Mary: Mother of the Church

 Angel Gabriel appeared to Mary ◦ Gospel of St. Luke  Historian ◦ Announced to Mary she had been chosen to be the Mother of God  Still Required her consent  Fiat ◦ “Let it be done to me according to your word”  (Latin)  Mary conceived Jesus at that time ◦ “The Word became flesh”  Written on the altar at our Church

 Title for Mary ◦ Just like Christ is called the New Adam  Eve = mother of all the living ◦ Eve brought sin into the world through disobedience  Mary ◦ Mother of the One who is Life itself ◦ Brought Christ into the world through obedience

 Physical mother of Jesus  Spiritual mother of all of us  “Woman, behold you son… Behold your mother” ◦ Talking to John, but names are not used  Use of pronouns shows He is giving Mary to all of us as our mother too  Our Blessed Mother ◦ Cares for each of us  Shown by the fact that Mary appears differently to different people  Mother of Church ◦ Plays a redemptive role in God’s plan for saving the Church  Mediatrix

 Immaculate Conception  Perpetual Virginity  Assumption

 People are born with Original Sin ◦ Lose Sanctifying Grace (God’s life in our souls) ◦ We are weak and tempted to easily sin  Mary is the new Ark of the Covenant ◦ Ark was covered in gold to contain 10 Commandments as a symbol of God’s presence ◦ Mary was conceived pure, free from Original Sin  Only human being conceived immaculately  Immaculate Conception ◦ Name for Mary ◦ Conceived into St. Ann’s womb free from Original Sin  Doctrine developed over time ◦ Formally defined by Pope Pius IX on DEC 8, 1854  Doctrine confirmed by Mary herself ◦ Appeared to St. Bernadette and introduced herself “I am the Immaculate Conception”

 Mother of God, but Joseph isn’t the father ◦ Foster father  “Conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit” ◦ Apostle’s Creed  Doctrine formally defined by the Second Council of Constantinople 553AD  Mary remained a virgin ◦ Didn’t have kids after Jesus

 Mary was taken body and soul into heaven ◦ Unlike us, where our bodies are separated from our souls  Preserved the “tabernacle” of Mary from decay  Part of the Sensus Fidelium from the beginning ◦ Eastern rites celebrated the Feast of the Assumption as far back as the 5 th Century  Doctrine formally defined on NOV 1, 1950 by Pope Pius XII ◦ Celebrated on AUG 15  Holy Day of Obligation

 Mary is the highest created being ◦ Because of her role as Mother of God ◦ “Queen of Angels” and “Queen of Saints”  Titles that are used in the Litany of Loreto  A litany is a form of prayer consisting of a series of petitions followed by a fixed response  We do not adore/worship Mary ◦ We venerate (honor) her for her role ◦ We pray for her intercession  The Wedding Feast at Cana shows that it works  “O Mary, conceived without sin, pray for us, who have recourse to thee” ◦ She is the greatest of examples ◦ She is “full of grace” and “blessed among women”