Mediatrix

Mediatrix in Roman Catholic Mariology refers to the role of the Blessed Virgin Mary as a mediator in the salvation process. It is a separate concept from Co-Redemptrix.Mark Miravalle, 1993, Introduction to Mary, Queenship Publishing ISBN 9781882972067, page 102
 
That Mary is Mediatrix of graces at a level higher than the mediation of other saints is accepted without question in the Catholic Church. She is such in two ways: Mary gave birth to the Redeemer, who is the fountain of all grace. Therefore, she participated in the mediating of grace. A second opinion states that Mary, assumed into heaven, participates in the mediating of divine graces of her son.Jordan Aumann, 1987 Spiritual theology ISBN 0722085184 page 61 Popes such as Leo XIII, Pius XII and John Paul II have traditionally supported both interpretations.Pope John Paul II, Margaret Bunson, 1996, John Paul II's book of Mary ISBN 0879735783 page 45 
The view that Mary is Mediatrix of all graces, a view held by some Catholics,William G. Most, Mary Mediatrix of All Graces has not been formally defined as a Marian dogma, although petitions for declaring it (along with Co-Redemptrix) a dogma have been submitted to the pope by various cardinals and bishops. It would become a fifth Marian dogma if approved by the Holy See.Vatican News on the Mediatrix Petition to the Pope
==Early references==
Saint Thomas Aquinas argued that only Christ can be the perfect mediator between God and mankind. But this does not hinder the fact that others are called mediator because they assist and prepare the union between God and man.Thomas Aquinas, Summa, III, 26,1 There is no question among Catholic theologians, that Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and the human race.
But this does not exclude a participation of the Virgin Mary vicariously in the one mediatorship of her Son. Early indications of this notions go back to a prayer attributed to Ephrem the Syrian (306-373):
:After the mediator, the mediatrix of the whole world
==19th century views==
In the 19th century, the word "mediatrix" appears in the papal bull Ineffabilis Deus of Pope Pius IX and in several rosary encyclicals of Pope Leo XIII,.
==20th-century use==
Pope Pius X used the word "mediatrix" of Mary in the encyclical Ad Diem Illum. It appears, combined with the phrase "all" graces in the title of the feast day of Mary Mediatrix of all graces that Pope Benedict XV authorized for celebration in Belgium it 1921. The date assigned for this celebration was 31 May, the same day on which other places were authorized to celebrate the Blessed Virgin Mary Queen of All Saints and Mother of Fair Love or Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
==Recent papal views==
In his encyclical Redemptoris Mater, Pope John Paul II said:
:Thus there is a mediation: Mary places herself between her Son and mankind in the reality of their wants, needs and sufferings. She puts herself "in the middle," that is to say she acts as a mediatrix not as an outsider, but in her position as mother. She knows that as such she can point out to her Son the needs of mankind, and in fact, she "has the right" to do so. Her mediation is thus in the nature of intercession: Mary "intercedes" for mankind.Pope John Paul II's encyclical Redemptoris Mater: On the Blessed Virgin Mary in the life of the Pilgrim Church
==Medjugorje==
The reported Marian messages from Međugorje refer both to the term "mediator" and "mediatrix". A message from October 7, 1981 reported by the children at Međugorje reads
:The seers: "Is there, outside of Jesus, other intermediaries between God and man, and what is their role?"
:There is only one mediator between God and man, and it is Jesus Christ.""Messages and Teachings of Mary at Medjugorje" page 166. Riehle Foundation, 1988: ISBN 0-9618840-7 X, online at http://www.medjugorje.eu/messages
Also a message from the same apparition site from 1983 reads
:"The sole mediator of salvation is Jesus Christ." "Messages and Teachings of Mary at Medjugorje" page 302. Riehle Foundation, 1988: ISBN 0-9618840-7 X, online at http://www.medjugorje.eu/messages
And a message reported in 1984 states:
:"You must know there is only one God and only one Mediator Jesus Christ"."Words from heaven: Messages of Our Lady from Medjugorje: a documented record of the messages and their meanings" page 164. Saint James Publishing, 1990: ISBN 1878909053
A message attributed by the children to the Virgin Mary from July 17, 1986 states:
:"I am the Mediatrix between you and God"."Words from heaven: Messages of Our Lady from Medjugorje: a documented record of the messages and their meanings" page 245. Saint James Publishing, 1990: ISBN 1878909053Website of Franciscans of Medjugorje www.medjugorje.hr, English, Messages of Our Lady, July 17, 1986.
The Croatian original of this message reads
:"Ja sam Posrednica između vas i Boga. (I am mediatrix/arbitratrix/intercessor/agent between you and God)"Website of Franciscans of Medjugorje www.medjugorje.hr, Hrvatski, Gospine poruke, 17. srpnja 1986.
In the Chronological Corpus of the Messages of Mariologian René Laurentin this message reads:
:"I am the intercessor between you and God." "Messages and Teachings of Mary at Medjugorje" page 283. Riehle Foundation, 1988: ISBN 0-9618840-7 X, online at http://www.medjugorje.eu/messages
Or, in its French original:
:J'exerce une médiation entre vous et Dieu. (I exercise a mediation between you and God)""Message et Pédagogie de Marie à Medjugorje. Corpus chronologique des messages" page 261. O.E.I.L., Paris 1988: ISBN 2.86839.122.2
There are many messages of Medjugorje in which the apparition states that she intercedes between the addressed persons and Jesus or God.
==Popular and clerical support==
Popular support for Mary as Mediatrix has appeared in recent times both from lay groups and the clergy. A lay movement called Vox Populi Mariae Mediatrici is promoting the doctrine of Mary as Mediatrix and provides petitions that can be signed by Roman Catholics at large and sent to the Pope in support of a formal dogmatic definition.Vox Popoli website
 
On February 8, 2008 five Roman Catholic Cardinals issued a petition asking Pope Benedict XVI to dogmatically declare the Blessed Virgin Mary as both Co-Redemptrix and Mediatrix. The five Cardinals were: Telesphore Toppo, Luis Aponte Martínez, Varkey Vithayathil, Riccardo Vidal, and Ernesto Corripio y Ahumada. The Cardinals also included a votum (i.e. petition) that would allow other cardinals and bishops to also request the same from the pontiff. This would in effect create a fifth Marian dogma if approved by the Holy See. To date over 500 bishops have sent in their votums to the Vatican in support of a fifth Marian dogma.
==References==
Category:Pope Pius IX mariology
Category:Pope Pius XI
Category:Pope Pius XII mariology
Category:Roman Catholic Church
Category:Mary (mother of Jesus)
Category:Roman Catholic Mariology
Category:Pope Leo XIII
ja:仲介者マリア
pt:Medianeira
sv:Mediatrix