The Encyclical Redemptoris Mater, dedicated to the Most Holy Virgin Mary, is a further example of the understanding and the systematic acknowledgement of the teachings of the Second Vatican Council during the magistery of John Paul II.

1. Following ample discussions in the Council hall, neither the title of "co-redemptrix" nor that of "mediator of all graces" were included in chapter VIII of the Lumen gentium; this text, which wished to emphasize the uniqueness of Redemption in Christ, does not even mention the "sacrifice" Mary experienced at the feet of her Son’s Cross (LG 58). These expressions do not even appear in this Encyclical. John Paul II instead made use of the word "mediatrix", although not frequently, also following the discreet use of it in the Lumen gentium (no. 62).

Both the Second Vatican Council and the Redemptoris Mater more often mention Mary’s "mediation", placing therefore the accent on her acts, on her singular mission, which became manifest in her historical pilgrimage obeying the divine plan. In this they place Mary within the context of the New Alliance, as the history of redemption in which she plays an active role, until present times in the life of the Church.

In this sense, both the Lumen gentium and the Redemptoris Mater make first of all an effort to carefully avoid any possible confusion that might place Mary’s mediation at the same level as Christ’s, as if she might take part in His objective Redeeming work. Furthermore, the texts both introduce their teachings concerning this issue affirming, first of all, that we only have One Mediator and that Mary’s mission in no way obscures or diminishes Jesus Christ’s unique mediation, on the contrary it shows its power. In fact, just as the faithful participate in Christ’s priestly, prophetic and royal munera, His unique mediation brings about the cooperation of His creatures (LG 60, 62; RM 38). On the other hand, Mary is represented "because she belongs to the offspring of Adam she is one with all those who are to be saved" (LG 53; see RM 10), as a woman and a "daughter of Zion" in which the promises of God to His people are accomplished (LG 55; RM 11, 14, 24).

Consequently, Mary’s mediation is participated and placed on the level that belongs to creatures; she undoubtedly cooperates in an extraordinary manner to Christ’s unique mediation, which is specified by her divine motherhood. John Paul II presented in synthesis this particular and unique "maternal mediation" as one that belongs only to she who is the mother of Christ, the generous companion in the work of the Redemption, and for us, a mother filled with grace (RM 38).

2. Mary has a precise place in the plan for salvation, with the characteristic that, in the fullness of time, thanks to the Holy Spirit, Christ’s human nature was created within her womb, and because at that very moment the Church also came into existence, its history is together with Mary indissolubly joined in Christ: it is in her fiat that the bride and the mother are prefigured (RM 1).

In fact, as the Mother of Christ, Mary is also united to the Church in a special way, so that the mystery of the Incarnation is almost extended in the mystery of the Church, the Body of Christ. These perspectives which are traditional in Catholic Mariology and flourish on the horizon of the theology of the mystical body, were accepted by the Second Vatican Council (LG 52) and are also mentioned in the encyclical (RM 5). John Paul II, however, prefers to present the historical meaning of Mary’s dual bond with Jesus Christ and with the Church within the perspective of her answer and the "pilgrimage of faith" followed by the Virgin, always faithfully preserving her union with Christ (RM 5, 39) – while on the other hand at the same time following the perspective already adopted also in the Lumen gentium.

So as to understand Mary’s place it is necessary to turn one’s attention to the Annunciation and the Incarnation. The first moment of her submission to this unique mediation between God and mankind, namely the Incarnation of the Word, is represented by her acceptance of motherhood, by her full consent to the Word of God, the result of her total self giving to God in virginity, as nuptial love in which she totally consecrates herself to Him. Mary’s entire maternal participation in the life and mission of Christ was experienced by her – and as such therefore it must be understood – according to a modality that corresponds to her total and virginal gift of herself (RM 39).

A fundamental feature of Mary’s virginal motherhood consisted from the very beginning in her being personally the "handmaid of the Lord" (Luke 1, 38), the fortunate one "who believed" (Luke 1, 45). This fundamental dimension of her motherhood was to be emphasized and explicitly made manifest by Jesus in the course of His messianic mission, with words that affirm His priority over the mere physical bond (see Mark 3, 35; Luke 11, 28). Mary, on her part, continued to listen and to meditate with all of her believing heart to the Word incarnate, the revelation of the very Living God (Luke 2, 48-51). To the extent that her Son’s mission became evident to her eyes and to her spirit, she herself became receptive to this dimension of motherhood. In this way, moving forwards in the pilgrimage of faith to the Cross, Mary was transformed in a fundamental way into the first disciple of her own Son. She who had been the first to be called, was also the first to follow Him, before any other disciple or apostle. Hence she was not only the "nursing mother" of the Son of man, but also his generous companion in a totally particular manner (LG 61; RM 39).

In her answer filled with faith, Mary accepts in a personal and unique way the effects of Christ’s mediation, she is predisposed to cooperation with Him, to a unique participation, even though in a manner subordinated to His mediation. This mediation undertaken by Mary will be exceptional, because, founded on the fullness of the grace of the Redemptor, it will become a full receptiveness of the "handmaid of the Lord", who Christ will lead to being a mother filled with grace.

3. This transformation of her motherhood therefore, in her pilgrimage as a believer, as the generous companion of her Son, occurs in a role into which she is inspired by ardent mercy to cooperate with her work for the restoration of mankind’s supernatural life .

This maternal solicitude was witnessed for the first time at Cana in Galilee (John 2, 1-5), an occasion on which the meaning of this new spiritual motherhood became manifest, almost a pronouncement of her own mediation. John describes for us Mary’s solicitude for the good of mankind, her moving towards their indigence revealing to them the messianic and redeeming power of her Son. She acts as a mediatrix in her position of a mother who trustingly presents to her Son the needs of the people, so that His messianic power may become manifest, and she tells the people to accept and obey what her Son is has to say to them, so that they may see redemption and believe (John 2, 11). Mary’s maternal mediation appears as that of she who, a believer and united with Jesus in a unique manner, intercedes for mankind and hopes for the manifestation of her Son’s redeeming power (RM 21-22).

It is at the feet of the Cross that the whole truth and reality concerning this new motherhood of Mary, as the definite broadening of her maternal mission, appears; there, Mary, who lived her pilgrimage in the faith to the extreme pillage of the Cross, is given by Jesus to His disciples as the mother of the new-born Church (John 19, 26-27). The definite realization of the Redemptor’s Paschal mystery also results in a new love, the ardent mercy that matured in Mary at the feet of the Cross. She, who has entirely given herself to the Son, now accepts His redeeming love and gives herself up to it. The maternal mediation of the "Handmaid of the Lord" achieves a universal dimension, because Redemption includes all men; with total consent, holding nothing back, subordinated to the Son’s redeeming mission, to His universal mediation.

In this way, her maternal mediation, glimpsed at in Cana, will last within the Church and through the Church, interceding for the redemption of the children, cooperating in the unique mediation that redeems mankind and unites it with God.

At the time of the full manifestation of the Church to the world, on the day of Pentecost, one can already envisage the continuity of Mary’s motherhood, which is presented to us in the womb of the newly born Church, imploring with her prayer the advent of the Spirit (RM 23-24). When, taken up into heaven, all the effects of the Redemptor’s mediation appear in her, Mary still remains united with the Son to the point of reigning with Him, always as she who believed and served Christ, and takes part in the glory of continuing to maternally serve His plans, interceding for mankind until the eternal fulfillment of all the elect (RM 40-41).

4. Because of the divine motherhood that unites her to the Son, Mary is also intimately linked to the Church, both to its beginnings and to its figure. Out of faith and obedience Mary generated the Son and always remained faithful to Him; as a virgin and as a mother, Mary is an everlasting symbol of the Church, which is also called "virgin and mother" (LG 63; RM 42).

Mary, in fact, is she who virginally welcomes the Word of God and remained faithful until the extreme moment below the Cross. Similarly, the Church’s maternal dimension also comes from its being a faithful virgin, the bride of Christ who keeps the faith received in its heart and bearing witness before mankind. Hence the Church is a mother in welcoming the Word of God and in generating a new and immortal life, through preaching and baptism, for the children conceived through the Holy Spirit. The Church’s maternal vocation, at the service of adopting children through grace, is therefore linked to its sacramental essence (RM 43).

It is in Mary’s faith, from the Annunciation until the moment at the feet of the Cross, which becomes receptive to that human "interior presence", thanks to which the Father can bestow upon mankind incessant benedictions: the presence of the New Alliance. This presence still exists within the Church, which is the sacrament of the union with God and the unity of mankind (RM 28).

Therefore one understands that Mary is the model of the Church, more than a model. Mary in fact is present and cooperates in the spiritual motherhood of the Church, in the regeneration of mankind to supernatural life.

Mary already cooperated on earth, first of all as the Mother of the Son, faithfully united with Him, through maternal and spiritual life that was born from the Easter mystery of the Redemptor. Mary is present from the very beginning of the Church’s pilgrimage of faith, as one can observe in the Cenacle, amidst the Apostles, interceding and imploring the gift of the Spirit who raises up the new children of God (RM 44).

In realty however, her pilgrimage precedes that of all others: it started with the Incarnation, accepting the Word of God in her womb, abandoning herself totally to God in the obedience of faith. Mary did not receive the apostolic mission as happened to those who Jesus called at the beginning of His mission in Israel. However, amidst the disciples, Mary was a singular witness of Jesus’ mystery: she who was the first to believe, she who followed Him step by step in the maternal pilgrimage of faith, united with Him in a unique manner.

Therefore Mary precedes, she moves forward in the pilgrimage of faith in front of all the faithful. At the origins of what the Church has been from the very beginning and of what it must be, there is always "the handmaid of the Lord", she who "believed". Mary’s faith characterizes the beginning of the New Alliance in Christ and precedes the apostolic testimony of the Church; she is in the heart of the Church, and whoever believes will in some way take part in her faith (RM 26-27).

"And it is precisely this lively sharing in Mary's faith that determines her special place in the Church's pilgrimage.." (RM 27). Her maternal mediation therefore is above all directed at the fundamental vocation common to all Christian faithful, those who are called to believe in Christ and resurrect for the Word of the Living God, not from the flesh, but from the water and from the Holy Spirit (LG 9a). One therefore perceives the very dimension of motherhood, that consists in always referring to the person, to her experiencing the personal, unique and unrepeatable relationship between mother and son. The disciple is now a son, who welcomes within His interior space the Mother and entrusting His person to her in a filial manner, so that she may take care of Him and cooperate in His regeneration, His pilgrimage of faith (RM 45). This spiritual dimension of motherhood also comes from Christ and is orientated towards Him; furthermore, Mary is she who was the first to believe and witness the redeeming love of the Father, and with this faith of a bride and a mother she wishes to act within all those who entrust themselves to her (RM 46). This dimension of her motherhood is particularly manifest in the cult of the Eucharist, in which the body really born from the Virgin and sacrificed on the Cross becomes present, and in the union with which Mary continues to guide all the faithful (RM 44).

5. "Knowledge of the true Catholic doctrine regarding the Blessed Virgin Mary will always be a key to the exact understanding of the mystery of Christ and of the Church".