Mary, Mediatrix of All Graces and Mother of All People

At our SSPX chapel, we recently had a catechism class by a Dominican, Fr. Albert, who sometimes helps out. He spoke about Mary as Mediatrix of All Graces. While the Vatican rejects that title the Church has taught it for over 1500 years. Father began by talking about Jacinta, the little mystic of Fatima. As she was dying she begged her cousin Lucia not to "go and hide," but to tell the world about Mary. God's will, Father told us, is to ask Mary for graces. Mark Miravalle, professor of Theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville, has promoted the "fifth Marian dogma" of Mediatrix of all graces for decades.

Let's start with a little history. Prior to Vatican II, a working document was drawn up to promote Mary's title of Mediatrix. The bishops were contacted about what they wanted the council to discuss and over 300 expressed the desire to see Mary honored as the Mediatrix of All Graces. Sad to say, the progressives were successful in having all the preparatory documents, previously developed over months of work, thrown out so they could engineer the council according to their plans. They squelched the plan for a Marian document and later in the "spirit of Vatican II" Mary's was continually attacked. I remember in one parish saying a communal rosary after Mass was forbidden. 

In 1996 a significant petition initiated by Vox Populi Mariae Mediatrici went to Pope John Paul II asking him to declare Mary Mediatrix. The Vatican said no. Why? Do I have to ask? It might offend Protestants. That's not what the Vatican said, of course. They said it would confuse things, i.e., the fact that Jesus is the sole mediator between God and humanity. Wouldn't that be an opportunity to engage in "dialogue" about the role of the Mother of God who is so often attacked?

The Church has always adhered to the doctrine that Jesus is the sole mediator with the Father, but she also recognizes the role of others as lesser mediators participating with Christ in the salvation of souls. How many times has a Protestant asked a friend to please pray for a particular need. If Christ is the sole mediator in an exclusive way, i.e., the only one who can be addressed in prayer, isn't that request blasphemous? Declaring Mary the Mediatrix cooperating in the dispensation of graces does not usurp Christ's role, but emphasizes it. Mary acting as Mediatrix is not according to her will, but His. She stands between Him and all of us children on earth, not as an obstacle, but as a channel of grace and a motherly intercessor. Catholic Answers has a good explanation of the doctrine.

Every one of us can also be intercessors raising our voices to request honoring Mary by what Vox Populi (Voice of the People) calls the fifth Marian dogma. They have a petition on their website asking Rome to declare Mary the Spiritual Mother of all people. Is that activity spitting into the wind? Not according to history. Interestingly, two other Marian dogmas were influenced by petitions from the clergy and laity. Here's what Vox Populi says:

It is part of the rich tradition of our Catholic faith to petition the popes regarding the proclamation of Marian dogmas.

For example, millions of petitions by the Christian faithful led to the dogmas of the Immaculate Conception (1854) and the Assumption (1950). With every Marian dogma, extraordinary graces are poured upon the world through Our Lady’s most powerful intercession.

In 1915, Cardinal Mercier of Belgium began an international petition movement for the papal definition of the Blessed Virgin Mary as the world’s “Spiritual Mother.” Now, one hundred years later, well over 8 million priests, religious and lay faithful and over 800 Cardinals and Bishops from more than 180 countries have sent petitions to recent popes in favor of the solemn definition: the Mother of Jesus is Spiritual Mother of all humanity in her three maternal roles as Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix of all graces and Advocate.

In one line (or more) please tell the Holy Father that you "support the dogmatic proclamation of Mary as the “Spiritual Mother of all Peoples."

I love the Blessed Mother and know that she is, indeed, my spiritual mother. I thank God for her! I was named for her when I was born the day before the feast of the Annunciation. I think of her role of intercessor at the wedding feast of Cana. She urged her Son to begin His public life with a miracle and He responded with incredible generosity to save a newly married couple from embarrassment. From embarrassment! Not from a hurricane, or from a serious illness, but just to keep a party going. Do you have to wonder whether God listens to your prayers? Asking Mary to join us in prayer magnifies them because her role is to "magnify the Lord." And she does. 

I'm offering the petition with a heartfelt prayer that all people recognize her as a mother. She never competes with her Son; she brings us all closer to Him on the fast track. Here's what I wrote on my petition:

Dear Holy Father, I was born on the vigil of the Feast of the Annunciation. I love the Blessed Mother and her role from heaven to "magnify the Lord." Please declare her the world's spiritual mother. We all need her so desperately at a time when so many mothers reject the gift of life and even kill their own unborn, and even born, children. We need Mary's motherly heart to touch the hearts of all women and help them recognize the dignity of their call to be mothers. Some are called to be physical mothers. Some are called to be spiritual mothers. And men also need to be touched by her to understand the complementary role of both men and women to make two become one. Please, Holy Father, proclaim Mary as the Spiritual Mother of all People. The world needs her.

O Mary, Mediatrix of all Graces and Mother of All People, pray for us.