(Vatican Radio) Veronica Scarisbrick, our correspondent covering the papal visit to Mexico looks at the long-standing devotion by the Mexican faithful to Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose shrine will be visited by Pope Francis on Saturday. She retraces the bitter persecution of the Catholic Church in Mexico during a large part of the 19th century when anti-clericalism was enshrined in the nation’s constitution for many decades.Listen to this report by Veronica Scarisbrick, Vatican Radio’s correspondent covering the papal visit to Mexico: “Like many of the pilgrims I met at the Shrine of the Basilica of ‘Santa Maria de Guadalupe’ Pablo and Maria were clutching in their arms a rather large and very colourful statue of Our Lady. Surrounded by their children and grandchildren, their weather beaten faces bore the marks of simple people, the expression in their eyes was one of longtime suffering.They told me they’d come here all the way from Pu...
(Vatican Radio) Veronica Scarisbrick, our correspondent covering the papal visit to Mexico looks at the long-standing devotion by the Mexican faithful to Our Lady of Guadalupe, whose shrine will be visited by Pope Francis on Saturday. She retraces the bitter persecution of the Catholic Church in Mexico during a large part of the 19th century when anti-clericalism was enshrined in the nation’s constitution for many decades.
Listen to this report by Veronica Scarisbrick, Vatican Radio’s correspondent covering the papal visit to Mexico:
“Like many of the pilgrims I met at the Shrine of the Basilica of ‘Santa Maria de Guadalupe’ Pablo and Maria were clutching in their arms a rather large and very colourful statue of Our Lady. Surrounded by their children and grandchildren, their weather beaten faces bore the marks of simple people, the expression in their eyes was one of longtime suffering.
They told me they’d come here all the way from Puebla to ask for protection from Our Lady. It made me think of Pope Francis’ words when he recently explained in an interview how he too seeks from Our Lady of Guadalupe security and tenderness. How when he comes to this all embracing circular basilica where the miraculous image is housed to celebrate Holy Mass on Saturday 13th of February together with the Guadalupe faithful he will draw from their faith. From the popular piety of people like Pablo and Maria. He believes it has the potential for faith to be embodied in a culture and passed on to future generations.
Rather like what happened in Mexico during the years the expression of religion was banned - when the faith lived on despite the sometimes pitiless persecution. You may remember how Pope Pius XI wrote three encyclicals between 1926 and 1937. You may remember too the more popular description of the 'whisky priest' in Graham Greene's novel 'The Power and the Glory'.
An anti-clericalism, enshrined in the Mexican Constitution of 1917, which gave rise to a dark complex chapter in the history of the Catholic Church in this nation. Known as the 'Cristero War' it lasted from 1926 to 1929. The battle cry of this group which stemmed from the local Catholic Action was 'Viva Cristo Rey'. It left thousands dead.
Mexican-born Dominican Father Alejandro Crosthwaite grew up long after that horrific war. It was roughly the mid-twentieth century but while violent oppression of the Catholic Church had fizzled out, draconian legal measures hadn't.
Catholic education was passed down in secret. He recounts how the nuns in his school even had to hide a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe in a closet for fear of being discovered, how every morning the closet would be opened, prayers would be said and then Our Lady would be placed safely back in the closet for the next day.
A situation which only changed in 1995. By that time Pope John Paul II had concluded three out of the five visits to Mexico. But the breakthrough came in 1979 when he appeared in Mexico for the first time in his white cassock, forbidden at the time in public, for religious garb was then allowed exclusively in Church. But the mould had been broken and the outcome was, believe it or not, that the Pope received a fine which the President of the time paid for him rather tellingly in public.
And now all these years later Pope Francis will reap the legacy of St John Paul II and of Benedict XVI, now Pope Emeritus who came here in 2012.
Just think - front pews have been reserved for the President, during Holy Mass at the Basilica of Guadalupe, unthinkable back in 1979.
But above all he'll reap the legacy of those who kept the faith in this overwhelmingly Catholic country. People like Pablo and Maria with their weather beaten faces.”
null / Credit: Peter Hermes Furian via ShutterstockACI Prensa Staff, Apr 19, 2024 / 15:00 pm (CNA).The pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) on April 19 condemned the kidnapping and murder of a catechist in Burkina Faso, West Africa.In a news brief, ACN informed ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner, that catechist Edouard Yougbare was kidnapped on Thursday night by "terrorists, and his lifeless body was found near Zigni this morning."According to other local sources, along with Yougbare, who was a member of Saatenga parish in Fada Gourma, Burkina Faso, more people were kidnapped and murdered."We are heartbroken by the loss of Yougbare. He served his community faithfully and his death is a devastating blow for the people of Saatenga," lamented Spaniard María Lozano, press and public relations director of ACN International."Catechists in Burkina Faso are on the front lines, risking their lives for the good of their people. Just two months ago, ano...
Pope Francis addresses the faithful at his Wednesday general audience on March 27, 2024. / Credit: Vatican MediaVatican City, Apr 19, 2024 / 10:07 am (CNA).In the latest move in Pope Francis' reform of the Vatican judiciary, the pope issued a new motu proprio on Friday on the retirement age and benefits for cardinal judges and magistrates in the Vatican's court system.The April 19 motu proprio states that Vatican magistrates will retire at the end of the judicial year in which they turn 75 and cardinal judges at the age of 80, unless Pope Francis asks them to remain in office beyond the age limit.Magistrates and judges who wish to resign from office before the retirement age can only do so with the approval of the pope.The pope also has the prerogative to dismiss magistrates unable to fulfill their duties at any time. Upon the termination of their duties, magistrates will retain the rights to assistance and welfare provided to Vatican citizens and employees.The motu proprio, wh...
Archbishop Marek Jedraszewski of Krakow announced on April 14, 2024, the decision to begin the process of beatification and canonization of Helena Agnieszka Kmiec, a young lay missionary murdered in Bolivia in 2017. / Credit: The Helena Kmiec FoundationACI Prensa Staff, Apr 19, 2024 / 07:00 am (CNA).Archbishop Marek Jedraszewski of Krakow, Poland, announced the decision to begin the process of beatification and canonization of Helena Agnieszka Kmiec, a young lay missionary murdered in Bolivia in 2017.The prelate said that after the preliminary phase began in December 2022, he made the decision to officially open the process for Kmiec after having consulted the Polish Bishops' Conference and receiving the go-ahead from the Vatican's Dicastery for the Causes of Saints."With this edict I call on all those who have any document, letter, or information about the Servant of God, both positive and negative, to send them to the Metropolitan Curia of Krakow before June 30," the archbish...