Mary has always been present in my life

Mary, the mother of Jesus and our Mother, has always been present in my life since I was a child. I must have been six or seven years old when my parents taught me to pray the Rosary and meditate its mysteries. This had a great impact on me, for the rest of my life.

I also experienced intense moments that deeply marked me, during ceremonies honoring Our Lady where I witnessed the faith of the people of God. I remember seeing a large gathering of faithful one day in Aparecida, Brazil, that showed their devotion to her, before the image of the Virgin, with tenderness and affection.

Another important moment was during my first pilgrimage to Lourdes. I took part in the candlelight procession, during which I prayed the Rosary with people from ten different nationalities. Everyone recited the Rosary in his own language, but in the end, we all understood each other. This made me perceive not only the universality of the Church, but also the divine motherhood of Mary, and her motherhood towards the Church.

Cardinal Odilo Pedro Scherer

Metropolitan Archbishop (or Prelate of the Metropolis) of São Paulo, Brazil

Exclusive interview by Thácio Siqueira for A Moment with Mary