I’m Catholic, so as a part of my language journey I have started to say my prayers in Japanese. I noticed in the native translation of the Hail Mary it uses 母 in the phrase “Holy Mary mother of God” even though that word is for when you are talking about your own mother.
Note: This translation is from a Japanese source, so I assume it’s accurate to how the prayer is said in Japan
"even though that word is for when you are talking about your own mother" is a common misconception I think is worth addressing.
At their core, 父(ちち) and 母(はは) simply mean "father" and "mother". They're commonly used for your own parents in everyday conversation, but they're not limited to that meaning. That's why you see them in expressions like 建国の父, 近代科学の父 ("the father of modern science"), and 神の母. You can even use them for someone else's parents depending on context. Like if you're just talking about them in a neutral sense when there's a level of emotional or conceptual distance.
PS: You might also see 聖母 (おんはは) or 御母 (おんはは), both are historical / classical readings.
彼はもうほぼ父と同じ身長だ = "He is now almost as tall as his father" 彼の父は医者ですか = "Is his father a doctor?" 彼の母はアメリカ人です = "His mother is American". 彼女は彼女の母より背は高くない = "She is not as tall as her mother".
