Our Lady of this particular place

Fr. Raymond J.de Souza, First Things

Friday, December 12, 2025

Marian feasts are among the most popular in the Church. So, it was a bit unusual when the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a “doctrinal note” last month on Marian titles. Is it even necessary to enter the debate over the titles? It is an oversimplification to be sure, but once the Church declared Mary to be Mother of God (at Ephesus in 431), it seems that almost all other titles became defensible – and perhaps unnecessary.