John Paul II – Apud Crucem cum Maria (Holy Thursday Letter of 1988): Priesthood and the Spiritual Motherhood of Mary

The Holy Thursday Letter of 1988 of Pope Saint John Paul II to priests, entitled “Apud crucem cum Maria” (At the cross with Mary), is one of the most profound reflections of the Magisterium on the relationship between the ministerial priesthood and the spiritual motherhood of Mary. It was published on March 25, 1988 (feast of the Annunciation), during the Marian Year (1987-1988). Text in Enchiridion Vaticanum vol. 11, paragraphs 255-282.

Latin text, n. 264 (Mary, Theotokos of the Church)

Beata autem Virgo divinae maternitatis dono et munere, quo cum Filio redemptore unitur, … etiam cum ecclesia intime coniungitur, praedicat concilium pergitque “Deipara est ecclesiae typus, ut iam docebat s. Ambrosius, in ordine scilicet fidei, caritatis et perfectae cum Christo unionis. In mysterio enim ecclesiae, quae et ipsa iure mater vocatur et virgo, beata virgo Maria praecessit, eminenter et singulariter tum virginis tum matris exemplar praebens”.

English translation, n. 264

“The Blessed Virgin, by the gift and office of the divine motherhood, which unites her with the Son the Redeemer, … is also intimately united with the Church,” proclaims the Council. “The Mother of God is a figure of the Church, as Saint Ambrose already taught, namely in the order of faith, of charity, and of perfect union with Christ. For in the mystery of the Church, which is also rightly called mother and virgin, the Blessed Virgin Mary went before, presenting herself in an eminent and singular way as the model both of virgin and of mother.”

n. 265: “Apud crucem in calvariae loco”

Latin: Apud crucem in Calvariae loco Mariam “accepit… discipulus in sua” sibi nempe a Christo demonstratam verbis iis: “Ecce mater tua”. Concilium autem docet magisterium quantopere ecclesia universa Mariam “in sua” susceperit, quam penitus etiam huius matris virginis mysterium ad ecclesiae pertineat mysterium intimamque eius veritatem.

English: At the cross, in the place of Calvary, “the disciple received Mary into his home,” she having been shown to him by Christ with the words: “Behold your mother.” The teaching of the Council shows how greatly the whole Church has received Mary “into her home,” and how deeply the mystery of this virgin mother belongs to the mystery of the Church, to her innermost reality.

The priesthood and the spiritual motherhood of Mary, n. 280

Latin: Praedicat concilium Mariam in fidei peregrinatione procedentem suam per coniunctionem cum Filio perfectam ad crucem usque anteire eminenter ac singulariter sese praemonstrantem omni Dei populo, qui eadem progrediens via Christum sectatur in Spiritu sancto. Nonne proin cum ea nos uti ecclesiae pastores presbyteri coniungamus insigniter oportet, quippe qui communitates etiam nobis creditas perducere debeamus eam per semitam quae a cenaculo pentecostes Christum sequitur totam per hominis historiam?

English: The Council proclaims that Mary, advancing in the pilgrimage of faith, by her perfect union with the Son even to the cross goes before on the way, showing herself in an eminent and singular manner to the whole people of God that advances along the same road following Christ in the Holy Spirit. Should we not, then, we priests, pastors of the Church, be joined to her in a preeminent way, since we must lead the communities entrusted to us along the path that from the Upper Room of Pentecost follows Christ throughout the whole of human history?

The Magnificat and the priesthood, n. 281

Latin: Eucharistiam ita celebrantes tot apud altaria per orbem disseminata, gratias sacerdoti referamus aeterno de munere nobis quod ipse in sacerdotii contulit sacramento. Et in hac gratiarum actione voces similiter audiantur quas evangelista in ore Mariae collocat consobrinam invisentis Elisabeth: “fecit mihi magna, qui potens est, et sanctum nomen eius” (Lk 1:49).

English: Celebrating the Eucharist in this way at so many altars scattered throughout the world, let us give thanks to the eternal Priest for the gift that He conferred on us in the sacrament of the priesthood. And in this act of thanksgiving let there likewise be heard the words that the evangelist places on the lips of Mary as she visits her cousin Elizabeth: “He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name” (Lk 1:49).

Pastoral significance

The Holy Thursday Letter of 1988 is the densest synthesis of three themes:

1. The ministerial priesthood, as the continuation of the Last Supper
2. The spiritual motherhood of Mary, as received by the beloved disciple at the foot of the Cross
3. The Marian Year 1987-1988, integrating the two preceding themes

The text is a model of an orthodox reading of Lumen Gentium ch. VIII for priestly life, a prelude to what would be Pastores Dabo Vobis (1992).

Legacy

The Letter inaugurates a tradition that continues down to Francis: each Holy Thursday the Pope addresses a letter to the priests of the world, frequently with a Marian theme. John Paul II was the most consistent: he wrote a Holy Thursday letter in each of the 26 years of his pontificate (1979-2005).

Further reading

Redemptoris Mater | Pastores Dabo Vobis | Marian Year 1987-1988 | Salvifici Doloris | Lumen Gentium