Copyright © 2006 By Doug Lawrence. All Rights Reserved.
Catechism Of The Catholic Church Reprinted With Permission.
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God’s Truth From The Catechism Of The Catholic Church – cont.
965 After her Son's Ascension, Mary "aided the beginnings of the Church by her prayers."
506
In her
association with the apostles and several women, "we also see Mary by her prayers imploring the
gift of the Spirit, who had already overshadowed her in the Annunciation."
507
. . . also in her Assumption
966 "Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of
her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the
Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son, the Lord
of lords and conqueror of sin and death."
508
The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular
participation in her Son's Resurrection and an anticipation of the resurrection of other Christians:
In giving birth you kept your virginity; in your Dormition you did not leave the world, O Mother of
God, but were joined to the source of Life. You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will
deliver our souls from death.
509
. . . she is our Mother in the order of grace
967 By her complete adherence to the Father's will, to his Son's redemptive work, and to every
prompting of the Holy Spirit, the Virgin Mary is the Church's model of faith and charity. Thus she is
a "preeminent and . . . wholly unique member of the Church"; indeed, she is the "exemplary
realization" (typus)
510
of the Church.
968 Her role in relation to the Church and to all humanity goes still further. "In a wholly singular
way she cooperated by her obedience, faith, hope, and burning charity in the Savior's work of
restoring supernatural life to souls. For this reason she is a mother to us in the order of grace."
511
969 "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 fulfillment of all the elect. Taken up to heaven she did not lay aside this
saving office but by her manifold intercession 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, and Mediatrix."
512
970 "Mary's function as mother of men in no way obscures or diminishes this unique mediation of
Christ, but rather shows its power. But the Blessed Virgin's salutary influence on men . . . flows
forth from the superabundance of the merits of Christ, rests on his mediation, depends entirely on
it, and draws all its power from it."
513
"No creature could ever be counted along with the Incarnate
Word and Redeemer; but just as the priesthood of Christ is shared in various ways both by his
ministers and the faithful, and as the one goodness of God is radiated in different ways among his
creatures, so also the unique mediation of the Redeemer does not exclude but rather gives rise to
a manifold cooperation which is but a sharing in this one source."
514
II. DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN
971 "All generations will call me blessed": "The Church's devotion to the Blessed Virgin is intrinsic
to Christian worship."
515
The Church rightly honors "the Blessed Virgin with special devotion.
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