Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 12, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

A new poll reveals that a majority of Catholic voters in the United States support access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) when initially asked about the topic but that some are willing to immediately change their minds when informed about the Church’s teaching on why it is immoral.

The survey, released by EWTN News and RealClear Opinion Research on Dec. 11, polled 1,000 Catholic voters in the United States between Nov. 9 and Nov. 11.

The results demonstrate that just informing Catholic voters about the Church’s position on IVF and the immorality of the procedure is sufficient to cause an immediate 14-point shift against IVF in the public opinion of the Catholic faithful.

When first asked about IVF, 53.5% of Catholics said they supported access to the procedure and just 18.8% said they opposed it. The remaining 27.6% said they neither supported nor opposed access or did not know enough to offer an opinion.

The pollsters then informed the respondents that the Catholic Church opposes IVF because it separates the creation of life from the marital act between the husband and wife and results in the loss of unused embryos.

When asked a second time after receiving this information, support dropped by nine points, with 44.5% of respondents still saying they supported access. Opposition increased by more than five points, with 24.1% now saying they are against the procedure. The amount of people who said they neither supported nor opposed IVF or did not know enough to offer an opinion went up by nearly four points to 31.4%.

IVF is a fertility treatment in which doctors extract eggs from the woman and fertilize the eggs with sperm to create human embryos in a laboratory without a sexual act. Millions of fertilized human embryos that clinics do not implant are destroyed, which ends human lives.

Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk, a neuroscientist and senior ethicist at the National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) told CNA that broad support of IVF within the American public is “connected to broader misunderstandings about human sexuality, common among Catholics and non-Catholics alike.”

“IVF is ‘babies without sex’ while contraception is ‘sex without babies,’ and Catholics have largely adopted prevailing societal attitudes in regards to both of these issues,” he said. “Even a basic catechesis on these foundational issues has been lacking for an entire generation of Catholics.”

Pacholczyk said some in the clergy avoid the subject to prevent offending others, but this has left many Catholics “in an ideological vacuum.” He said many form their opinions on subjects like IVF “from social media sites, the ‘Today Show,’ or People magazine” rather than the Church.

“Our task remains one of generously sharing and witnessing to the fullness of Christ’s teachings, which liberate the human heart and transform souls in joy,” he said.

Joseph Meaney, a past president and senior fellow at NCBC, told CNA the Church understands IVF as “intrinsically evil” and added: “It is a tragedy that Catholic teaching on this procedure is not well known.”

“IVF is a moral, medical, and financial disaster,” Meaney said.

“It always makes mothers suffer through painful hormone injections, kills more human embryos than are born, and is frequently ineffective, despite its great cost, for many of the couples who turn to IVF hoping to give birth to a child,” he added.

Meaney said “there is a major need for preaching and other forms of communication about IVF” and more information about ethical alternatives, such as restorative reproductive medicine, “to help couples suffering from infertility.”

Restorative reproductive medicine, such as natural procreative technology, seeks to address the underlying causes of infertility so that a husband and wife can conceive a child naturally. It could include dietary changes, medicine, or surgeries, depending on what the root cause of the couple’s infertility is.

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Dec 12, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

A new poll reveals that a majority of Catholic voters in the United States support access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) when initially asked about the topic but that some are willing to immediately change their minds when informed about the Church’s teaching on why it is immoral.

The survey, released by EWTN News and RealClear Opinion Research on Dec. 11, polled 1,000 Catholic voters in the United States between Nov. 9 and Nov. 11.

The results demonstrate that just informing Catholic voters about the Church’s position on IVF and the immorality of the procedure is sufficient to cause an immediate 14-point shift against IVF in the public opinion of the Catholic faithful.

When first asked about IVF, 53.5% of Catholics said they supported access to the procedure and just 18.8% said they opposed it. The remaining 27.6% said they neither supported nor opposed access or did not know enough to offer an opinion.

The pollsters then informed the respondents that the Catholic Church opposes IVF because it separates the creation of life from the marital act between the husband and wife and results in the loss of unused embryos.

When asked a second time after receiving this information, support dropped by nine points, with 44.5% of respondents still saying they supported access. Opposition increased by more than five points, with 24.1% now saying they are against the procedure. The amount of people who said they neither supported nor opposed IVF or did not know enough to offer an opinion went up by nearly four points to 31.4%.

IVF is a fertility treatment in which doctors extract eggs from the woman and fertilize the eggs with sperm to create human embryos in a laboratory without a sexual act. Millions of fertilized human embryos that clinics do not implant are destroyed, which ends human lives.

Father Tadeusz Pacholczyk, a neuroscientist and senior ethicist at the National Catholic Bioethics Center (NCBC) told CNA that broad support of IVF within the American public is “connected to broader misunderstandings about human sexuality, common among Catholics and non-Catholics alike.”

“IVF is ‘babies without sex’ while contraception is ‘sex without babies,’ and Catholics have largely adopted prevailing societal attitudes in regards to both of these issues,” he said. “Even a basic catechesis on these foundational issues has been lacking for an entire generation of Catholics.”

Pacholczyk said some in the clergy avoid the subject to prevent offending others, but this has left many Catholics “in an ideological vacuum.” He said many form their opinions on subjects like IVF “from social media sites, the ‘Today Show,’ or People magazine” rather than the Church.

“Our task remains one of generously sharing and witnessing to the fullness of Christ’s teachings, which liberate the human heart and transform souls in joy,” he said.

Joseph Meaney, a past president and senior fellow at NCBC, told CNA the Church understands IVF as “intrinsically evil” and added: “It is a tragedy that Catholic teaching on this procedure is not well known.”

“IVF is a moral, medical, and financial disaster,” Meaney said.

“It always makes mothers suffer through painful hormone injections, kills more human embryos than are born, and is frequently ineffective, despite its great cost, for many of the couples who turn to IVF hoping to give birth to a child,” he added.

Meaney said “there is a major need for preaching and other forms of communication about IVF” and more information about ethical alternatives, such as restorative reproductive medicine, “to help couples suffering from infertility.”

Restorative reproductive medicine, such as natural procreative technology, seeks to address the underlying causes of infertility so that a husband and wife can conceive a child naturally. It could include dietary changes, medicine, or surgeries, depending on what the root cause of the couple’s infertility is.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Leo XIV prayed for Mary's maternal intercession so that she would help nations avoid lies and hatred and instruct leaders to protect the dignity of all human life.

He also prayed that families find strength, young people find meaning and people of faith seek greater communion because "within the church, Mother, your children cannot be divided."

In his homily at Mass for the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe in St. Peter's Basilica Dec. 12, Pope Leo also asked Mary to support him in his ministry as the successor of St. Peter and "grant that, trusting in your protection, we may advance ever more united, with Jesus and among ourselves, toward the eternal dwelling place that He has prepared for us and where you await us."

While it was his first Mass marking the Marian feast day at the Vatican as pope, as Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, he had already served as the main celebrant at the altar during the Dec. 12 Mass in 2024 and 2023 when he was prefect of the Dicastery for Bishops and president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Pope Francis had presided over both of those Masses, but due to bouts of illness, he remained seated during the celebrations and gave the homily.

Pope Leo, who spent more than two decades as a missionary in Peru, gave the homily in Spanish and recalled how the Marian apparitions in 1531 in Tepeyac, Mexico, awakened "in the inhabitants of America the joy of knowing that they are loved by God." 

Devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe is deeply rooted in Latin America. According to tradition, Mary appeared to St. Juan Diego, an Indigenous Mexican, and left her pregnant image imprinted on his cloak. It was said she assured him in his native language not to be afraid because, "Am I not here, who am your Mother?" offering protection, health and safety in the folds of her mantle.

"It is the voice that echoes the promise of divine fidelity, the presence that sustains when life becomes unbearable," especially "amidst unceasing conflicts, injustices and pains that seek relief," Pope Leo said.

Her motherhood "makes us discover ourselves as children," and "as children, we will turn to her to ask" what must be done, especially "how to grow in faith when our strength fails and shadows grow," the pope said. Referring to her son, Jesus, she will "tenderly reply: 'Do whatever he tells you.'"

Pope Leo then prayed for Mary's intercession, asking that she "teach nations that want to be your children not to divide the world into irreconcilable factions, not to allow hatred to mark their history or lies to write their memory."

"Show them that authority must be exercised as service and not as domination," he said. "Instruct their leaders in their duty to safeguard the dignity of every person during all stages of their life," and may these people create places "where every person can feel welcome."

He prayed that Mary would accompany young people so they could find strength in Christ "to choose what is good and the courage to remain firm in the faith, even when the world pushes them in another direction." 

"Show them that your Son walks beside them. May nothing afflict their hearts so that they may fearlessly welcome God's plans," he said, praying that she also help keep young people safe "from the threats of crime, addiction and the danger of a meaningless life."

"Seek out, Mother, those who have strayed from the holy church," he said. "May your gaze reach them where ours cannot, break down the walls that separate us, and bring them back home with the power of your love."

Pope Leo then implored Mary to touch the hearts of those "who sow discord toward your Son's desire that 'they may all be one' and restore them to the charity that makes communion possible, for within the church, Mother, your children cannot be divided."

"Strengthen families," he prayed. "Following your example, may parents educate their children with tenderness and firmness, so that every home may be a school of faith."

He prayed that those who teach be inspired to share the truth "with the gentleness, precision and clarity that comes from the Gospel," and he prayed that the clergy and consecrated men and women find support and encouragement to be faithful, prayerful and revitalized.

"Holy Virgin, may we, like you, keep the Gospel in our hearts," he said, and help Christians understand "we are not the owners of this message, but, like St. Juan Diego, we are its simple servants."

ACI Prensa Staff, Dec 12, 2025 / 04:00 am (CNA).

Almost 500 years after the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe — whose feast the Church celebrates Dec. 12 — the image of Our Lady has become the subject of several popular myths and legends, especially in Mexico, where she appeared. 

Father Eduardo Chávez, a priest of the Archdiocese of Mexico, was the postulator for Juan Diego’s canonization and is a renowned expert on the apparitions. He is also director of the Institute for Guadalupan Studies.

Speaking to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, in 2019, Chávez separated fact from fiction.

Is it true the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe has the same temperature as a human body?

“It’s logical that marble, stone, wood, and fabric have different temperatures,” he said. The image of the Virgin is formed on “a cloth made out of plant fibers, an agave called ‘ixotl.’ And it doesn’t have a temperature like a human being would have,” he said, dispelling a common rumor about the image.

Was the image painted or fabricated by human hands?

Chávez said the idea that the image was painted by human hands is “simply and plainly impossible,” because among other important details, St. Juan Diego’s tilma (cloak) “doesn’t even have any brushstrokes on it.”

“It’s imprinted on there, it’s a print as such,” he noted.

Chávez also pointed to the miraculous nature of the image, asking: “How is it possible for it to have lasted despite the fact that acid was accidentally spilled on it in 1784? How is it possible that after a bomb was set off underneath it on Nov. 14, 1921, that nothing happened to it?”

Do the Virgin’s eyes move?

The priest said that on social media “people are saying that if you shine a strong light, the eyes dilate and things like that. No such thing. They don’t move, they don’t dilate,” he said.

Chávez explained that “they’re misinterpreting something that an ophthalmologist, Enrique Graue, noted, namely that the eyes seem to be human, in the sense that they look like a photo of a human being, with the depth and reflection of a human eye.”

Does the Virgin of Guadalupe “float” on the mantilla?

Chávez was blunt: “The image doesn’t float”; rather, “it’s imprinted on the tilma.”

“Nor are there two or three images placed one on top of the other,” as some claim, he explained.

Is Our Lady of Guadalupe a Catholic adaptation of an Aztec goddess?

Some scholars have promoted the idea that the Virgin of Guadalupe is a Catholic adaptation of the Aztec goddess Coatlicue Tonantzin, who is a combination of a woman and serpents, and a symbol of fertility.

However, Chávez said that Our Lady of Guadalupe is not an adaptation of a goddess and has nothing to do with idolatry.

“She’s not called Coatlicue, which would be idolatry; she’s called Tonantzin, which isn’t any kind of idolatry but means ‘our venerable mother’ and, as the Indigenous affectionately say, ‘our dearest mother.’ It’s a title; it’s not idolatry.”

“The missionaries of the 16th century would never have made up a costume for a pagan goddess. That’s completely false,” he underscored.

Is there music hidden in the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe?

Based on mathematical analysis, Mexican accountant Fernando Ojeda discovered music embedded in the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Chávez explained.

Viewing the flowers and stars in the image of the Virgin as if they were musical notes, Ojeda outlined and found a melody.

Chávez said that analysts repeated the experiment with copies of paintings from the 16th and 17th centuries, “where stars and flowers are placed at the painter’s discretion,” but the only thing they produced was “noise, not harmony.”

“Only with the original does a perfect harmony emerge, with a symphonic arrangement. It is true — music comes forth from the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe,” he affirmed.

Was there a light miraculously projected on the womb of the Virgin of Guadalupe?

For Chávez, “it’s hard to know if it was a miracle at that time because we don’t know if it was a ray of light that happened to hit upon one of the nearby metal objects, projecting a light on her womb.” 

“What we do know is that she is the defender of life,” he said, pointing to “the simple fact that she has a dark ribbon over the womb, which means she’s pregnant and that therefore Jesus Christ Our Lord is in her immaculate womb.”

Can words be seen on the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe?

Responding to those who say they can see the word “peace” on the image, Chávez said: “I don’t see that anywhere.”

“She communicates with glyphs as the Indigenous did. And when it was by words she spoke in Náhuatl through Juan Diego who later translated,” he said. 

Did Bishop Juan de Zumárraga mistreat Juan Diego?

“The key, everything, turns on the bishop,” Chávez said, since “although the Virgin of Guadalupe chose a layman, spoke to a layman, expressed her message to a layman,” the shrine she asked for “was not going to be done without the authority of the bishop.”

Chávez said it was instead the servants who treated St. Juan Diego badly when he went to see Bishop Juan de Zumárraga. “It was the servants who left him outside,” he said.

The Franciscan bishop “never treated him badly, on the contrary; he treated him with affection,” as well as with “a lot of respect and much dignity,” Chávez said.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA's Spanish-language news partner, and published on CNA on Dec. 12, 2019. It has been updated.

O only begotten Son and Word of God, immortal as you are, you condescended for our salvation to be incarnate…  – “Hymn of the Incarnation,” Emperor Justinian, 6th Century Nothing much positive comes to mind by the word “condescension.” When people act in a condescending way, we think of obnoxiously lofty behavior or a demeaning ... Read more

The spiritual life grows the way a house does. Not all at once, and not because we force it to. It grows because the foundation is sound. Ignatius knew that, which is why he begins the Spiritual Exercises with the Principle and Foundation. Before you worry about anything else in your life or in your ... Read more

This Sunday is Gaudete (Rejoice!) Sunday.  Our Gospel gives us John the Baptist in prison as our meditation.  Isn’t that a bit downbeat? Gospel (Read Mt. 11:2-11) St. Matthew tells us that John the Baptist “heard in prison of the works of the Christ” in Galilee, undoubtedly from his own disciples.  He sent those disciples to Jesus ... Read more

Vatican City, Dec 11, 2025 / 18:30 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Dec. 11 emphasized the academic, cultural, and ecclesial value of archaeology and called for the promotion of “cultural diplomacy” to overcome borders and prejudices.

Receiving members of the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology in an audience, the pope emphasized that its literary and monumental sources constitute an essential part of the “roots” of European society and nations.

“Take part through your studies in that cultural diplomacy that the world so desperately needs in our day,” the pope urged, addressing the faculty, students, and staff of the center.

To introduce his reflection, he referenced the motu proprio I Primitivi Cemeteri (“The Primitive Cemeteries”), published exactly a century ago by Pius XI, in which he emphasized the Church’s responsibility for protecting its sacred heritage.

Pius XI then decided to add a new body to the work of the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology and the Pontifical Roman Academy of Archaeology: the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology, created to “guide willing young people from all countries and nations toward the study and scientific research of the monuments of Christian antiquity.”

A century later, Leo XIV affirmed, this mission remains fully relevant.

The scientific dignity of Christian archaeology

The pope took the opportunity to present to those present his new apostolic letter, in which he emphasizes the importance of Christian archaeology. He pointed out that this field, focused on the monuments of the first centuries of Christianity, possesses its own “epistemological status,” with specific “chronological, historical, and thematic coordinates.”

However, he lamented that in some circles it continues to be included without distinction within medieval archaeology.

“In this regard, I suggest that they become upholders of the specificity of their discipline, in which the adjective ‘Christian’ is not intended to be an expression of a confessional perspective but rather a qualifier of the discipline itself with scientific and professional dignity,” he urged.

A bridge to ecumenism

Leo XIV emphasized the ecumenical nature of Christian archaeology, alluding to its capacity to recall a time when the Church remained united. Its study, he affirmed, is “a valuable instrument for ecumenism,” as it allows the various Christian traditions to recognize a common heritage.

He also recounted that during his recent apostolic journey to İznik — ancient Nicaea — in Turkey, where he commemorated the 1,700th anniversary of the first ecumenical council with representatives of other churches, he was able to personally witness this reality: “The presence of the remains of ancient Christian buildings was moving and motivating for all of us.”

The pope also welcomed the fact that the institute had dedicated a day of study to the topic, in collaboration with the Dicastery for Evangelization.

The power of ‘cultural diplomacy’

For the pope, rigorous study and historical research constitute a privileged way of building bridges: “Through culture, the human spirit transcends the boundaries of nations and overcomes the barriers of prejudice to place itself at the service of the common good. You too can contribute to building bridges, fostering encounters, and nurturing harmony.”

He also noted that the institute is symbolically situated between two major jubilee themes: peace, the central theme of the holy year of 1925, and hope, the focus of the current jubilee. “And, in fact, you are bearers of peace and hope wherever you operate with your excavations and research, so that, recognizing your white and red banner with the image of the Good Shepherd, doors may be opened wide to you not only as bearers of knowledge and science but also as heralds of peace.”

Christianity, the root of Europe

Finally, Leo XIV recalled the words of St. John Paul II on the Christian roots of Europe, remembering his affirmation that the continent “needs Christ and the Gospel, because here lie the roots of all its peoples.”

“Among the roots of European society and nations is undoubtedly Christianity, with its literary and monumental sources; and the work of archaeologists is a response to the call I have just evoked,” he stated.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Vatican City, Dec 11, 2025 / 18:30 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Dec. 11 emphasized the academic, cultural, and ecclesial value of archaeology and called for the promotion of “cultural diplomacy” to overcome borders and prejudices.

Receiving members of the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology in an audience, the pope emphasized that its literary and monumental sources constitute an essential part of the “roots” of European society and nations.

“Take part through your studies in that cultural diplomacy that the world so desperately needs in our day,” the pope urged, addressing the faculty, students, and staff of the center.

To introduce his reflection, he referenced the motu proprio I Primitivi Cemeteri (“The Primitive Cemeteries”), published exactly a century ago by Pius XI, in which he emphasized the Church’s responsibility for protecting its sacred heritage.

Pius XI then decided to add a new body to the work of the Pontifical Commission for Sacred Archaeology and the Pontifical Roman Academy of Archaeology: the Pontifical Institute of Christian Archaeology, created to “guide willing young people from all countries and nations toward the study and scientific research of the monuments of Christian antiquity.”

A century later, Leo XIV affirmed, this mission remains fully relevant.

The scientific dignity of Christian archaeology

The pope took the opportunity to present to those present his new apostolic letter, in which he emphasizes the importance of Christian archaeology. He pointed out that this field, focused on the monuments of the first centuries of Christianity, possesses its own “epistemological status,” with specific “chronological, historical, and thematic coordinates.”

However, he lamented that in some circles it continues to be included without distinction within medieval archaeology.

“In this regard, I suggest that they become upholders of the specificity of their discipline, in which the adjective ‘Christian’ is not intended to be an expression of a confessional perspective but rather a qualifier of the discipline itself with scientific and professional dignity,” he urged.

A bridge to ecumenism

Leo XIV emphasized the ecumenical nature of Christian archaeology, alluding to its capacity to recall a time when the Church remained united. Its study, he affirmed, is “a valuable instrument for ecumenism,” as it allows the various Christian traditions to recognize a common heritage.

He also recounted that during his recent apostolic journey to İznik — ancient Nicaea — in Turkey, where he commemorated the 1,700th anniversary of the first ecumenical council with representatives of other churches, he was able to personally witness this reality: “The presence of the remains of ancient Christian buildings was moving and motivating for all of us.”

The pope also welcomed the fact that the institute had dedicated a day of study to the topic, in collaboration with the Dicastery for Evangelization.

The power of ‘cultural diplomacy’

For the pope, rigorous study and historical research constitute a privileged way of building bridges: “Through culture, the human spirit transcends the boundaries of nations and overcomes the barriers of prejudice to place itself at the service of the common good. You too can contribute to building bridges, fostering encounters, and nurturing harmony.”

He also noted that the institute is symbolically situated between two major jubilee themes: peace, the central theme of the holy year of 1925, and hope, the focus of the current jubilee. “And, in fact, you are bearers of peace and hope wherever you operate with your excavations and research, so that, recognizing your white and red banner with the image of the Good Shepherd, doors may be opened wide to you not only as bearers of knowledge and science but also as heralds of peace.”

Christianity, the root of Europe

Finally, Leo XIV recalled the words of St. John Paul II on the Christian roots of Europe, remembering his affirmation that the continent “needs Christ and the Gospel, because here lie the roots of all its peoples.”

“Among the roots of European society and nations is undoubtedly Christianity, with its literary and monumental sources; and the work of archaeologists is a response to the call I have just evoked,” he stated.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Vatican City, Dec 11, 2025 / 16:54 pm (CNA).

“Do not let your heart be troubled. Am I not here, I who am your mother?” With this consolation — with which Our Lady of Guadalupe of Mexico addressed St. Juan Diego in December 1531 — a devotion was kindled that, almost five centuries later, continues to shape the spiritual identity of Mexico and all of the Americas.

That same message, simple and profoundly consoling, still has a singular power today, especially “in the context of war and difficulties in the world we live in today,” said Father Stefano Cecchin, OFM, president of the Pontifical International Marian Academy, in an interview with ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. 

Cecchin will participate on Dec. 12 in an unprecedented gathering organized by the Pontifical Commission for Latin America at the Vatican, a day that will bring together Latin American priests, women religious, and seminarians and will place the figure of Mary — particularly under her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe — at the center of evangelizing reflection.

Guadalupe, a message of closeness and liberation

Cecchin emphasized that Mary manifested herself with accessible, approachable, and protective language, capable of spreading the Christian message without obscuring the Indigenous identity of the visionary. In fact, he emphasized, “in Guadalupe we encounter the inculturation of God.”

For him, the spiritual core of the Guadalupe event is profoundly liberating: “Mary appears not to frighten, even though it occurs at the end of the Aztec calendar year, but she appears to bring peace and serenity. The message of Guadalupe is that whoever is with Mary should not be afraid.”

Understanding this historical and theological dimension, he added, allows us to perceive its universal impact. “We are trying to raise awareness throughout the world, beyond the countries of Latin America, the Philippines, and Spain. We want everyone to embrace it,” he stated. Cecchin summarized its importance with a powerful image: “For us, Guadalupe is the Sinai of the Americas.”

The comparison is not metaphorical: The people of Israel were born on the Sinai Peninsula, and in Guadalupe, Cecchin continued, “the Christian people of the Americas were born.”

Conference in light of new doctrinal document 

The day at the Vatican is directed toward Latin American priests, women religious, and seminarians studying in Rome. After greetings from Archbishop Filippo Iannone, the president of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, will speak, offering a keynote address titled “Mary: Star of Evangelization and the Mission for Latin America Today.”

“This expression has been used many times in Latin America, but we want to reconsider it in light of the teaching of the new doctrinal note on the Virgin Mary that the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has given us,” Rodrigo Guerra, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America, told ACI Prensa.

Fernández’s presence will be directly linked to the recent publication of the doctrinal note Mater Populi Fidelis, a document that has sparked considerable debate in some quarters by proposing a rereading of popular Mariology and by nuancing traditional devotional titles.

Precisely for this reason, the event on Dec. 12 seeks to offer keys for a serene reception of the document from the perspective of evangelization.

In this regard, Guerra will present a reflection on the doctrinal reception of the figure of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Rome: “I will explain the pleasant surprise we all felt upon discovering that in the recent doctrinal note from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the topic of Our Lady of Guadalupe is addressed in two paragraphs in order to show in a very eloquent way how popular Marian devotion in Latin America today can offer us some lessons in the face of the challenges of evangelization in Latin America.”

Connection between Mary and synodality

Following the prefect’s lecture, a discussion with the participants will take place, followed by an academic panel with three brief presentations. The first will be given by Cecchin, who will address Our Lady of Guadalupe’s contribution to a balanced Mariology.

Afterward, Bishop Luis Marín de San Martín, undersecretary of the Synod of Bishops, will speak to explore deeper the connection between Mary and synodality: a theme that the universal synodal process has highlighted in recent years. He explained to ACI Prensa that when we recognize Mary’s role in ecclesial life and in the devotion of the faithful, “the real need arises to delve deeper into the Marian mystery in order to better understand the synodal and missionary Church.”

He also pointed out that the figure of Mary is “fundamental” in the recovery of women’s identity and their value in the Church. “In her we find the perfect example of a Christian, a disciple. Always prophetically engaged with reality,” the Spanish prelate explained.

The day will conclude with a presentation by Guerra, secretary of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

The date — Dec. 12 — is not accidental: It coincides with the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the anniversary of the episcopal ordination of Pope Leo XIV. “That is why we thought this day was a good occasion for us to meet with all the students and friends from Latin America… to take a look at how Mary challenges us and offers us new reasons to rethink evangelization and mission in Latin America today,” Guerra said.

Following the conference, Mass in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe will take place at 4 p.m. local time in St. Peter’s Basilica, celebrated by Pope Leo XIV. It will be one of the first significant gestures of the new pope toward the Latin American community residing in Rome.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.