Pope Leo XIV decrees new directive about status of Mary, mother of Jesus
According to a new decree published by the Vatican, the co-redeemer has often been misused by many people on social media The man said the move by Pope Leo is in the right direction as he is making efforts to restore true worship.
According to the new decree, Mary is no longer to be referred to as co-redeemer by Catholics worldwide.
The new decree instructed Catholics not to call Mary co-redeemer.
Before now, the co-redeemer title was used by many Catholics to mean essential participation by the Blessed Mary in redemption work of Jesus Christ.
But a decree approved by Pope Leo said it was Jesus alone who saved humanity from hellfire and therefore Catholics must not call Mary the “co-redeemer” or “co-redemptrix”,
Though it still notes that Mary paved the way for the redemption by giving birth to Jesus, but insists she was not a “co-redeemer”.
Víctor Manuel Cardinal Fernández the prefect of the Vatican’s doctrinal office said some form of devotion to Mary seen on social media breeds confusion, hence the clarification.
His words: “There are some Marian reflection groups, publications, new devotions, and even requests for Marian dogmas that do not share the same characteristics as popular devotion.
Rather, they ultimately propose a particular dogmatic development and express themselves intensely through social media, often sowing confusion among ordinary members of the faithful.”
Sometimes, these initiatives even involve reinterpretations of expressions that were used in the past with a variety of meanings.
“This document considers such proposals to indicate how some respond to a genuine Marian devotion inspired by the Gospel, and how others should be avoided since they do not foster a proper contemplation of the harmony of the Christian message as a whole.”
His words: “Moreover, various passages in this Note offer a broad biblical development to show how authentic Marian devotion is found not only in the Church’s rich Tradition but also in Sacred Scripture. This document’s prominent biblical imprint is accompanied by texts from the Fathers and Doctors of the Church, as well as from recent Pontiffs. Therefore, rather than proposing limits, the present Note seeks to accompany and sustain the love of Mary and trust in her maternal intercession.”
