To understand Mary

To understand Mary, the Church looks at the way God looks at her. She is, in a way, "the King's Secret", at the very heart of the Trinity, and possesses with each of the divine Persons a unique bond that Tradition has consecrated by recognizing her as both Daughter of the Father, Mother of the Son and Spouse of the Holy Spirit. This enables her to experience the three most powerful loves (filiation, paternity-maternity, and marriage) in full, with God Himself. The Virgin Mary's unique relationship with the Holy Trinity means that this perfect creature is endowed by God, for the sake of her mission, with characteristics of her own, known as the "Privileges" of Mary. 

Mary is the New Eve who shared in the life and redemptive work of the New Adam in an absolutely unique way: she received the privilege of an immaculate conception and holiness. 

She conceived Christ, the Son of God, by virginal conception, and carried Him in her womb for nine months; she watched over Christ's childhood and hidden life for thirty years; she was in permanent communion with Him during His public life, just as she remained in perfect communion with Christ after His Ascension. She alone spent more time with Jesus than all other creatures combined, and received the privilege of being carried up into Heaven. This mystery of the Assumption is the Marian privilege that corresponds to the privilege of the Immaculate Conception.

The Mary of Nazareth team and Françoise Breynaert

Marian Encyclopedia