Collectae: Beata Maria Virgo Imago et Mater Ecclesiae

I

On November 21, 1964, at the end of the third session of the Second Vatican Council, Paul VI, during the celebration of Mass, declared our Lady "Mother of the Church, that is, of the entire Christian people, both the faithful and their pastors, who call her their most loving Mother," and decreed that "from now onward the whole Christian people should give even greater honor to the Mother of God under this most loving title." (AAS 56, 1965, p.1015)

Accordingly, many particular Churches and religious families began to venerate the Blessed Virgin under the title of "Mother of the Church." In 1974, to encourage Marian celebrations during the Holy Year of Reconciliation (1975), this Mass was composed; it was shortly afterwards inserted in the second editio typica edition of The Roman Missal (Sacramentary) among the Votive Masses in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary. (MR, pp. 867-869)

Deus, misericordiarum Pater,

cuius Unigenitus, cruci afffxus,

beatam Mariam Virginem, Genetricem suam,

Matrem quoque nostram constituit,

concede, quaesumus, ut, eius cooperante caritate,

Ecclesia tua, in dies fecundior, prolis sanctitate exsultet

et in gremium suum cunctas attrahat familias populorum.

Per Dominum.

II

This Mass is in celebration of God the Father, who in his "infinite goodness " has given the Church the Blessed, Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ, as a "model of every virtue." (see LG, no. 65) "Although in the Blessed Virgin the Church already attains that perfection by which she exists without spot or wrinkle (see Ephesians 5:27), the faithful are still striving to conquer sin and grow in holiness. They therefore raise their eyes to Mary, who shines brightly as the exemplar of virtues for the whole company of the elect." (LG, no. 65)

Source: Excerpts from the introductory commentary to the Mass, Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Volume 1, Sacramentary, Catholic Book Publishing Co., 1992, p. 210.]

Domine Deus,

qui beatam Virginem Mariam nobis exemplar dedisti

sublimis caritatis et summae humilitatis,

concede Ecclesiae tuae,

ut, praecepto amoris sicut illa obsecuta,

glorias tuae et hominum servitio se devoveat

atque apud omnes gentes

sacramentum tuee dilectionis exsistat.

Per Dominum.

III

This Mass is in celebration of God the Father, who in his "infinite goodness " has given the Church the Blessed, Virgin Mary, the mother of Christ, as a "model of every virtue." (see LG, no. 65) "Although in the Blessed Virgin the Church already attains that perfection by which she exists without spot or wrinkle (see Ephesians 5:27), the faithful are still striving to conquer sin and grow in holiness. They therefore raise their eyes to Mary, who shines brightly as the exemplar of virtues for the whole company of the elect." (LG, no. 65)

Source: Excerpts from the introductory commentary to the Mass, Collection of Masses of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Volume 1, Sacramentary, Catholic Book Publishing Co., 1992, p. 210.]

Deus, euius potentia et bonitate

beata Virgo, preecellens redemptionis fructus,

purissima fulget Ecclesiae imago,

concede plebi tuae in terris peregrinanti,

ut, fixis in earn oculis, Christum fideliter sequatur,

donee ad illam perveniat gloriae plenitudinem,

quam in sancta Maria cum gaudio contemplatur.

Per Dominum.