On the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the International Network of Catholic Women Leaders lifts its gratitude and its prayer to the Virgin Mother, Patroness of the Americas and a radiant sign of God’s love for His people. Mary of Guadalupe reveals herself to us as a Mother who is close, tender, and strong—one who consoles those who suffer, encourages those who feel weary, and opens paths of reconciliation in a wounded world. Her loving presence reminds us that motherhood—biological, spiritual, and social—is a universal gift that sustains life and offers hope wherever it seems to be fading.

In her, we find a model of femininity that does not impose but inspires; that does not dominate but accompanies; that does not fear vulnerability, for it knows that true strength is born from it.

For the women of our Network, Mary of Guadalupe is also a source of leadership—an example of contemplative listening, creativity in the face of adversity, and a profound capacity to generate communion. By contemplating her, we learn that Marian feminine leadership is a leadership that serves, welcomes, and builds bridges across cultures, generations, and diverse realities.

In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we renew our commitment to walk hand in hand with Mary, bringing her prophetic tenderness and her joy to all women throughout the world, especially those who live in loneliness, violence, or uncertainty.

May Our Lady of Guadalupe continue to be for us a path of peace, encounter, and active hope—for hope has the face of a woman, and in Guadalupe, it has the face of a Mother.