Print Issue: August 15, 2002

First Indigenous American Saint Juan Diego Was A Humble Servant

By Father Joseph Fahy, CP, Special To The Bulletin

Pope John Paul II during his visit to Mexico in January 1999 entrusted the future evangelization of America to the mestiza Virgin of Tepeyac, Our Lady of Guadalupe, who appeared to the "poor and humble" Indian Juan Diego in December 1531. He said, "Let us not forget that in the next millennium . . . America will be the continent with the largest number of Catholics."

In July, Pope John Paul made his fifth visit to Mexico to canonize Juan Diego, the messenger of Our Lady.

Father Jaime Molina Juarez, MNM, parochial vicar at St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Smyrna, delivers the homily during the eucharistic celebration in honor of the canonization of Juan Diego at St. Pius X High School, Atlanta, July 31. (Photo by Michael Alexander)

Juan Diego's history is that of many indigenous Americans. The year 1531 - when the apparitions of Mary of Guadalupe were given to Juan Diego - marked a decade since Hernan Cortés with his expeditionary force of Spaniards and Indian allies had conquered Montezuma's Aztec Empire. Thousands of indigenous peoples had been massacred. In the tragic aftermath, thousands more perished from epidemics of smallpox and other infectious diseases brought to the New World by the conquistadores.

It was 10 years after the conquest on several occasions in December 1531, the ever-virgin Holy Mary, Mother of God, our Queen, appeared . . . in a marvelous way at Tepeyac, which is called Guadalupe (on the outskirts of the city) to a "poor and dignified Indian," Juan Diego. Mary appears as one of Juan Diego's native people, taking on the lovely dark skin, brown eyes and black hair of the indigenous women of the Americas. Her features and dress are those of an Indian princess or queen. The black band about her waist indicates that she is with child. The Mother of God addresses Juan Diego by name, not in the elegant Castilian of the conquerors, but in the expressive native language of the area, Nahuatl. She imitates the spirit of her Son, the Good Shepherd: "I know my sheep by name." (Jn 10:3-14) She shares with Juan Diego her ardent desire that a temple be built at Tepeyac. At this catastrophic moment in the history of the native peoples, Mary does not request a hospital, clinic, school, but a church. Mary gently explains to her beloved son Juanito that in this ermita "I shall show and give to all people my love, my compassion, my help and my protection . . ." Juan Diego is to convey our Lady's request to the dedicated Franciscan Bishop of Mexico, Juan de Zumárraga, to obtain his permission for the temple. At first the bishop does not believe him nor grant his request. To convince the prelate of the authenticity of Juan Diego's mission, the Mother of God directs her faithful messenger, on a cold December morning to pick the exquisite and fragrant flowers of Castile, unexpectedly and miraculously blooming on the top of the hill of Tepeyac. Juan shows the bishop the sign he had requested, the lovely blossoms of Castile. Mary also grants a more precious and enduring gift and token of her love and abiding presence - her own striking image imprinted on Juan Diego's coarse tilma or mantle. (It clearly survives intact to this day at her sanctuary in Mexico City.) Another surviving piece of legacy is within her image on the tilma. The distinguished opthalmologist, Dr. Gilberto Aguirre, corroborated the earlier findings of the Peruvian scientist, Jose Aste Torsmann. "It is inconceivable that in 1531 any artist, not even Michelangelo, could have had the acute observation to paint the reflections of those persons present in the bishop's room in the eyes of the Blessed Virgin." (That image in the eyes of Mary was discovered by sophisticated microscopic instruments on the tilma of Juan Diego.)

Within the temple requested by the compassionate Queen of Heaven transmitted by her humble messenger Juan Diego, the indigenous peoples and the Europeans will be reconciled and united as they encounter their common Savior, her Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, in His word and sacraments. Both will understand in the new temple that they are called to forgive, love, serve and respect one another. Jesus left us with the distinctive sign of Christians: "This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (Jn 13:35) Mary's ardent desire is to lead all to Jesus, as she constantly repeats to each one: "Do whatever He tells you," as she directed the servants at the wedding in Cana. (Jn 2:5)

Juan Diego's canonization offers us a splendid opportunity to learn much from his providential mission and holy life. Our Lady empowers Juan Diego, one of the powerless, whom the powerful often do not believe capable of leadership and responsibility, to be her special messenger to one of the new leaders, a remarkable reversal of roles! The canonization of Juan Diego clearly recalls to us that our gracious God often evangelizes His people through the poor and marginalized of this world: "I give praise to You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned, you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will." (Mt 11:25, 26)