The Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, visited Mexico from June 17-21, 2021, to preside over the Ordination of the new Apostolic Nuncio for Papua New Guinea, Monsignor Fermin Sosa Rodriguez, and to attend other diplomatic ceremonies.
Here is a translation of the final note on this trip, written by the Conference of the Mexican Episcopate, and entitled “Overcome Polarization: Cardinal Pietro Parolin’s Great Message for Mexicans.”
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From June 17-21 we had the grace to have the presence in our country of H.E. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State. His visit gave us much joy, as he reminded us that Mexico is always in Pope Francis’ heart, as the Pope is always in that of Mexicans.
Moreover, his presence encouraged us — believers and non-believers — to commit ourselves to the construction of a just, solidary, reconciled Mexico in peace, which will make possible an integral development for all.
In his homily during the Sunday Mass over which he presided in the Basilica of Guadalupe, as part of his visit, he said that the country, as others of Latin America, has experienced social inequality, poverty, the violence of organized crime, division over political, social and even religious issues. Given this situation, he asked Mexicans to be reconciled, to rediscover themselves as brothers, to forgive one another, and to unite as a society to overcome the polarization.
In the Apostolic Nunciature, Pope Francis’ emissary also made an appeal to the Mexican Government to move towards a positive and constructive secularism, which leaves definitively behind the historical opposition between the Church and State, so that both can work in a committed way for the common good. He who once was Secretary of the Nunciature (then called Apostolic Delegation) between 1989-1992, pointed out that, far from being a reason for division and opposition, the principle of secularism is responsible for, on one hand, respecting and accepting the valuable contribution that spiritual convictions offer society and, on the other, to act also as a barrier to any sort of fundamentalist and secularist deviation.
On his last day in the country, Cardinal Parolin recalled that celebrated in 2021 are the 200 years of Mexico’s Independence. In this connection he considered it legitimate and opportune to make an evaluation: in addition, it is necessary, to give new impetus to the vision, the values, and the sentiments that animated that historic process. If on one hand the path of this nation was marked by great yearnings and ideals, not lacking, on the other hand, were intense and lacerating polarizations at the political and social level, as well as the religious.”
The primary objective of Cardinal Parolin’s trip was to preside over the Ordination of the new Apostolic Nuncio for Papua New Guinea, Monsignor Fermin Sosa Rodriguez, but his visit also included diplomatic ceremonies with the Head of the capital’s Government, Dr. Claudia Sheinbaum, and Chancellor Lic. Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, in the National Palace.
Translation by Virginia M. Forrester
