How should Christians honor the Virgin Mary’s unique status as the mother of Jesus Christ? How speak of her? What believe about her?
Catholics and Protestants have well-known disagreements, but now there’s vigorous debate within Catholicism over the Vatican’s lengthy November “doctrinal note” titled Mater Populi Fidelis (“The Mother of the Faithful People”), which concludes 30 years of discussion on Mary’s role in salvation.
Devotees of Mary sent a last-minute appeal against this new decree to Pope Leo XIV, who approved it for publication. Then on Dec. 8, a 23-page protest, with implicit criticism of the Pope, was issued by bishops and more than 40 scholars on the Theological Commission of the International Marian Association. They insist that the Holy See must now enact “substantial clarification and modification” of its new policy.
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