On the occasion of the Bicentenary of Mexico’s Declaration of Independence, Pope Francis sent a message to Monsignor Rogelio Cabrera Lopez, President of the Mexican Episcopal Conference (CEM), in which he calls the Mexican people to “strengthen the roots and reaffirm the values that build you as a nation.” “To celebrate independence is to affirm liberty, and liberty is a gift and permanent conquest. Therefore, I unite myself to the joy of this celebration and, at the same time, I hope that this very special anniversary will be a propitious occasion to strengthen the roots and reaffirm the values that build you as a nation, “ says the Holy Father.
“To strengthen the roots it’s necessary to reread the past, taking into account both the lights as well as the shadows that have forged the country’s history. That retrospective gaze includes, necessarily, a process of purification of the memory, namely, to acknowledge the errors committed in the past, which have been very painful.” That is why “on different occasions both my Predecessors as well as I, myself, have asked forgiveness for personal and social sins, for all actions and omissions that didn’t contribute to evangelization,” he continues.
“Build the Future with Joy and hope”
In his line, Pope Francis adds “nor can the actions be ignored that, in more recent times, were committed against the Christian religious sentiment of a great part of the Mexican people, causing with it a profound suffering.” However, “we do not evoke the sorrows of the past to stay there, but to learn from them and to continue taking steps, geared to heal the wounds, to cultivate an open and respectful dialogue between the differences, and to build the much yearned for fraternity, prioritizing the common good above particular interests, tensions, and conflicts.”
“The anniversary you are celebrating invites to look not only at the past, to strengthen the roots, but also to continue living in the present and to build the future with joy and hope, reaffirming the values that have constituted you and identify you as a People — values for which you have fought so much and also for which many of your ancestors gave their life — such as independence, union, and religion,” reads the missive.
Here is the full text of the Holy Father’s letter, offered by the CEM.
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Pope Francis’ Letter
Dear Brother:
On the occasion of the Bicentenary of the Declaration of Independence, I wish to send a warm greeting to you and to the other Brother Bishops, to the National Authorities, and to all the People of Mexico. To celebrate independence is to affirm liberty, and liberty is a gift and a permanent conquest. Therefore, I unite myself to the joy of this celebration and, at the same time, I hope that this very special anniversary is a propitious occasion to strengthen the roots and to reaffirm the values that build you as a nation.
To strengthen the roots it’s necessary to reread the past, taking into account both the lights as well as the shadows that have forged the country’s history. That retrospective look includes, necessarily, a process of purification of the memory, namely, to acknowledge the errors committed in the past, which have been very painful. Therefore, on different occasions, both my Predecessors as well as I, myself, have asked forgiveness for personal and social sins, for all the actions or omissions that didn’t contribute to evangelization. In this same perspective, neither can the actions be ignored that, in more recent times, were committed against the Christian religious sentiment of a great part of the Mexican people, causing with it a profound suffering. However, we do not evoke the sorrows of the past to stay there, but to learn from them and to continue taking steps, geared to heal the wounds, to cultivate an open and respectful dialogue between the differences, and to build the much yearned for fraternity, prioritizing the common good above all particular interests, tensions and conflicts.
The anniversary you are celebrating invites you to look not only at the past, to strengthen the roots, but also to continue living the present and to build the future with joy and hope, reaffirming the values that have constituted you and identify you as a People — values for which you have fought so much and for which also many of your ancestors gave their life — such as independence, union and religion. And, on this point, I would like to highlight another event that will undoubtedly mark a whole itinerary of the faith for the Mexican Church in the coming years: the celebration, within a decade, of the 500 years of the Apparitions of Guadalupe. In this commemoration, it’s beautiful to recall that — as the Mexican Episcopal Conference expressed it on the occasion of the 175th anniversary of the National Independence, — the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe, taken by Father Hidalgo to the Shrine of Atotonilco, which symbolized a struggle and a hope that culminated in the “three guarantees” of Iguala, imprinted forever in the colors of the flag. Mary of Guadalupe, the Little Brown Virgin [Virgen Morenita], addressing particularly the littlest and the neediest, fostered brotherhood and freedom, reconciliation and inculturation of the Christian message, not only in Mexico but in all the Americas. May She continue to be for you all, the sure guide that leads you to communion and full life in Her Son Jesus Christ.
May Jesus bless all the sons and daughters of Mexico, and the Holy Virgin take care of you and protect you with Her heavenly mantle. And, please, don’t forget to pray for me.
Fraternally,
Francis
Rome, Saint John Lateran, September 16, 2021
© Libreria Editrice Vatican
Translation by Virginia M. Forrester
