"You Never Stopped Calling Me Señora"

Back when I was the rector of the Collegio Massimo of Jesuits and a parish priest in Argentina, I remember a mother with young children whose husband had left her. She did not have a steady job and only managed to find temporary jobs a couple of months out of the year.

When there was no work she had to prostitute herself to provide her children with food. She was humble. She came to the parish church and we tried to help her with our Caritas (charity).

I remember one day---it was during the Christmas holidays---she came with her children to the College and asked for me. They called me and I went to greet her. I thought it was for the package of food from Caritas that we had sent her. I asked her, "Did you receive it?"

"Yes, yes, thank you for that too. But I came here today to thank you because you never stopped calling me Señora."

--Pope Francis, from The Name of God is Mercy