Fact a Day: March 12th

The Facts on Roman Catholicism (Harvest House, 1993), p. 23

What does the Roman Catholic Church teach regarding the Role of Mary?

Catholicism officially teaches that Mary’s role in salvation in no way detracts from that of Christ. However, the Catholic Church also teaches that Mary played a vital part in the forgiveness of sins and in the salvation of the world. In The Christ of Vatican II we are told that both the Scriptures and Tradition “show the role of the Mother of the Savior in the economy of salvation,” that she freely cooperated “in the work of human salvation through faith and obedience,” and that therefore, “The union of the Mother with the Son in the work of salvation is made manifest from the time of Christ’s virginal conception up to His death.”*

As The Catholic Encyclopedia observes, “Mary was not subject to the law of suffering and death, which are penalties of the sin of human nature, even though she knew these, experienced them, and endured them for our salvation.”*

*For full documentation, please see The Facts on Roman Catholicism.