Pope Leo XIV received Cardinal Carlos Aguiar Retes, Primate Archbishop of Mexico, in a private audience this Thursday, according to the official schedule published by the Holy See Press Office. The Vatican has not disclosed the content of the meeting, but the encounter takes place at a particularly delicate moment for the Mexican Church, amid a crisis surrounding the Basilica of Guadalupe and while the acceptance of the resignation submitted by the cardinal upon reaching canonical age remains pending.
The audience is among the meetings held by the Holy Father with various ecclesial leaders, including the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández; the presidency of the Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE); the presidency of the French Episcopal Conference; the Grand Master of the Order of Malta, Fra John Timothy Dunlap; and the Apostolic Nuncio to Ukraine, Archbishop Visvaldas Kulbokas.
A crisis that remains open
The meeting between Leo XIV and Cardinal Aguiar is of particular interest as it comes just days after the crisis at the Basilica of Guadalupe, an episode that highlighted existing tensions within the Primate Archdiocese of Mexico.
The events surrounding the most important Marian shrine in Hispanic America caused strong shock among the faithful and clergy, leading to a series of decisions, rectifications, and statements that revealed a climate of uncertainty in the governance of the archdiocese.
Far from being fully resolved, the episode continues to cast its effects on Mexican ecclesial life and has revived the debate about the need for a change in the episcopal see.
Aguiar’s resignation still unanswered
Adding to this situation is another element that keeps expectations open regarding the immediate future of the Archdiocese of Mexico.
Carlos Aguiar Retes submitted his resignation upon turning 75, as required by canon 401 §1 of the Code of Canon Law. However, the Holy See has not yet announced whether Leo XIV has decided to accept it or whether he considers it appropriate to keep the cardinal at the head of the archdiocese for some time longer.
Read also: Should Archbishop Carlos Aguiar’s resignation be accepted?
The future shepherd of the Church in Mexico will likely shape the direction of an archdiocese that serves as a point of reference for much of Hispanic American Catholicism.
An audience without official explanations
As is customary in the Pontiff’s private audiences, the Holy See has not provided information about the matters discussed during the meeting.
Nevertheless, the encounter takes place in a particularly significant context. The situation of the Primate Archdiocese of Mexico remains one of the most relevant pastoral issues in Hispanic America. Although Thursday’s audience does not allow conclusions to be drawn about an imminent decision, it does confirm that the Pope maintains direct contact with Cardinal Aguiar while both the question of his succession and the need to restore stability to the governance of an archdiocese experiencing one of its most delicate moments in recent years remain open.