Pope illustrates message to Marian Shrine with art of abuser priest

Full text of the Pope's message

To you who are participating in a Congress in Aparecida, I send my greetings.

In Aparecida, there is the Blessed Mother. Look at Mary, look at the Mother. Jesus needed a mother. And so they asked this young woman for permission, if she dared to be a mother. That's where it all began.

And that's what the theologians... I'll use a difficult word, so you can have fun. The theologians call it Synkatabasis, that is, which is condescension - God comes down.... Then I will show an image, which is very beautiful, where this is. Mary who makes herself a ladder for God to come down. She gives Him the possibility of coming down and becoming a man like us. It was she who - forgive the expression - it was she who paved the road so that we could walk. She is the Mother, it was she who made it possible for God to be God with us.

I send you my blessing. Do not forget that she is Mother. Whatever happens in life, look to your Mother. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

And now I do the explanation of the image. Take a good look at this image. It is Jesus who is coming. He is God, who has the fullness of the law in one hand. But (also) he is man, and he has to hold on to the mantle of the Virgin in order not to fall. And he goes down, with the hands of the Virgin serving as a ladder. This is Mary who brings Jesus to us. She became the possibility, the ladder, for this descent of Jesus, who is God, and brought Him to us. She is Mother. May God bless you and pray for me.

Cathcon:  So many images of Our Lady in the world and the Pope chooses one by a serial abuser.