Mary and God the Father: Daughter of the Father©

The charts below are direct quotes from Post-Vatican II Magisterial Documents concerning the theme, Daughter of the Father. These teachings of the Catholic Church may prove useful to include in talks, homilies or for research. For the full title and document data, click on the abbreviation code (for example, BYM leads you to the document, Behold Your Mother). This will also lead you to the complete document on this website, or assist you in locating it elsewhere.

For an index of the documents used in the study see: List of Magisterial Documents
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Documents	I. Mary and God the Father / 1. Daughter of the Father
Lumen Gentium, 1964	beloved daughter of the Father 53 exalted Daughter of Sion 55 When she is subject of preaching and worship, she prompts the faithful to come...to the love of the Father 65 "Behold the handmaid..." (Lk 1:38) [related to the Father] 56
Signum Magnum, 1967	From that moment [Annunciation] she devoted herself wholly to serving not only her heavenly Father... 17
General Catechetical Directory, 1971 Guidelines on Doctrine for Catechetical Materials, 1990	she "summons the believers to...love for the Father" 68
Behold Your Mother (USA), 1973	In the strength of her faith, Mary consents to the merciful Father's invitation 33 the Father chose a perfectly responsive mother for the incarnate Son 56 totally responsive to the Father's will (PO 18) 69 in her appearances during the public life, Mary showed the same generous response to the will of the Father made manifest in her Son [Cana] 138 God asked great things of them both [Mary and Joseph] and they responded to His call with dedicated love. 143
Marialis Cultus, 1974	handmaid of the Lord [exemplar for all Christians, lesson and example of obedience to the will of the Father, which is the way and means of one's own sanctification] 21 Mother of the Son of God, and therefore beloved daughter of the Father and Temple of the Holy Spirit (LG 53) 56 devotion to the Blessed Virgin finds its ultimate justification in the unfathomable and free will of God who, being eternal and divine charity (cf. 1 Jn. 4:7-8, 16), accomplishes all things according to a loving design. He loved her and did great things for her (cf. Lk. 1:49). He loved her for His own sake, and He loved her for our sake, too; He gave her to Himself and He gave her also to us. 56
Gaudete in Domino, 1975	the beloved Daughter of God
Redemptor Hominis, 1979	The Father's eternal love, which has been manifested in the history of mankind through the Son whom the Father gave, "that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life" (Jn 3:16), comes close to each of us through this Mother and thus takes on tokens that are of more easy understanding and access by each person. Consequently, Mary must be on all the ways for the Church's daily life. Final paragraph.
Redemptoris Mater, 1987	she is also the favorite daughter of the Father 9 "Mary figured profoundly in the history of salvation.... Hence when she is being preached and venerated, she summons the faithful to her Son and his sacrifice, and to love for the Father." (LG 65) 28 it is [Christ] whom the Father has given to the world, so that man "should not perish but have eternal life" (Jn. 3:16). The Virgin of Nazareth became the first "witness" of this saving love of the Father, and she also wishesto remain its humble handmaid always and everywhere. 46 Mary, the exalted Daughter of Sion, helps all her children, wherever they may be and whatever their condition, to find in Christ the path to the Father's house. 47
The VM in Intellectual and Spiritual Formation, 1988	open through Christ in the Spirit to the transcendence of God in filial dedication 21
To All Consecrated Persons, Marian Year, 1988	All those gathered in the Upper Room are aware that from the moment of Christ's return to the Father their life is hid with him in God. Mary lives in this awareness more than anyone else 21
Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 1994	highly favored daughter of the Father 54
Evangelium Vitae, 1995	The whole of the Virgin Mother's life is in fact pervaded by the certainty that God is near to her and that he accompanies her with his providential care. The same is true of the Church ... 105
Vita Consecrata, 1996	You who did the will of the Father 112

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