Theological Foundations new file

216 Theological Foundations the Mother of Our Savior but also in their deep understanding of her role in the work of salvation. They both manage to show Mary’s place in Christian life in a very accurate manner. After Christ, the Blessed Mother is the source of supernatural power necessary on our way to eter- nal life. Man is dependent on Mary to realize the work of salvation inso- far as she is the Mediatrix of graces, and this relationship is expressed in theology as Mary’s spiritual motherhood. This truth has always been alive in the Church. One of the first Polish theologians who spoke about Mary’s spiritual motherhood was Mikoaj of Bonie in the 15th century. 42 In the second half of the 16th century, theologians and preachers dealt with this truth more extensively. Father Papczynski took up this subject, too, as did later Father Matulaitis-Matulewicz, even though it would not be until after the Second Vatican Council that the Magisterium would proclaim Mary to be the Mother of the Church. In our evaluation of Father Papczynski’s and Father Matulaitis- Matulewicz’s teaching, we must also emphasize its apostolic value. Each one of them developed broadly understood pastoral ministry, including work in parishes, catechesis, missionary work and the spread- ing of religious knowledge. Their concern for man and his salvation reached beyond the grave and inspired them to come to the aid of the deceased through prayer and mortification. Working in such a vast field, our authors managed to paint a vivid and profound picture of the heav- enly glory awaiting those who will be saved. This, in turn, encouraged the faithful to live truly Christian lives, and thus attain such glory, as well as to pray for those who are still paying their debts after death and are unable to participate in it fully. The Marian model of the interior life, built on a strong foundation of faith, which was propagated by our authors, has a very special value. It lies in the emphasis on the necessity of the evangelical call to conver- sion, a call directed to people by Christ at the very beginning of His pub- lic ministry: “Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mk 1, 15). It is a call to radical change, to renewal and spiritual rebirth. It is best described by the term metanoia which means not only renunciation of sin but also a