Rome & Mary: fresh clarity, or further confusion?

"Roma locuta, causa finita est!" ("Rome has spoken, the issue is over").

This phrase taken from Augustine (Sermo 131.10) has often been used to highlight the solidity of the Roman Catholic authority structure and the finality of its decision-making process. Well, forget it.

After the Note of the Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith “Mater Populis Fidelis” (4 Nov), Rome has spoken (yes), but in doing so, is seemingly contradicting what was authoritatively said earlier, thus leaving the issue an open-ended one.

We are talking about Mary being ascribed the title of “Co-redemptrix” (see en news story here) in relation to the contribution of Mary to the redemption of the world accomplished by the Son.