Pope Francis today praised the work that Our Lady of Guadalupe has done in the New World, noting that on his trip to Mexico, the Successor of Peter was confirmed in his faith.
The Pope spoke of his apostolic trip to the crowds gathered today in St. Peter’s Square for the midday Angelus.
The trip, he said, was an experience of transfiguration.
“The spiritual ‘center of gravity’ of my pilgrimage was the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Guadalupe,” he said. “To remain in silence before the image of the Mother was my principal aim [in making the trip]. And I thank God that he has given me this opportunity. I have contemplated and I have allowed myself to be gazed upon by She who carries imprinted in her eyes the gaze of all of her children, gathering up the sorrows caused by violence, kidnapping, assassinations, the violence against so many poor people, against so many women.”
The Holy Father said that the work Our Lady began in Mexico is the inheritance that God has entrusted to this people: “to care for the richness of diversity, and at the same time, to manifest the harmony of a common faith: a sincere and robust faith, accompanied by a great force of vitality and humanity.”
“Like my predecessors,” Francis said, “I also went to confirm the Mexican people in their faith, but at the same time to be confirmed. I have gathered my hands full of this gift so that it goes out as a benefit to the universal Church.”
Meeting with Kirill
Pope Francis also offered praise to God for his meeting with Patriarch Kirill of Russia, held in Cuba just before the Mexico visit began.
“This event too is a prophetic light of resurrection,” he said, “which the world today needs more than ever. The Holy Mother of God continues to guide us in the path of friendship and unity.”
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On ZENIT’s Web page:
Full text: https://zenit.org/articles/full-text-of-angelus-address-on-the-trip-to-mexico/
