On November 4, 2025, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith release a doctrinal note entitled Mater Populi Fidelis (“Mother of the Faithful People”), “on Some Marian Titles Regarding Mary’s Cooperation in the Work of Salvation.” This note is in response to many requests, mostly in relation to the request of a Fifth Marian Dogma of Mary’s Spiritual Maternity (which includes the titles Co-redemptrix, Mediatrix, and Advocate).
Protestants are shouting for joy, as if this were some sort of victory over the Church. Even headlines from notable news sources jumped the gun, proclaiming that the Church has tossed out the titles Co-redemptrix and Mediatrix.
This has been interpreted by a large contingent on social media as the Church changing its doctrine. And some Protestants are sarcastically writing off the notion that the Church’s teaching is unchanging, pointing to Mater Populi Fidelis as a change in the longstanding tradition.
But what does Mater Populi Fidelis really say?
It bears mentioning first that this doctrinal note is about titles, not doctrine. It seeks not to change any doctrine, but to address the use of particular titles so that the Church’s doctrine may be clearly understood. Second, the perception on the internet of the remarks on the titles themselves has largely misrepresented what was written.
Because it needs to be said, let’s look at what the document actually says pertaining to these unchanged doctrines, and the DDF’s reasoning for wanting to address the usage of titles. As a sneak peak, it is not because the properly explained theology is incorrect.
Co-redemptrix
In its treatment of the title Co-redemptrix, the document begins by affirming Mary’s cooperation in the work of salvation. Just as St. Paul said, “We are God’s fellow workers” (1 Cor. 3:9) and “I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the Church” (Col. 1:24), the Church affirms that we have an active participation in the work of salvation. We unite our sufferings to Christ’s and intercede for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Mater Populi Fidelis affirms that Mary’s unique participation in Christ’s saving work, “attested to in Scripture,” has also “been taught by the Magisterium of the Church.”
So what, then, is the intention of the document, if the Church’s true teaching on Mary’s role in redemption is not changed? The short answer is that the DDF wants to address particular titles associated with this work. Though not altering the true understanding of Co-redemptrix, the DDF essentially states that too many explanations are required for people to understand what the title actually means. As such, “this title risks obscuring Christ’s unique salvific mediation and can therefore create confusion and an imbalance in the harmony of the truths of the Christian faith.”
The document continues:
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. In this case, the expression Co-redemptrix does not help extol Mary as the first and foremost collaborator in the work of redemption and grace, for it carries the risk of eclipsing the exclusive role of Jesus Christ.
The takeaway is that the true theology is not changed—that which outlines Mary’s unique participation as the one who said fiat to the Annunciation, who suffered alongside her Son at the foot of the cross as a mother, and who is given to us as Mother of the Church. Yet at this time, the DDF deems it “unhelpful” to use the title “Co-redemptrix.”
Mediatrix
On the topic of mediation, the doctrinal note begins by affirming the concept of mediation among all Christians—that when we pray for one another, our sufferings, when united to Christ’s on the cross, are meritorious, and we assist our brothers and sisters in coming to Christ. This is quickly applied to Mary, who, in a singular and unique way, mediated Christ’s presence (through the Annunciation) to us and continues this mediation today. It has always been understood that in the proper sense, Christ is the one true mediator (see 1 Tim. 2:5), and any other mediation on behalf of believers is a participation in Christ’s mediation.
This is the quickest summary of the treatment of Mary as mediatrix. The document says that the title Mediatrix can be used with caution, so long as it is absolutely clear that Mary does not have some sort of mediation parallel to Christ’s, but subordinate and participatory in his. Mary’s mediation is not some second option to Christ’s, but rather, to put it in the vernacular, her role is to bring us to him who is himself the Mediator.
Mater Fidelis Populi clarifies that it can be said that Mary is mediatrix of “graces” (plural) “when seen in reference to Mary’s maternal help at various moments in our lives,” which “can have an acceptable meaning.” The document does, however, state that the specific title Mediatrix of All Graces has “limits that do not favor a correct understanding of Mary’s unique place. In fact, she, the first redeemed, could not have been the mediatrix of the grace that she herself received.”
It should be explained that the understanding of the title Mediatrix of All Graces, when properly taught, states that Mary has mediated Christ to the world through her fiat and the Annunciation, and that all grace comes to us from Christ (or, to be precise, from the Father, through the Son, and given by the Holy Spirit). As a correct understanding theologically, the DDF is also not changing this teaching of the Church, but issuing caution regarding the use of titles. As Mater Fidelis Populi states, “Mary can implore God to grant us those internal impulses of the Holy Spirit that are called ‘actual graces’” (6). The document goes on to explain these “actual graces” as aids given by the Holy Spirit to help sinners prepare for justification.
In short, the document wants to stress that Mary does not distribute “spiritual goods or energies apart from our personal relationship with Jesus Christ” and that Mary should be seen more as our “mother in the order of grace.” Catholics should have no problem with looking at Mary as our spiritual mother, because as the best mother, she provides her children with all their needs.
Heavenly Realities Are Not Changing
At this point, we ought to remember that this is a discussion about titles, not so much about doctrine. There may be a couple of lines in the document that deal with the doctrine of Mary’s role in dispensing graces, but those will be fleshed out over time. For us, the most important thing to remember is that heavenly realities are not changing. Mary still exercises her role as the most powerful intercessor in all of heaven, and the many saints, Doctors of the Church, and papal teachings (including encyclicals) stressing Mary’s mediation are not being thrown in the trash. The Church doesn’t just change doctrine like that, so pray a Hail Mary and ask our Lady for peace.