Today, September 12, as our Church celebrates the Memorial of Mary, the Mother of the Church we are invited to first read and reflect on a passage from the beginning of the book of Joshua (1:1*18), entitled "Joshua, called by God, encourages the tribes to unity". Our treasure, which follows, is from an allocution by Pope Paul VI at the Second Vatican Council.

The title "Mother of the Church" … reflects the deep conviction of the Christian faithful, who see in Mary not only the mother of the person of Christ, but also of the faithful. She who is recognized as mother of salvation, life and grace, mother of the saved and mother of the living, is rightly proclaimed Mother of the Church.

The Father chose Mary from among all women to be the mother, according to human nature, of His Divine Son. As she is the Mother of Christ in the natural order, she is also the Mother of His Mystical Body, the Church, of which He is the Head in the order of grace.

The theological roots of this title go back to the early Church. The fathers of the church, holy and studious bishops of the first centuries, often spoke of Mary as the new Eve. Just as the woman, Eve was "the mother of all the living", the woman Mary was mother of all those living in Christ. In Revelation, St. John says that this woman's offspring are "those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus."

Known for his diplomatic leadership during a time of major transition for the Church, Pope Paul VI reigned from 1963 to 1978. Throughout his time in office, Pope Paul VI worked to enact the decisions made during Vatican II, ensuring the Church continued to be effective in a changing world. Born on September 26, 1897, in Concescio, Italy, Giovanni Battista Montini was raised in a middle-class family of five. Although Giovanni's father was a lawyer and journalist, Giovanni suffered from ill health growing up, and was educated at home for much of his youth. After completing his initial studies at a school in Brescia, he was ordained at the age of 23, and sent by the bishop to Rome for further studies in literature, philosophy, and canon law.