Mama Antula, the woman who is “worth gold” to Pope Francis

The representatives of the Argentine Church who arrived in Rome to participate this Sunday in canonization of Maria Antônia de Paz e Figueroapopularly known as Antula Momthey explained to EFE the affection that Pope Francis for whom she will be the first Argentine saint and about whom she said: “This woman is worth gold”.

“He said this while he was in Buenos Aires as archbishop, he said ‘this woman is worth her weight in gold’.”he confessed Vicente Bokalic, the bishop of Santiago del Estero, the saint’s hometown.

The bishop explains that Pope Francis has always been attentive to the cause of Mama Antula’s canonization and that he imagines that he “loves her very much” due to her relationship with Jesuits, such as Jorge Bergoglio.

Bokalic highlights the importance of the saint who “transcended everyone” and who walked across the country.

Mommy Antula, which will be elevated to the altars this Sunday in a ceremony in St. Peter’s Basilica with the presence of the Argentine president, Javier Milei, He remained in the country after the expulsion of the Jesuits and continued his work organizing spiritual exercises.

“It is estimated that in all these years of his life around 700 thousand people went through spiritual exercises. People from all types of social classes. “Many characters in our history, in Argentina, during Independence, went through Mama Antula’s spiritual exercises”, highlighted the bishop.

The Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Ignacio García CuervaWhen responding to a question about whether his father, being Argentine, would have pushed for the cause of canonization, he considered that “Mama Antula’s holiness goes beyond the current pope”, but “perhaps”, he added, “there was this little push of the Spirit. ” in the figure of Francisco”.

Mama Antula, one step closer to beatification. (Photo: Reference)

“Without a doubt, his notes of holiness transcend the figure of the Pope.” added the archbishop, who considered that the canonization of Mama Antula makes today’s world discover values ​​and shows the leading role of women in the Church.

Postulator of the cause of canonization, Silvia Correalethanked Pope Francis for following Mama Antula’s entire journey to the altar.

“When he began his journey as archbishop of Buenos Aires, I met him in Rome just when he came to the pallium, we were taking up the cause of Maria Antonia and then he said to me: ‘we began a journey, me as archbishop and you as postulator and that by the grace of God we will build together”, Correale pointed out.

Example of the importance of women in the Church

The bishop of Santiago del Estero highlighted the importance of Antula Mom as an example of a woman in the Church who stood up to “oppositions and prejudices”. “She was gradually recognized, as she was ignored for the first time when she arrived in Buenos Aires, “They treated her like a madwoman, like someone possessed, but she went with her cart helping the poor without caring,” He explained.

The archbishop of Buenos Aires highlighted “the prominence of a lay woman, her audacity and her creativity” and said that “This makes us rethink the role of women in today’s world and the role of women in the Church.”

In turn, the postulator for the cause of canonization highlighted how at the end of the 18th century “she went out into the desert of northern Argentina to visit cities and organize, with the help of parish priests, spiritual exercises. This is something that forever remained in the consciousness of contemporaries as a great thing.”

“She was a fearless woman in faith (…) and managed to build this house of spiritual exercises that still exists today and fulfills its mission.”Correale added.

Source: Elcomercio