{"id":13060,"date":"2016-02-21T15:24:00","date_gmt":"2016-02-21T15:24:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/when-pope-francis-looks-back-at-mexico-trip-he-sees-our-lady-of-guadalupe-52627\/"},"modified":"2016-02-21T15:24:00","modified_gmt":"2016-02-21T15:24:00","slug":"when-pope-francis-looks-back-at-mexico-trip-he-sees-our-lady-of-guadalupe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/02\/when-pope-francis-looks-back-at-mexico-trip-he-sees-our-lady-of-guadalupe\/","title":{"rendered":"When Pope Francis looks back at Mexico trip, he sees Our Lady of Guadalupe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/p>\n

Vatican City, Feb 21, 2016 \/ 08:24 am (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- Pope Francis on Sunday said the visit to Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe was the \u201ccentral point\u201d of his spiritual pilgrimage to Mexico. He praised the witness of the Mexican faithful and suggested that Guadalupe is part of their \u201cspecial inheritance\u201d that launched the evangelization of the Americas.<\/p>\n

Before the Angelus on Sunday, with thousands of people gathered in St. Peter\u2019s Square, the Pope reflected on his visit to Mexico.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo remain in silence before the image of the Mother was what I intended first of all,\u201d he said Feb. 21. He suggested that Our Lady of Guadalupe has \u201cetched in her eyes the eyes of all her children.\u201d She \u201cgathers the pains of violence, kidnappings, killings and abuses that harm so many poor people, so many women.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pope Francis said the encounter between Our Lady of Guadalupe and St. Juan Diego began the evangelization of the Americas. It also began the continent\u2019s \u201cnew civilization, the fruit of the encounter between different cultures.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is the special inheritance that the Lord has consigned to Mexico: to guard the riches of diversity, and, at the same time, to manifest the harmony of the common faith.\u201d<\/p>\n

El #PapaFrancisco<\/a> se despide de la Virgen de Guadalupe #PapaEnMex<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/S0XhkphWiU<\/a> https:\/\/t.co\/20o12E9ccK<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 ACI Prensa (@aciprensa) February 14, 2016<\/a><\/p>\n

The Pope noted the witness of those he had spoken with: Mexican families, young people, priests and religious, workers and prisoners. He said these people gave \u201ca testimony of a clear and strong faith, the testimony of a lived faith, of a faith that transfigures life.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the people of Mexico have been \u201cso often oppressed, despised, and violated in their dignity.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Pope thanked God and Our Lady of Guadalupe for the Feb. 12-18 trip. He voiced his gratitude for everyone who welcomed him to Mexico and helped make the journey a success, Vatican Radio reports.<\/p>\n

He also gave thanks to God for his meeting with his \u201cdear brother Kirill,\u201d the Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia. The historic meeting took place in Cuba Feb. 12 and resulted in a joint declaration.<\/p>\n

The pontiff prayed that Mary the Mother of God \u201cmight continue to guide us in the journey to unity.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pope Francis discussed the Sunday Gospel, which recounts the Transfiguration of Jesus. Jesus \u201callowed his divine glory to shine forth\u201d in the presence of the disciples.<\/p>\n

The Pope said his apostolic visit to Mexico was \u201can experience of transfiguration.\u201d He added: \u201cthe Lord has shown us the light of his glory through the body of the Church, the body of his holy people who live in that land.\u201d<\/p>\n

After the Angelus, Pope Francis called on all Christians and people of good will to work \u201cnot only for the abolition of the death penalty\u201d but also to improve the conditions in prison. These efforts would respect the human dignity of prisoners, he said.<\/p>\n

He appealed to the consciences of government leaders to join \u201cthe international consensus for the abolition of the death penalty.\u201d He asked Catholic leaders not to hold executions during the Year of Mercy as a \u201ccourageous and exemplary act.\u201d<\/p>\n

Rome will host an international convention working to abolish the death penalty on Feb. 22. The event is being promoted by the Sant\u2019Egidio Community.<\/p>\n

Pope Francis said he hoped that the gathering can strengthen efforts to abolish capital punishment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe commandment \u2018Thou shall not kill\u2019 has absolute value and concerns both the innocent and the guilty,\u201d he said. Even criminals \u201cmaintain the inviolable right to life, the gift of God.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the penal system must always be open to the hope of reintegration into society.<\/p>\n

Pope Francis also announced gifts for those gathered in St. Peter\u2019s Square: a small box that appeared to be a box of medicine. The box, labeled \u201cMisericordin,\u201d contained a Rosary and an image of the Merciful Jesus. \u00a0<\/p>\n

Volunteers, including homeless people, refugees and the poor, gave out the gifts.<\/p>\n

The Pope had distributed the same gifts in November 2013.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

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Vatican City, Feb 21, 2016 \/ 08:24 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- Pope Francis on Sunday said the visit to Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe was the “central point” of his spiritual pilgrimage to Mexico. He praised the witness of the Mexican faithful a…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1031,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13060","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-vatican"],"yoast_head":"\nWhen Pope Francis looks back at Mexico trip, he sees Our Lady of Guadalupe<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Vatican City, Feb 21, 2016 \/ 08:24 am (CNA\/EWTN News).- Pope Francis on Sunday said the visit to Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe was the “central point” of his spiritual pilgrimage to Mexico. 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