Lombardi: Pope’s highlights of Mexico visit

As Pope Benedict XVI prepares to leave Mexico, Vatican Press Office Director Fr. Federico Lombardi spoke to Philippa Hitchen about the Pope’s personal highlights of this first leg of his 23^rd Apostolic Voyage, the message he leaves behind with the Church and the people of this nation and what the Holy Father will be taking with him from this experience: Listen:

“The Pope does not have technical solutions to the problems and difficulties that the people of Mexico face. But this is not what they expected from him. His mission here was to encourage and help people in their faith to find the engagement to renew the effectiveness of this faith. I think he has done this very well with clear and simple words and the people have understood this. I have heard some observers say that this is exactly what the people wanted to hear from the Pope. They did not expect political solutions to the security problem, this is not what the Church offers. But the confidence that the Pope has given them, that if they are united to Christ in their daily lives they can renew something in society, to build a more just society of solidarity to face their problems”.

Q: Certainly they gave him an extremely warm welcome beyond the expectations of the organizers of the visit, what do you think has been his personal highlight?

“I think that the Pope came with a profound love for this people, knowing of their love for the Successor of St. Peter. But the Mexican faithful had not yet a concrete idea of the new Pope, they had the image of John Paul II, and so they desired to see the Successor of St Peter for themselves, and they have seen him and understood the love of Benedict and responded to him with their great love. This is the continuity of the capacity of the Mexican people to express their love for the Pope and Benedict XVI has experienced this in every encounter that has taken place”.