The title “Mother of the Church” strengthens the identity of the Church as a family of God. Just as every family has a mother, the Church has a mother in Mary. She makes the Church a home, where the members are loved and nurtured.
At the heart of this concept, we find Mary, the ‘Mother of God,’ whose unique participation in the sufferings of her Son, Jesus Christ, is venerated under the title of ‘Our Lady of Sorrows’ (Mater Dolorosa in Latin).