Vatican envoy prays for Mexico’s missing at CDMX Basilica Mass

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin led a Mass at Mexico City’s Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe, calling for prayers for missing persons and their searching mothers. After sharing passages from the Bible about the Virgin Mary’s miracles and concern for one’s neighbor, he discussed the difficulties faced by mothers whose loved ones have gone missing.

At the Palace of Nations, Parolin met President Claudia Sheinbaum to discuss Pope Leo XIV’s potential visit to Mexico and the need to address the challenges of artificial intelligence as highlighted in the pope’s latest encyclical, Dilexi Te. Sheinbaum emphasized that the pope’s calls for peace, fraternity, and closeness to the vulnerable are crucial at a time when the world must strengthen dialogue, solidarity, and cooperation among nations.

With nearly 80% of Mexico’s population identifying as Roman Catholic, Parolin’s prayers hold significant weight in the nation grappling with an over 132,000-person disappearance crisis. Mothers and relatives often lead the arduous search efforts, finding strength in faith and solidarity.