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Francis, in Mexico to Speak for the Powerless, Is Greeted With Pomp Francis, in Mexico to Speak for the Powerless, Is Greeted With Pomp
(35 minutes later)
MEXICO CITY — Pope Francis on Saturday began the first full day of his Mexico visit in this city’s giant central square, a vivid symbol of temporal and ecclesiastical power that is sharply at odds with a trip intended to show his devotion to the powerless.MEXICO CITY — Pope Francis on Saturday began the first full day of his Mexico visit in this city’s giant central square, a vivid symbol of temporal and ecclesiastical power that is sharply at odds with a trip intended to show his devotion to the powerless.
On one side of the colonial Zócalo, where the Spanish conquerors built their edifices of church and state, sits the National Palace, where President Enrique Peña Nieto and assorted dignitaries greeted the pope on Saturday morning with full honors. At a right angle lies the great metropolitan cathedral, where the pope will then meet with Mexico’s church hierarchy. On one side of the colonial Zócalo, where the Spanish conquerors built their edifices of church and state, sits the National Palace, where President Enrique Peña Nieto and assorted dignitaries greeted the pope on Saturday morning with full honors. At a right angle lies the great Metropolitan Cathedral, where the pope was to meet with Mexico’s church hierarchy.
But all the pomp and circumstance laid on by politicians jostling for some of the reflected glory of the pope’s extraordinary popularity seemed discordant for a trip that the pope has described as a pilgrimage. And indeed, the Jesuit pope will make his own pilgrimage later in the day to the Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe, who is Mexico’s patron saint. But all the pomp and circumstance laid on by politicians jostling for some of the reflected glory of the pope’s extraordinary popularity seemed discordant for a trip that Francis has described as a pilgrimage. And indeed, the Jesuit pope will make his own pilgrimage later in the day to the Basilica of the Virgin of Guadalupe, who is Mexico’s patron saint.
It will be Francis’ third trip to the basilica, and he has asked to spend time alone before the cloth imprinted with the olive-skinned Virgin, the symbol of the fusion of Latin America’s disparate peoples under a nurturing maternal image of the divine. It will be Francis’ third trip to the basilica, and he has asked to spend time alone before the cloth imprinted with the olive-skinned Virgin, the symbol of the fusion of Latin America’s disparate people under a nurturing maternal image of the divine.
The juxtaposition of Francis’ formal reception — the first time any pope has been received at the National Palace — with his veneration of a powerful popular symbol has a strong narrative drive, said the Rev. Juan Carlos Henríquez, a sociologist in charge of communications for the Mexican Province of the Society of Jesus, as the Jesuit order is formally known. The juxtaposition of Francis’ formal welcome — the first time any pope has been received at the National Palace — with his veneration of a powerful popular symbol has a strong narrative drive, said the Rev. Juan Carlos Henríquez, a sociologist in charge of communications for the Mexican Province of the Society of Jesus, as the Jesuit order is officially known.
“Mexicans are going through a crisis of representation,” Father Henríquez said. “We don’t feel represented by our political or our religious leaders.”“Mexicans are going through a crisis of representation,” Father Henríquez said. “We don’t feel represented by our political or our religious leaders.”
“It’s very important for the pope to come close to someone who does represent all Mexicans,” he added, referring to the Virgin of Guadalupe. “Why is she a true figure of representation? She cares for us. You may not be listened to by the government, but Our Lady will listen to your prayers. You are not alone, you are not an orphan.”“It’s very important for the pope to come close to someone who does represent all Mexicans,” he added, referring to the Virgin of Guadalupe. “Why is she a true figure of representation? She cares for us. You may not be listened to by the government, but Our Lady will listen to your prayers. You are not alone, you are not an orphan.”
Aside from the symbolism of his visit, the pope’s speech to the assembled dignitaries will be closely analyzed. In a videotaped message to Mexicans last week, Francis suggested that he would not gloss over the concerns that weigh on the country’s citizens, who are cowed by organized crime and angry about the corruption that allows it to fester. In a videotaped message to Mexicans last week, Francis suggested that he would not gloss over the concerns that weigh on the country’s citizens, who are cowed by organized crime and angry about the corruption that allows it to fester.
The contradiction of a pope who has spoken openly of the burden of corruption being celebrated by politicians who are widely unpopular because they are believed to be corrupt has made many people uneasy. And he did not. He listed Mexico’s problems directly and assigned blame obliquely in his speech to government officials and other leaders.
“Experience teaches us that each time we seek the path of privileges or benefits for a few to the detriment of the good of all,” Francis said, “sooner or later the life of society becomes a fertile soil for corruption, drug trade, exclusion of different cultures, violence and also human trafficking, kidnapping and death, bringing suffering and slowing down development.” .
The contradiction of a pope speaking openly of the burden of corruption while being regaled by politicians who either tolerate corruption or are believed to be corrupt themselves has made many people uneasy.
“This is a disgrace, they’re making a circus of it,” said Soledad Loaeza, a scholar at the Colegio de México who has written about church-state relations in Mexico. “I don’t think the pope is willing to lend himself to this carnival.”“This is a disgrace, they’re making a circus of it,” said Soledad Loaeza, a scholar at the Colegio de México who has written about church-state relations in Mexico. “I don’t think the pope is willing to lend himself to this carnival.”
Mexico has a long anticlerical history. Governments expropriated church property as early as 1859 and fought a war against Catholic rebels in central Mexico in the 1920s. But in the past two decades, since laws against the church have relaxed, the country’s governments have moved closer to the church.Mexico has a long anticlerical history. Governments expropriated church property as early as 1859 and fought a war against Catholic rebels in central Mexico in the 1920s. But in the past two decades, since laws against the church have relaxed, the country’s governments have moved closer to the church.
Mr. Peña Nieto’s government has deepened that relationship, Ms. Loaeza said, and the pope’s visit “is a recourse that they interpret will increase their popularity.”Mr. Peña Nieto’s government has deepened that relationship, Ms. Loaeza said, and the pope’s visit “is a recourse that they interpret will increase their popularity.”
At the same time, though, Mexicans have distanced themselves from the formalities of the Catholic Church. “The Mexican believer does not need a priest to talk to God,” she said, preferring instead an expression of faith through an intercessor like the Virgin of Guadalupe.At the same time, though, Mexicans have distanced themselves from the formalities of the Catholic Church. “The Mexican believer does not need a priest to talk to God,” she said, preferring instead an expression of faith through an intercessor like the Virgin of Guadalupe.
In his videotaped message last week, Francis spoke personally of the spiritual power of the Virgin of Guadalupe. “How many times have I been afraid with some problem, or something ugly has happened and one does not know how to react, and I pray to her?” he said. “I like to repeat to myself: ‘Do not be afraid. Is it not I who is your mother?’ Those are her words.”In his videotaped message last week, Francis spoke personally of the spiritual power of the Virgin of Guadalupe. “How many times have I been afraid with some problem, or something ugly has happened and one does not know how to react, and I pray to her?” he said. “I like to repeat to myself: ‘Do not be afraid. Is it not I who is your mother?’ Those are her words.”
By offering Mass at the basilica, the pope is effectively opening the gate to his pastoral visit, one that is directed toward those at the margins, Father Henríquez said. Each of his stops on the trip is a frontier. He will travel to the vast urban slum of Ecatepec to offer Mass on Sunday and then fly on Monday to Chiapas, on Mexico’s southern border, where indigenous communities have lived in poverty for centuries. By offering Mass at the basilica, the pope is effectively opening the gate to his pastoral visit, one that is directed toward those at the margins, Father Henríquez said. Each of Francis’ stops on the trip is a frontier. He will travel to the vast urban slum of Ecatepec to offer Mass on Sunday and then fly Monday to Chiapas, on Mexico’s southern border, where indigenous communities have lived in poverty for centuries.
On Tuesday, he will visit Morelia in the state of Michoacán, where Bishop Vasco Vásquez de Quiroga stood fast as a defender of the Purépecha Indians in the first years after the Spanish conquest and established a utopian community, a vision marred by the extreme drug violence that now stalks Michoacán.On Tuesday, he will visit Morelia in the state of Michoacán, where Bishop Vasco Vásquez de Quiroga stood fast as a defender of the Purépecha Indians in the first years after the Spanish conquest and established a utopian community, a vision marred by the extreme drug violence that now stalks Michoacán.
The pope’s last stop,, in Ciudad Juárez on the border with Texas, is intended to counter the anti-immigrant messages that are driving the Republican presidential campaign in the United States. The pope’s last stop, on Wednesday in Ciudad Juárez on the border with Texas, is intended to counter the anti-immigrant messages that are driving the Republican presidential campaign in the United States.
“The borderline is a very powerful leitmotif of the Jesuits,” Father Henríquez said. They are “meant to be where nobody else wants to go.”“The borderline is a very powerful leitmotif of the Jesuits,” Father Henríquez said. They are “meant to be where nobody else wants to go.”