trinity.

With Basil of Seleucia in the fifth century, the word Mediatrix itself appeared in the context of the Annunciation: “Hail, full of grace: set up as a Mediatrix of God and human beings, so that the walls of enmity should be torn down and heavenly and earthly things come together as one” (On the Annunciation).

Thus, from the fifth through the sixteenth centuries, Fathers, Doctors, preachers, and hymnologists explained or assumed Mary’s mediation without contradiction. In the Middle Ages, it was mainly through the influence of St. Bernard of Calirvaux (d. 1153) that the doctrine of Mary’s mediation became familiar to the Catholic faithful- through such sayings as the following : “God has willed that we should have nothing that did not pass through the hands of Mary.”

St. Thomas Aquinas (d. 1274) made use of the term Mediatrix in reference to Mary in his commentary on the Gospel of John. Later, St. Bernardine of Siena (d.1444) applied to Mary the mediatorship of all graces: “I do not hesitate to say that [Mary] has received a certain jurisdiction over all graces… They are administered through her hands to whom she pleases, when she pleases, and as much as she pleases.”
Beginning with the seventeenth century to 1921, a huge output of material was published concerning this doctrine. The two most popular books on our Lady during this time – True Devotion to Mary by St. Louis Grignion de Montfort (d. 1716) and The Glories of Mary by St. Alphonsus Liguori (d. 1878) – both were composed on the theme of Mary’s universal mediation.

1921 to the Present
As a result of the growing clamor on all sides for the definition of a Dogma about Mary’s mediation of all graces, Cardinal Mercier, Archbishop of Malines, Belgium, petitioned Pope Benedict XV in 1921 for such an act. He received permission to have a Mass and Office of “Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces” celebrated in all dioceses of Belgium and saw the establishment of three commissions by Pope Pius XI to study the question. But no definition was forthcoming.

In the preparatory phase for the Second Vatican Council, which ended in the spring of 1960, almost 500 bishops and other prelates requested that Mary’s universal mediation be defined. However, this did not come to pass because of the decision that Vatican II should not define any new Dogmas and because of the fear of setting back the ecumenical effort. Pope John Paul II reiterated the same point in 1999 when he declined to define a Dogma of Mary as Mediatrix of All Graces.

In this connection, an interesting point was made in 1984, when Cardinal Confalonieri, in the name of the Chapter of St. Mary Major in Rome , asked for the definition of Mary’s universal mediation. The future Benedict XVI, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, replied that such a solemn pronouncement was not needed. The reason he adduced for this view is most enlightening : “The doctrine of Mary’s universal mediation is already adequately set forth in the various documents of the Church :” The Cardinal so much as said that it is a secure doctrine, already officially taught.

The truth of this declaration can be seen in the writings of the latest Popes as well as Vatican II and the Liturgy.

The Doctrine and the Magisterium
Perhaps Blessed Pope Pius IX in his 1854 Apostolic Constitution Ineffabilis Deus (“Ineffable God”) containing the solemn definition of the Dogma of the Immaculate Conception paved the way for this title with his words:
“Let all the children of the Catholic Church, who are most dear to us, hear our words. With even more ardent zeal for piety, religion, and love, let them continue to venerate, invoke, and pray to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of God, conceived without original sin. Let them with utter confidence have recourse to this sweetest Mother of  mercy and grace in all dangers, difficulties , necessities, doubts, and fears.

“Under her guidance, patronage, kindness, and protection, nothing is to be feared and nothing is hopeless. For, while bearing towards us a truly motherly affection and having in her care the work of our salvation, she is solicitous about the whole human race.

“ And since she has been appointed by God to be the Queen of  heaven and earth, and is exalted above all the choirs of Angels and saints, and even stands at the right hand of her only – begotten Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, she presents our petitions in a most efficacious manner. What she asks she obtains. Her pleas can never be unheard.”

In the wake of those words, papal documents have often portrayed Mary as Mediatrix of all graces. Pope Leo XIII, for example, in his 1891 Encyclical Octobri Mense (“The Month of October”), stated: “It may be affirmed with … truth and precision that, by the Will of God, absolutely no part of that immense treasure of every grace that the Lord amasses… is bestowed on us except through Mary.”

The same doctrine was taught by Pope St. Pius in his Encyclical Ad Diem illum Lactissimum (“On That Joyful Day”) Pope Pius XI in his 1928 Encyclical Miserentissimus (“Most Merciful”), and Pope Pius XII in his May 13, 1946, radio message. St. Bernard’s dictum that God wills us to have everything through Mary is found in the writings of Blessed Pius IX, Leo XIII, St. Pius X, Pius XII, and Blessed John XXIII.

Paul VI solemnly promulgated this teaching, as it is included in the Constitution on the Church. In his 1968 Apostolic Exhortation Signum Magnum (“The Great Sign”), he changed the Council wording to make it stronger. “She makes herself their Advocate, Auxiliatrix, Aid – Giver, and Mediatrix.”

Vatican II, after a lengthy argumentation for and against the doctrine, adopted the following neutral text: “Therefore the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix” (Constitution on the Church , no. 62)

It also stressed that the tiles just mentioned “are to be so understood that they neither take away nor add anything to the dignity and efficacy of Christ the one Mediator.” Indeed, “the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise among creatures to a manifold cooperation that is but a sharing in this unique source” (ibid).

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (nos. 968-970) sets forth this same doctrine on Mary’s universal mediation with quotes from Vatican II: “She cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the Savior’s work of restoring supernatural life to souls… By her manifold intercession [she] continues to bring us the gifts of eternal salvation.”

5)    MASS OF “MARY, MOTHER AND MEDIATRIX OF GRACE”

In 1971, the Congregation fro Divine Worship approved a Mass of “The Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother and Mediatrix of Grace.” This Mass, faithfully following the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, commemorates both the maternal role of our Lady and her function of mediation and is currently celebrated in many places on May 8.

In 1987, this Mass was included in the new Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary – 46 Masses that can be celebrated on open days, especially Saturdays.

The Mass gives pride of place to Christ, “truly God and truly human… the one Mediator… always living to make intercession for us” (preface). It also commemorates our Lady as “Mother of the Author of grace,” for God the Father, in His eternal wisdom and love, chose her as the Mother and companion of the redeemer.

The Mass text goes on to make the following points:-
1. The Virgin Mary is Mother of grace, for in her chaste womb she carried Him who is” truly God and truly human” (Entrance Antiphon) , and brought forth for us” the Author of all grace” (Opening Prayer)
2. The Virgin Mary is the Mediatrix of grace, for she was the handmaid of Christ in gaining for us the greatest of all graces: redemption and salvation, the Divine life and unending glory.
3. Our Lady’s mediation is interpreted as “the love that she bestows as a mother [a love] of intercession and pardon, of prayer and grace , of reconciliation and peace” (Preface)

Christ : The One Mediator
There is no doubt that Jesus is the one Mediator between God and human beings: “No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). He is the Mediator in an absolute, original, and exclusive sense. When we apply the term Mediatrix to Mary, we use it in a relative and subordinate sense as a participation in the unique Mediation of Christ.
Thus, the Apostles of Jesus were also mediators, as are missionaries and those who proclaim the Gospel down the ages. So also are pastors and parents who educate children in the faith. Indeed, all baptized persons who bear witness to Christ by their lives are mediators.

Every form of the Christian apostolate is mediation. But it is clear that we are talking about one that is subordinate to and dependent upon that of Christ, who remains the sole Mediator. Neither does he lose this prerogative when others participate in it.

Even if Christ shares this prerogative of mediation with creatures, Mary’s participation in it has an extension and importance that are unique: it is proportionate to her role as Mother of God (what greater participation could there be than consenting to the Incarnation of the Word, through which consent Christ was born of her?), as our Mother, as collaborator with Christ in the whole work of the Redemption.
           
Saints and theologians affirm that through Mary we have received Christ, fount of every grace, hence, even all the graces that come to us though Him. The Divine Motherhood is thus the principal source of Mary’s mediation.

The expressions of Vatican II render fully legitimate the title of Mediatrix of All Graces attributed to Mary. It merely needs to be explained more fully. She is a Mediatrix dependent on the unique Mediation of Christ and is called upon to apply the Redemption to all souls.

The word Grace is used in its broadest sense and includes whatever produces, conserves, increases, and perfects the Christ-life in us. It includes sanctifying graces, the infused virtues, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit, all actual graces, the charisms, and material goods that aid the attainment of heaven.

All human beings are affected by the Mediatrix. Those who lived before her received their graces in view of her future effectiveness as the universal Mother. Those who come after her receive their graces from the actual excessive of her function as Mediatrix.

Leo XIII stated in his 1894 Encyclical Iucunda Semper Expectatione (“An Ever Joyful Expectation”) that every grace communicated to human begins has three stages: by God it is communicated to Christ, from Christ it passes to Mary, and from Mary it descends to us. This is how God will to dispense grace.
Furthermore, Mary distributes grace to all, not just to those who pray to her. She reinforces all prayer, whether it is immediately referred to God or passes by the intercession of the other Saints. Anyone who receives any grace whatever, receives it through and from Mary.

A Decree issued by the Sacred Congregation of Rites for the 1947 Canonization of St. Louis de Montfort, the great Marian Apostle, and approved by Pius XII, nicely sums up this Catholic belief historically and doctrinally.

“Gathering together the tradition of the Fathers, St. Bernard teaches that God wants us to have everything through Mary. This pious and salutary doctrine all theologians hold in common accord [as of 1947].
“We call it a pious and salutary doctrine because Mary is the most loving Mother not only of Christ but of all of us, and she exercises her power given her from above, for the good of human begins in bestowing Divine graces in abundance.

Application to Us
This title of Mary as Mediatrix is of great importance to us. It means that we are assured of receiving all the graces we need from the hands of our loving Mother in heaven. We should, then, frequently call upon her to dispense graces to us as needed.

However, there is another aspect to this title, which is nicely borne our by Pope John Paul II: “In effect, Mary’s mediation is intimately linked with her motherhood. It possesses a specifically maternal character, which distinguishes it from the mediation of other creatures who in various and always subordinate ways share in the one mediation of Christ, although her own mediation is also a shared mediation.

“In fact, while it is true that ‘no creature could ever be classed with the  Incarnate Word and Redeemer’ , at the same time ‘the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise among creatures to a manifold cooperation which is but a sharing in this unique source. And thus ‘the one goodness of God is in reality communicated diversely to his creatures’ (Constitution on the Church, no. 62)” (Encyclical Redemptoris Mater [“Mother of the Redeemer”] , no. 38)
Hence, this Marian title tells us that we too have an obligation to actively participate in the mediation of Mary and her Son. We have to make sure to utilize all our forces to advance the salvation won for the world by Christ. Whatever we can do in this regard is of immense importance.

In this sense, we are, in the words of St. Paul, “filling up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ” (Colossians 1:24)
What is more, we should realize that if we do not carry out the saving work intended to be done by us, it will go undone.

6)    SAMPLE PETITION FOR YOU TO SEND
To,                                                                          
His Holiness Pope Francis I, Palazzo Apostolico                                    
00120 CittĂ  del Vaticano, Italia (Europe)

Your Holiness,

PETITION  FOR  THE  PAPAL DEFINITION  OF  THE  BLESSED VIRGIN  MARY  AS  MEDIATRIX OF  ALL  GRACES,  CO-REDEMPTRIX AND  ADVOCATE
 With Love, we the faithful wish to humbly petition you our Holy Father, the Bishop of Rome, the Vicar of Christ, to solemnly define as Christian Dogma, the Church’s teaching on our Blessed Mother’s Co-Redemptive role with Jesus, the Redeemer of Humanity.

Holy Father, we are begging you to please open the Flood Gates of Graces from Heaven by Proclaiming the Fifth Dogma as Our Blessed Mother as Mediatrix of All Grace:  Co–Redemptrix and Advocate before the throne of God to help us endure the persecutions and sufferings of these times ahead. Amen.

You alone who hold the Two Keys of Peter, of the Holy Mother the Catholic Church, can bring this gift from Heaven. Amen.

We pray that the Holy Spirit may guide you in this proclamation.

Respectfully submitted,

Sd/-……..