Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Leon (Agenzia Fides) - On Saturday afternoon, March 24, the Pope traveled to Guanajuato, for a courtesy visit to the Constitutional President of the United States of Mexico, after which he appeared from the central balcony of the Presidential Palace to greet the children and the faithful gathered in the Plaza de la Paz. "You have a very special place in the Pope’s heart – said Benedict XVI -. And in these moments, I would like all the children of Mexico to know this, especially those who have to bear the burden of suffering, abandonment, violence or hunger, which in recent months, because of drought, has made itself strongly felt in some regions". The Pontiff reminded the children that God knows us and loves us, and "if we allow the love of Christ to change our heart, then we can change the world". So he hopes that "each one of you will be transformed, becoming a sower and messenger of that peace for which Christ offered his life". The Holy Father then highlighted: "Each of you is a gift of God to Mexico and to the world. Your family, the church, your school and those who have responsibility in society must work together to ensure that you receive a better world as your inheritance, without jealousies and divisions. This is why I wish to lift up my voice, inviting everyone to protect and to care for children, so that nothing may extinguish their smile, but that they may live in peace and look to the future with confidence. You, my dear young friends, are not alone. You can count on the help of Christ and his Church to live a Christian lifestyle".
On Sunday morning, March 25, the Holy Father went by helicopter to the Bicentenary Parque de León for the celebration of the Eucharist. In his homily the Pope indicated the monument to Christ the King, on top of the "Cubilete": "His royal status does correspond to how it has been or is understood by many. His kingdom does not stand on the power of his armies subduing others through force or violence. It rests on a higher power that wins over hearts: the love of God that he brought into the world with his sacrifice and truth to which he bore witness ... Even today, from this park, foreseen as a memorial of the bicentenary of the birth of the Mexican nation, bringing together many differences towards one destiny and one common quest, we ask Christ for a pure heart, where he as Prince of Peace may dwell". Benedict XVI then had words of appreciation for the Continental Mission now taking place in the various dioceses of this Continent, so that Christians and ecclesial communities "resist the temptation of a faith that is superficial and routine, at times fragmentary and incoherent". At the end of Mass, The Holy Father thus introduced the prayer of the Angelus: "In these times when many families find themselves separated and forced to emigrate, many suffer from poverty, corruption, domestic violence, drug trafficking, the crisis of values or crime, let us turn to Mary in search of comfort, strength and hope". Benedict XVI then entrusted to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mexico and the whole of Latin America and the Caribbean.
In the afternoon the Holy Father visited the Cathedral of Nuestra Señora de la Luz in León, for the celebration of Vespers with the Bishops of Mexico and the representatives of the Episcopal Conferences of Latin America and the Caribbean. "Certainly your dioceses face a number of challenges and difficulties at the present moment. - the Pope said in his homily -Yet, in the sure knowledge that the Lord is risen, we are able to move forward confidently, in the conviction that evil does not have the last word in human history, and that God is able to open up new horizons to a hope that does not disappoint... You are not alone amid your trials or in your successes in the work of evangelization. All of us are one in sufferings and in consolation".
Benedict XVI later recalled: "The Catholic faith has significantly marked the life, customs and history of this continent, in which many nations are commemorating the bicentennial of their independence. That was a historical moment in which the name of Christ continued to shine brightly. That name was brought here through the labours of outstanding and self-sacrificing missionaries who procaimed it boldly and wisely. They gave everything for Christ, demonstrating that in him men and women encounter the truth of their being and the strength needed both to live fully and to build a truly humane society in accordance with the will of their Creator. This ideal of putting the Lord first and making God’s word effective in all, through the use of your own native expressions and best traditions, continues to provide outstanding inspiration for the Church’s Pastors today". Benedict XVI therfore told the Bishops to "remain close to the seminarians", to be close to priests and the various forms of consecrated life, "greater attention is due to the members of the lay faithful most engaged in the fields of catechesis, liturgical animation, charitable activity and social commitment. Their faith formation is critical if the Gospel is to be present and fruitful in contemporary society. It is not right for them to feel treated like second-class citizens in the Church, despite the committed work which they carry out in accordance with their proper vocation, and the great sacrifice which this dedication at times demands of them. In all of this, it is particularly important for Pastors to ensure that the spirit of communion reigns among priests, religious and lay faithful, and that sterile divisions, criticism and unhealthy mistrust are avoided". (SL) (Agenzia Fides 26/03/2012)
