Mary is rightly honoured as Mother of God, Mother of the Redeemer. She received the Word of God in her heart and in her body and she gave Life to the world.

Redeemed by her Son in a special manner, she is intimately related to him with an unbreakable bond. To her belongs the dignity of being the Mother of God's Son, the chosen daughter of the Father, the dwelling place of the Spirit. On account of this tremendous office Mary soars far above all other creatures.

Catholics believe that when we honour Mary we are honouring God who gave her all she has and is. All her greatness flows from her closeness to Christ. As she herself says: "The Almighty has done great things for me. Holy is His name", (Luke 1:49). That attitude is ours too.

1. Mary, Mother of God
One of the characteristics of Catholic (and Orthodox) piety is the importance given to devotion to Mary, the Mother of God. Christ is true man because He was born of a woman; He is the true Son of God because no earthly father begot Him. The Eternal God is His Father; divinity and humanity are united in the one person of the Word-made-flesh, so that Mary is truly the Mother of God. In Mary, Christ came into our history "a man like us in all things but sin".

In view of her exalted role Mary is venerated in the Church by special devotion. From the earliest times she has been honoured as "Mother of God" and has been invoked by the faithful. Devotion to her has steadily increased as she herself prophesied it would. But this special honour shown to Mary, for all its uniqueness, is absolutely different from the adoration which is due to God, though it helps towards this.

The various forms of Marian devotion which the Church has approved as orthodox ensure that while these honour the Mother they also make her Son known, loved and glorified and His commands obeyed.

Meanwhile, in heaven Mary is glorified body and soul. She is the figure and the beginning of the Church as it will be recreated in the world to come. She shines out as a sign of hope and comfort for the pilgrim people of God until the Lord returns.

2. Mary, our Mother
Mary is the Mother of the Catholic Church. Even more she is truly the mother of the faithful because by her love she has helped to bring about the birth of all who are members of the Church. Therefore her role is unique and she is recognised as a figure and model of the Church in her faith and in her love.

There is only one mediator between God and ourselves and that is Jesus Christ. (cf. 1 Timothy 2:5-6). Mary's role as Mother of men does not obscure his mediation but actually shows its power more clearly. For whatever she does for our salvation springs solely from God's grace and the fullness of Christ's merits.

So Mary's role, being based on Christ's mediation from which it draws its strength, on which it is entirely dependent, only serves to bring the faithful more closely to Christ.

You might want to read Redemptoris Mater (On the Blessed Virgin Mary in the life of the Pilgrim Church) Pope John Paul II, 1987, available from Vatican website, http://www.vatican.va/ .