The Secretary of State of the Holy See, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, presided over the Holy Mass this Wednesday at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, as part of his official visit to the country from August 4 to 6. During the celebration, he conveyed Pope Leo XIV’s blessing to the Mexican people and described the Tepeyac shrine as a “school of reconciliation,” from which the Virgin continues to invite the pacification of nations and fraternity.
The celebration was part of an agenda that included meetings with President Claudia Sheinbaum, representatives of the Mexican Government, the Mexican Episcopal Conference, and the leaders of the National Dialogue for Peace, an initiative launched to address violence and promote the reconstruction of the social fabric. At the beginning of the Eucharist, Parolin conveyed the Pontiff’s closeness “to the entire people of this great land.”
Guadalupe, a message of reconciliation for the present
In his homily, the cardinal recalled that the liturgical commemoration of the dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major coincides with the Roman tradition of the miracle of the snow and drew a parallel with the roses that appeared on Saint Juan Diego’s tilma during the apparitions of Guadalupe.
Beyond both events, he explained that the common element is the Virgin’s constant closeness to her children. Recalling the words “Am I not here, I who am your mother?”, he stated that the apparition of Guadalupe opened a path of reconciliation between peoples and cultures and continues to offer a response to a world marked by “the scourge of war, the horror of hunger, and the devastation of violence.”
“From Tepeyac, from this sacred little house, Mary of Guadalupe invites us to a school of prayer where the lesson she teaches us is the pacification of nations and reconciliation among brothers and sisters,” he affirmed.
A remembrance for the mothers of the disappeared
Commenting on the day’s Gospel, Parolin highlighted the perseverance of the Canaanite woman who implores Jesus for her daughter and linked that attitude to the reality of thousands of Mexican families.
“Her example resonates with special force here in Mexico, where so many mothers continue to search with steadfastness and faith for their disappeared children,” he noted. The Secretary of State invited the faithful to accompany them with prayer so that “their perseverance and their faith may be rewarded.”
“The whole of society needs the message of the Gospel”
During his reflection, the cardinal recalled that the Virgin chose Saint Juan Diego, “a simple man,” to transmit a message that would eventually spread throughout the world.
“The whole of society needs the message of the Gospel, and all of us are, like Saint Juan Diego, bearers of a message we are called to share,” he affirmed.
He also encouraged Christians to bear witness to their faith in family, professional, and public life, and highlighted the example of those who serve in especially difficult contexts, such as refugee camps, war zones, or places affected by disease.
Prayer as the foundation of peace
In the final part of the homily, Parolin emphasized that prayer constitutes the foundation of Christian life and stated that the peace promised by Christ “is found only in prayer.”
He added that the Shrine of Guadalupe is a privileged place to ask for that gift, first for one’s own heart and then for the whole of society, especially in a country where many communities continue to suffer the consequences of violence.