05242024 Pope Francis Address Franciscans in Mexico

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The Holy Father addresses his greetings to the brother Bishops, to the Provincial Ministers, to all the Minor Brothers, as well as to the local civil authorities and to the faithful who gather with joy to commemorate, from May 24 to 27, the 500 years of Franciscan presence in Mexico. 

In a message, Francis recalls that "upon arriving in those unknown lands, those younger brothers—who were later followed by a multitude of intrepid missionaries from all religious families—had their hearts and lives filled with the “joy of the Gospel.” "They had the certainty, he adds, of knowing themselves to be bearers of a hope that does not disappoint, but is a source of a joy whose goodness is diffuse of itself. For this reason they sought to put into practice the exhortation that Saint Paul makes in the letter to the Romans: rejoice with those who are happy and cry with those who cry."

The Pope points out that "for love of the Gospel, in order to also be able to share in its goods, they followed the example of the apostle of 'becoming all things to all' and thus winning them over to God." "But the Good News that this handful of friars began to spread five centuries ago, he continued, is a dynamic process that knows neither term nor border."

“Its content contains a perennial novelty, therefore, it must be listened to again and always announced with renewed creativity. This is the mission that you still maintain today, and thanks to that dedication, the men and women of the places where you are present can receive the courageous testimony of the saving and redeeming love that Christ offers.”

The Pontiff emphasizes that today, as in the past, "in their missionary service they strive to put evangelical counsels into practice." He also wishes "that this disposition continues to attract everyone through a humble and obedient attitude, so that the nickname “motolinía” – which means “poor” in the Nahuatl language – with which they were once recognized by the natives of the place , encourages them to oppose dialogue and listening to the arrogance currently so entrenched in human relationships; that by announcing the power of the cross and the joy that emanates from it, they help everyone to carry theirs; God's selfless and full love for all men, encourage the exercise of your charity to go after those who do not yet know Christ, those who are far away, the poor and needy.