Health pending of Pope Francis, the inmates of the Social Readaptation Center number 3 (Cereso) of Chihuahua, a who the Pontiff visited in 2016, have joined in prayer for their speedy recovery.
The Holy Father was admitted on February 14 at the Gemelli Polyclinic Hospital in Rome to continue its treatment against bronchitis, which was subsequently confirmed as a polymicrobial infection in the respiratory system. Its state has generated uncertainty, especially after the serious episodes reported: a respiratory crisis on February 28 and two episodes of acute respiratory failure on March 3.
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Within the prison located in Ciudad Juárez, where Pope Francis was present on February 17, 2016 during his apostolic trip to Mexico, the news did not go unnoticed.
Fr. Carlos Reza García, in charge of the Penitentiary Pastoral in the Diocese of Ciudad Juárez, told ACI Prensa that on March 5, during Ash Wednesday’s celebration in the prison, the inmates expressed concern for their concern for the health of the pontiff.
“People deprived of their liberty are aware of the Pope’s health, since at the Mass we ask them to offer it for the health of their holiness. They also in their rosaries ask for him,” said the priest.
Although he was not in charge of the pastoral during the papal visit, Fr. Reza García says that the presence of the Holy Father left a seed in the prison, where “there is a motivation full of hope that is breathed in the attitude of the inmates and I think it comes from that visit of the Pope to the penitentiary center.”
A symbol of that memory is the glass crucifix that Pope Francis gave to the Penal Chapelcalled “Christ El Salvador”. “The glass cross that gave them has her there with love and respect; taking care of her,” he said.
For Father Reza García, the Pope’s interest in inmates is due to his “so simple heart of His holiness, for believing in the conversion of the men and women of God’s people and for the deep love of God that He discovers his face in them”
Beyond that historic visit, the priest emphasized the continuous work of the penitentiary pastoral, whose objective is that people deprived of their freedom experience “the love of God who does not leave them alone and that he is there taking care of them and promoting to continue with hope.”
The inmates, on the other hand, always express their gratitude with a phrase that resonates between the walls of the prison: “Thank you for coming.”
Diego López Colín
I am a graduate of journalism at the Carlos Septién García school with experience of religious institutional communication. Since 2016 I write for digital media and, since 2018, I report the most important news about the Catholic event in Mexico for the Ewtn news channel. ACI Press correspondent in Mexico since 2023.