VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) — Pope Leo XIV, during an address that concluded the plenary session of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) on Thursday, commended the dicastery’s November doctrinal note that rejected the Blessed Mother’s titles of “Co-Redemptrix” and “Mediatrix of all Graces.”
During Leo’s January 29 remarks thanking the DDF for its work on several doctrinal documents over the past few years, the pontiff briefly lauded its work on the November 2025 note Mater Populi Fidelis (“Mother of the Faithful People of God”), which notably declared the Marian title “Co-Redemptrix” to be both inappropriate and theologically “unhelpful.” The document also discouraged the use of Our Lady’s title of “Mediatrix of all Graces.”
Since its publication, the document has received considerable backlash from numerous Catholic bishops, priests, and Mariologists who have reaffirmed Our Lady’s ancient titles.
The pontiff highlighted “the doctrinal Note Mater Populi fidelis, on certain Marian titles referring to Mary’s cooperation in the work of salvation (4 November 2025), which encourages popular Marian devotion, deepening its biblical and theological foundations, while offering precise and important clarifications for Mariology.”
Leo also claimed that the dicastery’s work on this document and other recent documents, such as Dignitas infinita, has been a “great benefit” to the spiritual growth of the faithful.
“All this work will certainly be of great benefit to the spiritual growth of the holy and faithful People of God. In the context of the epochal change we are experiencing, it offers the faithful a prompt and clear word from the Church,” the pope said. “It also gives valuable guidance to bishops on the exercise of their pastoral action, as well as to theologians, in their service of study and evangelization.”
The Mater Populi Fidelis, signed by deeply scandal-plagued and heterodox DDF prefect Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, alleged that the title “Co-Redemptrix” – which saints and pontiffs have used for centuries – has become “unhelpful” because it can require many explanations to understand.
READ: Vatican rejects Marian titles ‘Co-Redemptrix’ and ‘Mediatrix’ in new doctrinal note
The note also claimed that the title “Co-Redemptrix” risks “eclipsing the exclusive role of Jesus Christ” and “would not be a true honor to his Mother.”
It further discouraged the widespread title “Mediatrix of All Graces,” suggesting that it lacks solid grounding in Revelation and carries “limits that do not favor a correct understanding of Mary’s unique place.”
Instead, the Vatican encouraged faithful to adopt titles rooted in Mary’s motherhood, such as “Mother of God” and “Mother of the Faithful People of God.”
Later that month, Fernández later said that the faithful who understand Our Lady’s Co-Redemptrix title may continue to use the title. However, it still cannot be used in official documents of the Holy See or in liturgical texts, as it had been for centuries.
Both Our Lady’s titles of “Co-Redemptrix” and “Mediatrix of all Graces” have been part of popular Catholic piety for hundreds of years. The late theologian Father Juniper B. Carol traced the use of “Co-Redemptrix” to a 14th-century liturgical book from Salzburg. He added that the novelty of a word does not disqualify its legitimacy, pointing to terms like “transubstantiation” and “Theotokos,” which were once new but became doctrinal cornerstones.
The priest also argued that the title forms a part of the ordinary magisterium, being “consecrated by ecclesiastical usage” in 20th-century papal texts.
A Mass in honor of “Our Lady, Mediatrix of All Graces” also appears in the traditional Roman Missal under the section for Masses for Various Places. This liturgical recognition underscores the historical acceptance of the title.
After the doctrinal note’s publication, several prominent Catholic priests, theologians, and Mariologists quickly came forward in defense of Our Lady’s titles.
Speaking to the DDF’s contention that these Marian titles might confuse the faithful, Bishop Robert Mutsaerts, in a November article, underscored that there is no Catholic truth that cannot be misunderstood, and the Church has consistently emphasized that Christ alone is the Savior and Mary’s role as Co-Redemptrix does not overshadow Him.
Bishop Mutsaerts: There’s no good reason why we can’t call Mary ‘Co-Redemptrix’
“People no longer seem to fear sin or folly, only misunderstandings. And as if it weren’t clear enough: There is no truth that cannot be misunderstood,” the bishop wrote.
“Roman Catholic theology has always placed an extraordinary emphasis on Christ as the only Savior. That is precisely why I have never seen any threat in the way Mary is spoken of. Christ’s position is so absolute that it would be absurd to think that anyone could truly overshadow Him. Cooperation does not mean rivalry,” he added.
Bishop Mutsaerts continued:
I see nothing unreasonable in the idea that Mary, in a manner totally subordinate and arising from grace, participated in the work of Christ. The term ‘Co-Redemptrix’ is not as shocking as some fear. And frankly, if Cardinal Fernandez is afraid that people will put Mary on an equal footing with Christ, then the problem is not with Mary but with Fernandez.
About a month after the doctrinal note was published, the International Marian Association Theological Commission issued its own correction of the document, calling it an “anti-development of doctrine.” The commission includes cardinals, bishops, and more than 40 internationally renowned theologians, including professors Scott Hahn and Mark Miravalle.
READ: Top Mariologists condemn Vatican’s discouragement of Co-Redemptrix title
The correction stressed that Mater Populi Fidelis minimizes several previous popes’ and several saints’ references to Our Lady as Co-Redemptrix and ignores “authoritative encyclical instructions of the Papal Magisterium.” They contrasted the DDF’s note with Pope Pius XI’s explanation of the title in a 1933 speech in which he taught, “By necessity, the Redeemer could not but associate His Mother with His work, and for this reason, we invoke her under the title of Co-redemptrix.” (L’Osservatore Romano, December 1, 1933, p. 1)
The Mariologists also called out the Vatican note for “not merely discouraging the Co-redemptrix title” but “also failing to teach in a positive way Mary’s truly redemptive role with and under Jesus in Redemption as put forth by the Papal Magisterium.”
While some faithful have argued that the original document was solely the work of Cardinal Fernández, who has become infamous for his pornographic books, Pope Leo has now explicitly expressed his approval of the doctrinal note.
