"And God intervened through the being He loves the most, His own Mother, who chooses a simple and humble Indian to be her faithful messenger, her completely trustworthy intercessor: Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin," Chavez remarked.

Chavez recounted that "on Saturday, December 9, 1531, Juan Diego was on his way to Tlatelolco to attend catechism when the Mother of God appeared to him. She asked him to be her messenger." She asked Juan Diego to go to Bishop Zumárraga and ask for a little temple to be built in dedication to her in the valley of Tepyac. Zumárraga received Juan Diego, but asked for a sign from the Virgin Mary to prove her message.

He filled his tilma and brought the roses to the bishop as was requested. When he approached the bishop, he opened his tilma to reveal the beautiful image of the Virgin Mother as a "mestiza" (a woman of mixed race), wrapped in the sun with the moon at her feet, her robe studded with stars. "Her message and will is the spreading of the love of God and that is why she asked for a temple, to offer His love to persons of every lineage who trust in Her."

Soon after the apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe, "conversions began occurring at an astounding rate." The missionaries were in awe of what was happening: "the Indians were coming from everywhere, from far away lands asking for the sacraments."

The message for us today, Msgr. Chavez concluded, is that "God intervenes by means of his own Mother    to allow every human being to become a participating part of [her Son]. She is the first disciple and missionary who manifests and delivers to us the message of salvation."

"And God intervened through the being He loves the most, His own Mother, who chooses a simple and humble Indian to be her faithful messenger, her completely trustworthy intercessor: Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin," Chavez remarked.

Chavez recounted that "on Saturday, December 9, 1531, Juan Diego was on his way to Tlatelolco to attend catechism when the Mother of God appeared to him. She asked him to be her messenger." She asked Juan Diego to go to Bishop Zumárraga and ask for a little temple to be built in dedication to her in the valley of Tepyac. Zumárraga received Juan Diego, but asked for a sign from the Virgin Mary to prove her message.

He filled his tilma and brought the roses to the bishop as was requested. When he approached the bishop, he opened his tilma to reveal the beautiful image of the Virgin Mother as a "mestiza" (a woman of mixed race), wrapped in the sun with the moon at her feet, her robe studded with stars. "Her message and will is the spreading of the love of God and that is why she asked for a temple, to offer His love to persons of every lineage who trust in Her."

Soon after the apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe, "conversions began occurring at an astounding rate." The missionaries were in awe of what was happening: "the Indians were coming from everywhere, from far away lands asking for the sacraments."

The message for us today, Msgr. Chavez concluded, is that "God intervenes by means of his own Mother    to allow every human being to become a participating part of [her Son]. She is the first disciple and missionary who manifests and delivers to us the message of salvation."

"And God intervened through the being He loves the most, His own Mother, who chooses a simple and humble Indian to be her faithful messenger, her completely trustworthy intercessor: Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin," Chavez remarked.

Chavez recounted that "on Saturday, December 9, 1531, Juan Diego was on his way to Tlatelolco to attend catechism when the Mother of God appeared to him. She asked him to be her messenger." She asked Juan Diego to go to Bishop Zumárraga and ask for a little temple to be built in dedication to her in the valley of Tepyac. Zumárraga received Juan Diego, but asked for a sign from the Virgin Mary to prove her message.

He filled his tilma and brought the roses to the bishop as was requested. When he approached the bishop, he opened his tilma to reveal the beautiful image of the Virgin Mother as a "mestiza" (a woman of mixed race), wrapped in the sun with the moon at her feet, her robe studded with stars. "Her message and will is the spreading of the love of God and that is why she asked for a temple, to offer His love to persons of every lineage who trust in Her."

Soon after the apparition of the Virgin of Guadalupe, "conversions began occurring at an astounding rate." The missionaries were in awe of what was happening: "the Indians were coming from everywhere, from far away lands asking for the sacraments."

The message for us today, Msgr. Chavez concluded, is that "God intervenes by means of his own Mother    to allow every human being to become a participating part of [her Son]. She is the first disciple and missionary who manifests and delivers to us the message of salvation."

"Mary is truly and profoundly involved in the mystery of the Incarnation, of our salvation    Sacrifice, the priesthood and the Incarnation go together and Mary is at the heart of this mystery," the Pontiff said.

"The Second Vatican Council invites priests to see Mary as the perfect model of their existence," the Pope added.

"The Curé d'Ars, who we think of this year especially, loved to repeat that after Jesus Christ gave us everything he could give, he wanted to make us heirs of what was most precious to him, his holy mother," the Pope continued. "This applies to all Christians, but especially for priests."

"Every priest can and should truly feel himself to be the son of this most holy and most humble mother," he said.