by Daniel Fernando Sturla Berhouet*

It is a great joy to welcome Leo XIV to Uruguay from November 6 to 8. We call him “the Holy Father” because he is the Successor of Peter and the Vicar of Christ. The Pope comes in the name of the Lord: he comes to announce to us the joy of the Gospel, as the motto of this trip, taken from the Gospel of Luke, also states—”I bring you good news of great joy” (2:10)—that is, the words the angel addressed to the shepherds of Bethlehem: the joy that Christ is the Savior of the world, is our brother and our friend, and invites us to follow him on Earth and live forever in the glory of Heaven.

Today, Uruguay is a country with its own unique characteristics, strongly marked by secularism, but also witnessing a reawakening of faith in many people. Indeed, belonging to the Catholic faith is not the result of habit, but of a conscious choice and personal conviction. Therefore, I believe it is important to listen to what the Pope has to say to us, both in terms of proclaiming the Gospel and as a message of hope and love for life, something Uruguay truly needs.

Already last September 18, during the ad limina visit of the Apostolorum , in preparation for the apostolic journey, we Uruguayan bishops presented the Holy Father with a collective document that brings together the voices of people from different parts of the country. The text contains dreams, hopes, concerns, and expectations shared by our faithful, along with letters and drawings from children who wanted to express their joy at the arrival of Leo XIV.

But in these months we have prepared in many ways for the coming of the Successor of Peter: just think of the activities organized in parishes and schools, the catechesis, the conferences, and the many books published.

Naturally, there was no shortage of prayer, especially after the Pope’s hospitalization in mid-October. On that occasion, in particular, we promoted the campaign “Uruguay prays for Leo XIV,” inviting every believer to recite the Hail Mary and record each prayer on a counter, available on the official website of the apostolic journey. We surpassed five million prayers! Prayers shared within families, parishes, communities, or in the privacy of each home became a beautiful expression of closeness and affection for the Holy Father, as well as a spiritual gift from the Uruguayan people.

Prayer, however, isn’t limited to a single number: it continues to be a way to accompany the Pope and prepare ourselves spiritually to receive him. Therefore, the entire community was invited to participate in a special meeting, held last Saturday, October 31, right here in Montevideo. All together, we recited the Holy Rosary and entrusted to the hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary, especially the Virgin of the Thirty-Three, patroness of Uruguay, the health of Leo XIV and the fruits of his upcoming visit to the country.

Furthermore, for some time now, the communities of our archdiocese have been collecting prayer and thanksgiving intentions that will be presented on stage during the vigil with the Pope, scheduled for Saturday, November 7th, at the Centenario Stadium. The intentions are kept in eight large boxes, one for each pastoral area of ​​Montevideo. Their number reminds us of the four evangelists, the three theological virtues (faith, hope, and charity), and the Holy Spirit.

Numerous volunteers are also involved in the preparations: approximately 3,500 people are working on the various events in which the Holy Father will participate.

Last Tuesday, November 3, we presented to the faithful the popemobile that will be used by the Pontiff during his stay in Uruguay. The vehicle was built in our country, and after the trip, standard practice dictates that the popemobile be donated to the apostolic nunciature, which in turn, with the appropriate authorization from the Secretariat of State, may pass it on to the local Church. The hope is that it can be purchased, even symbolically, by collectors or enthusiasts, and that the funds raised will be used to support various charitable projects benefiting communities experiencing the greatest hardship.

Now that we have the Popemobile here, in a way we already have the Holy Father with us. It’s almost a preview of his arrival. His visit represents a special moment and a great boost not only for our Church, but also for all Uruguayans who do not yet believe, so that they may see in the presence of the Successor of Peter a message of hope and love for life.

*Salesian Cardinal Archbishop of Montevideo