The title of Mary as Mother of the Church is an ancient description that has had many controversies surrounding it. This idea was based on the premise that had Mary not said “yes” to God, there would have been no Christian Church. Her very willingness to become the mother of God also made her, in effect, the very first Christian and the mother of the Church. This term also implied that Mary was the very first to do the work that all Christians are called to do, which is to birth Christ into the world by living in a way that faithfully expresses his love for humanity. Mary has also been called the Mother of the Faithful.

Motherly Icons

The theme of Mary as the Mother of the Church is also present in icons. In one icon, she is shown with Christ still in her womb giving a blessing. This icon has been interpreted by some as symbolic of her role as Mother of the Church because it offers a glimpse of how Mary gave birth to Christianity.

Many of the reported apparitions also testify to Mary's ongoing concern for the Church. Not only has one of the themes of the apparitions been that Mary often asks for churches to be built in specific locations, such as Lourdes, Guadalupe, and Rome, but she also shows an ongoing concern for people within the Church.

Sibling Rivalry

Another theme that has surfaced through the apparitions is that of the Virgin Mary's concerns about divisions in the Church. If Mary is the Mother of the Church, then it is only fitting that the painful separation between the Eastern and Western Churches would not go unnoticed by her.

Whether one ascribes authority to these apparitions or not, it is notable that at least one of the themes seems to be entirely consistent with the Virgin Mary's role as Mother of the Church. Just as a mother does not wish her children to fight with each other, the Virgin Mary (along with her son, Jesus) surely longs for the Church to one day become one again, to struggle toward this end in prayer and in dialogue.

Controversy about the title “Mother of the Church”

The title Mother of the Church has certainly not been without controversy, even during this century. At Vatican II, there was a good deal of discussion about whether this title should be used in the official documents or not. In his homily in December 2005, Pope Benedict recounted the moment when the final proclamation was made by Pope John XXIII. He said, “There is a moment fixed indelibly in my mind, when on hearing his words, ‘Mariam Sactissimam declaramus Matrem Ecclesiae' (‘Let us declare Mary the Most Holy Mother of the Church'), the [Council] Fathers leapt out of their chairs and stood applauding, paying homage to the Mother of God, our Mother, the Mother of the Church. In fact, it is with this title that the pope summed up the Marian doctrine of the Council and gave the key for its understanding.”