Whenever churches are shown in movies, I always carefully look to see whether they are Catholic or not. Catholic Churches have certain key things like the altar, the tabernacle, the crucifix, and very often, there is an image or statue of Mary For many of us, this is normal. For some other Christians, it can be confusing. We are often accused of worshipping Mary and of giving her too much importance.
These are good questions. However, the Church’s position is clear Catholics do not worship Mary We worship God alone (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). Mary is honoured, loved, and venerated because of her unique role in God’s plan. Everything we believe about Mary leads us back to Jesus.
What does Scripture Say?
Mary first appears in the Gospel as a young woman chosen by God. At the Annunciation, the angel Gabriel comes to her and says: “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you” (Luke 1:28). The Annunciation is the moment when God invited Mary to become the mother of Jesus. Mary’s answer was one of faith: “Let it be done to me according to your word” (Luke 1:38). Because of her obedience and trust, the Son of God entered the world.
This is why Catholics see Mary as the New Eve Eve disobeyed God; Mary obeyed. Through Eve’s disobedience, sin entered the world. Through Mary’s “yes,” Christ our Saviour came into the world.
Mary is also present at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry At the wedding feast of Cana, when the wine runs out, Mary brings the need to Jesus. Then she says to the servants: “Do whatever he tells you” (John 2:5). These important words show us her true role. Mary does not draw attention to herself. She points us always to Jesus.
This is also why we ask Mary to pray for us. At Cana, she interceded for the couple in need. Christians believe that, in heaven, she continues to pray for the Church. We do not pray to Mary as if she were God. We ask her to pray with us and for us, just as we might ask a holy friend or saint to pray for us.
Mary is also present at the Cross. Jesus says to the beloved disciple, “Behold, your mother,” and to Mary, “Woman, behold, your son” (John 19:26–27). The Church has long seen here a deeper meaning: Mary becomes mother not only of John, but of all disciples. This is why Catholics call her Mother of the Church In Acts 1:14, we also find Mary praying with the disciples before Pentecost. She is there with the early Church, waiting for the Holy Spirit.
What We Believe
Now, we turn to some of the core teachings about Mary and some of the titles given to her
First, Mary is called Mother of God This does not mean that Mary existed before God or created God. It means that the child she bore is truly God and truly man. Jesus is not half-God and half-human. He is one divine Person, the Son of God, who became man. Therefore, Mary is rightly called Mother of God because she is the mother of Jesus, who is God. The Council of Ephesus affirmed this in 431, and the Catechism teaches that Mary is “Mother of God” because she is mother of the eternal Son of God made man (CCC 495).
Second, the Immaculate Conception does not mean the virgin birth of Jesus. This is a common misunderstanding. The Immaculate Conception means that Mary, from the first moment of her own conception, was preserved from original sin by the grace of God. We might say that the grace of Jesus’ death and resurrection was applied to Mary before she was born, preparing her to be a pure and holy dwelling place for the Son of God. The Catechism says that Mary was “redeemed from the moment of her conception” (CCC 491). She was saved by Christ in a unique and beautiful way
Third, the Church teaches Mary’s perpetual virginity This means that Mary was a virgin before, during, and after the birth of Christ. Some people ask about the “brothers and sisters” of Jesus mentioned in the Bible. The Church understands these as close relatives/cousins and a common way of speaking in the biblical world.
Fourth, we celebrate the Assumption of Mary on August 15. This means that when Mary’s earthly life was completed, she was taken body and soul into heavenly glory The early church had no tradition of a tomb for Mary. The Catechism teaches that her Assumption is a special sharing in her Son’s Resurrection and a sign of the resurrection promised to all Christians (CCC 966). Again, this teaching is Christ-centered. Mary’s glory comes from Christ and shows us our destination, which is to be holy, redeemed, and alive with Him forever
