International Theological Commission Publishes Public Response to New Vatican Document Mater Populi Fidelis

Read the Official Response of the Theological Commission

On December 8, 2025, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, the Theological Commission (TC) of the International Marian Association (IMA)  released a 23-page response to Mater Populi Fidelis (MPF) - a doctrinal note concerning the Blessed Virgin Mary’s role in Redemption that was published by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) on November 4, 2025. This Response from the TC respectfully requests a re-evaluation of Mater Populi Fidelis “that will lead to a new expression of the ordinary Magisterium concerning [these] critically important Marian doctrines and titles in great consistency, development, and harmony with the doctrinal teachers of previous popes. Among such teachings are those that recognize the Blessed Virgin Mary as the Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix of All Graces.”

A summary of the major points of the document produced by the 40-member TC is as follows:

1. In accordance with both Donum Veritatis, n. 30 and Canon 212, the TC maintains that there remain significant theological points in MPF that require substantial clarification and modification.

2. There is significant inconsistency in the different translations of MPF. The Italian, English, and German refer to the title of Co-Redemptrix as “always inappropriate” (sempre inappropriate, immer unangebracht) while the Spanish, French and Portuguese refer to it as “always inopportune” (siempre inoportuno, toujours inopportune, sempre inoportuno). Moreover, the TC asks if it was “always inappropriate” for past popes, saints (e.g. Padre Pio, Maximilian Kolbe, Mother Teresa of Calcutta, John Henry Newman) to use the title Co-Redemptrix. 

3. The DDF states that “when an expression requires many, repeated explanations to prevent it from straying from a correct meaning, it does not serve the faith of the People of God and becomes unhelpful.” (MPF, n. 22)  The TC asserts that “Many theological terms, though, require perennial explanation for those not familiar with them. For example, the title “Mother of God” has been rejected by some Christians because they think it means Mary precedes God. The Trinity requires repeated explanations, even for those who believe this revealed truth. The same could be said for other terms such as transubstantiation, papal infallibility and the Marian dogma of the Immaculate Conception, which require ongoing explanation even among the Catholic faithful.” According the the TC, “[The term Co-Redemptrix] needs to be properly understood and explained, rather than rejected.”

4. The TC asserts that the DDF has not accurately told the history of theological development concerning the title of Co-Redemptrix. Examples of these inaccuracies in MPF include (but are not limited to):

   1. The DDF states that “The Second Vatican Council refrained from using the title [Co-redemptrix] for dogmatic, pastoral, and ecumenical reasons” (MPF, 18). This, though, is not entirely accurate with regards to omissions for dogmatic reasons. The praenotanda to the 1962 schema on the Blessed Virgin states: “Certain terms and expressions used by Roman Pontiffs have been omitted, which, although most true in themselves (in se verissima), may be difficult for the separated brethren (such as the Protestants) to understand. Among such words the following may be enumerated: ‘Coredemptrix of the human race’ [St. Pius X, Pius XI]”.

   2. The DDF surprisingly omits Lumen Gentium, n. 58, which states that Mary was “enduring with her only begotten Son the intensity of his suffering,”; that she “associated herself with his sacrifice in her mother’s heart” and that Mary was “lovingly consenting to the immolation of this victim born of her.” This testifies to Mary’s active and willed redemptive participation at Calvary, which in fact constitutes her coredemption.

   3. The DDF states that popes have used the title Co-Redemptrix “without elaborating much on its meaning” (MPF, 18). This, however, is not accurate as Pope Pius XI elaborated on the title in 1933, Pope Pius XII explained the doctrine of Marian coredemption in the 1943 encyclical Mystici Corporis, and Pope Saint John Paul II explained Mary’s role as Co-Redemptrix in 1985. These statements from previous pontiffs, not cited in MPF, explicitly teach the active and redemptive co-operation of Mary in human redemption. 

5. The TC asserts that MPF reduces Mary’s maternal mediation only to intercession, or merely a type of maternal advocacy. Moreover, MPF omits repeated teaching and references of twelve popes over four centuries concerning the doctrinal teaching of Mary’s mediation of graces. Many of these teachings carry a greater magisterial weight than a single dicastery note. 

6. The DDF argues that Mary cannot be the Mediatrix of All Graces because “she, the first redeemed, could not have been the mediatrix of the grace that she herself received” (n. 67). The TC responds that proper magisterial and theological articulations of Marian mediation have stated that Mary mediates all the graces of Redemption from Christ to sinful humanity, and not to herself. 

7. The DDF discourages understanding Marian mediation in terms of instrumental or secondary causality. The TC respectfully reminds the DDF that past pontiffs have taught Mary’s secondary causality in the communication of grade. For example, the 1904 encyclical Ad diem illum of Pope Saint Pius X, and even recent pontiffs like Pope Benedict XVI who stated in a 2007 homily, “There is no fruit of grace in the history of salvation that does not have as its necessary instrument the mediation of Our Lady.”

8. The TC asserts that the minimization of Mary’s merits in the recent DDF note also undermines all human merit and cooperation in the work of redemption. The Church has rightly taught that by uniting our sufferings to those of Christ we can become, as Pope Saint John Paul II stated in 1981 “co-redeemers of humanity”. 

9. The TC reminds the DDF that many approved Marian devotions are rooted in a theology of Mary as Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix of All Graces (e.g. Marian consecration, the Rosary, the Scapular, and the Miraculous Medal). This causes a dichotomy, put forward by the DDF, between Marian devotion and theological understanding concerning Mary’s role in the Redemption that will cause (and has already caused) many faithful Catholics to fall into unnecessary confusion and doubt.

10. Recent comments from Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández to journalist Diane Montagna have given permission for the title Co-Redemptrix to be used in informed discussion and Marian devotion, but not in future documents of the Holy See. The TC believes that there are no appropriate theological or pastoral reasons for these traditional terms to be omitted in future official documents of the Holy See and liturgical texts.

11. The document MPF negatively affects the faithful’s confidence in the Magisterium of the Church. The TC asks: If prior teachings and titles used by popes are now considered “inappropriate” or “inopportune”, why should the faithful have confidence in the Magisterium and consistency (not revision) in the development of doctrine? 

The Theological Commission

The Theological Commission of the International Marian Association consists of a 40-member board of theologians and bishops who provide analysis and commentary on contemporary Mariological issues and events.

The International Marian Association 

The International Marian Association (IMA) comprises theologians, bishops, clergy, religious, and lay leaders who seek to promote full Marian truth and devotion throughout the world.

With over 100 members from 25 countries spanning the 5 continents, the IMA operates in obedience to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church.

The activities of the IMA are governed by the following Seven Guiding Principles:

1. Full obedience to the Holy Father, to the Magisterium of the Catholic Church, and acceptance of all the Church’s Mariological teachings.

2. Advancement of serious Mariological scholarship, and appreciation for both classical and contemporary   Mariological contributions, as manifest, for example, in the writings of St. Louis Marie de Montfort, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and Pope St. John Paul II.

3. Support for all authentic Marian devotion in its legitimate worldwide variations, with special emphasis on the classic devotions of the Rosary, the Scapular, and Marian Consecration.

4. Promotion of Marian Evangelization as part of the New Evangelization and encouragement of all apostolic works that spread the full truth and love of Our Lady, within the Church, among other Christian traditions, and in non-Christian forums.

5. Dialogue and support for the solemn papal definition of Our Lady’s role as Spiritual Mother of all humanity, inclusive of her maternal roles as Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix of All Graces, and Advocate.

6. Respect for authentic Marian private revelation as indicated by Church authority; proper application of the norms determined by the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith for all reported private revelation; and the non-promotion of all false apparitions as designated by the Church.

7. Solidarity among theologians, bishops, priests, clergy, religious, and lay leaders in teaching and spreading the full truth and devotion about Our Lady locally, nationally and internationally.