There are small gestures that can carry immense meaning. Sometimes, all it takes is listening to someone, accompanying them in a difficult moment, or gifting an object that represents far more than it appears.
For Mariana Francois, a 52-year-old designer living in Buenos Aires, the visit of Pope Leo XIV to Argentina began to become a special experience even before the Holy Father arrived.
It all started with a decision: to sign up as a volunteer to help during the celebrations. But amid the trainings, preparations, and the anticipation of learning what task she would be assigned, something happened that gave an even deeper meaning to her participation. A person who is going through an illness asked her to, if she found a rosary during the activities related to the papal visit, to bring it to them.
Mariana did not know then that the kit she would receive as a volunteer would include exactly one. When she discovered it, she made an immediate decision: once she finished her task, that rosary would have a new recipient. “She told me that rosaries are a shield for her, that she feels protected”, she says with emotion.
And she adds a reflection that sums up her way of living this experience: “Being able to help from this place, no matter how small it may seem, is something immense”.
Mariana Francois, the designer who decided to join as a volunteer for the Pope’s visit
Mariana is 52, a designer, and lives in Buenos Aires. She currently does not participate in any religious community, but her bond with faith began in adolescence, when she studied at Santo Tomás de Aquino, of the UCA. There she participated in spiritual retreats, apostolate activities, and charitable actions that left a mark on her life.
Over time, she continued to deepen her religious formation, although today her spirituality is not tied to a specific parish community. When she learned that Leo XIV would visit Argentina, she felt enormous joy. The news also awakened a childhood memory: the day she saw John Paul II pass by in the Papamobile. That image remained etched in her memory for almost four decades.
In October, after participating in the pilgrimage, Mariana decided to sign up as a volunteer. She did not know whether she would be selected, what tasks would be assigned to her, or where she would collaborate. Fifteen days later she received an email with a subject that filled her with emotion: “You are a volunteer”. After completing the trainings, she was confirmed to participate in the mass at the Monument to the Spaniards, in Buenos Aires.
In this interview with Para Ti, Mariana talks about her faith story, what it means to put oneself at the service of others, and the message of hope she hopes the Pope’s visit will leave in Argentina.
How her faith and her commitment to others came to be
– How did faith come into your life and what place does it occupy today? Is it something you inherited from your family or was there a personal experience that brought you closer to God?
– My faith came during adolescence. I attended a Catholic school, Santo Tomás de Aquino, the UCA school, and that was my first experience with religion. During those years I participated in spiritual retreats, apostolate activities, and acts of charity. I remember teaching in vulnerable neighborhoods and also visiting nursing homes, where we sang and shared moments with the elderly to accompany and uplift them.
When I finished school, I pursued the María Auxiliadora Catechesis Seminary. I went every Saturday to study theology-related subjects and I loved it. I always had that curiosity and desire to keep learning.
The emotion of receiving the email that confirmed her participation as a volunteer
– What did you feel when you learned that the Pope would visit Argentina, and how did the possibility of participating as a volunteer come about? What motivated you to say yes and be part of this experience?
– When I learned that the Pope was coming to Argentina, I experienced it with a lot of joy alongside my family. I felt an immense emotion. It also reminded me of when John Paul II came. I was very young, and seeing him pass by in the Papamobile was something I remembered forever.
In October, after having participated in the pilgrimage, the possibility of signing up as a volunteer arose. I did not hesitate and filled out the form. The truth is I had more uncertainties than certainties, but I decided to do it. Fifteen days later, and when I received the email with the subject “You are a volunteer,” I felt enormous emotion.
What motivated me was the possibility of being part of this historic moment, the visit of the Pope, but also of being a volunteer, of being an instrument, and of helping. Moreover, I did it as a way to give back for all the collaboration and work of the volunteers at the Basilica of Luján, who help so much to allow pilgrims to arrive and live their faith in such a beautiful way.
This Sunday I went to pick up the volunteer kit and I still didn’t know what function I would have or in which sector I would be placed. I had to undergo several trainings and courses, and we were always reminded that being a volunteer did not imply having a privileged place or being close to the Pope.
This week they finally confirmed that I would participate in the Mass at the Monument to the Spaniards, and for me it was an enormous emotion. Every day I feel more grateful to be in this place and to have the opportunity to serve the entire community.
“Being a Small Flame of Light”: the meaning of volunteering for Mariana
– What does it mean for you to be at the service of others during this visit? Do you feel that volunteering is also a way to live and express your faith?
– For me, volunteering is a way to express my faith, to contribute to this universal mission of the Holy Father. It is to be a little flame of light. It involves dedicating time, training, preparing, and learning about the different areas connected with the events that will take place during the visit.
I am filled with joy to be at the service of this universal mission of the Church.
The story of the rosary Mariana decided to give to a sick person
– What expectations do you have for the Pope’s arrival? Is there anything you would like to hear from him, any emotion you hope to feel, or any special intention you carry in your heart?
– I am living these days with great emotion. I have many expectations for the message of peace and hope that the Pope can convey to us Argentines. “Bienvenidos todos” is a way to invite and reach out to each one of us. I think it is a very important message.
In my intentions, my family and loved ones are always included, as well as those who are no longer with us. But I also want to pray for the intentions of some people who have approached me during these days and who are going through difficult times. Something very special happened with a person who is going through an illness. She told me: “Marian, if you see any rosary, won’t you bring it to me?”
Coincidentally, the kit given to volunteers includes a rosary that had been prayed for us by other people. I did not hesitate to tell her that, once the volunteering was over, that rosary would be hers. She told me that rosaries are a shield for her, that she feels protected. And being able to help from this place, no matter how small it may seem, is something immense.
The memory of John Paul II that she has kept since childhood
– If you had the opportunity to be present during one of John Paul II’s visits to Argentina, what do you remember from that experience? What did you feel then, and how do you imagine reliving an encounter of this kind so many years later?
– When John Paul II came, I was a child, but that memory has always been present in my life. Almost 40 years later, it moves me a lot to be part of this historic moment.
What I would ask Pope Leo XIV: “How can we be better people?”
– If you could be in front of the Pope for a few minutes, what would you like to tell him or ask him? And above all, what would you like this visit to leave in your life, in your family, and in Argentina?
– If I could be in front of the Pope for a few minutes, I think silence would overwhelm me.
And then I would ask him: “What do you have to tell us? How can we be better people, more empathetic, more generous? What is the path to building a more just society, so that Argentina can rise?”
The small gestures that are also part of a historic visit
When Mariana decided to sign up as a volunteer, she knew she would have to devote time to trainings, preparations, and different tasks to help organize the celebrations. She also knew that this participation did not imply occupying a privileged place or necessarily being close to the Pope.
However, none of that diminished her enthusiasm. For her, the possibility of helping was already enough reason to feel grateful.
And perhaps the rosary story is the best way to understand what that commitment means. A small object, received as part of a volunteer kit, ended up becoming an opportunity to accompany someone going through a difficult moment.
Mariana still has ahead the experience of collaborating in the visit of Leo XIV, but that gesture has already allowed her to discover a very personal way to live it. Almost forty years after that image of John Paul II passing before her eyes, the emotion returns to her life. This time, however, it is not only about waiting for the Holy Father, but also about helping others participate in that encounter.
“Being a small flame of light”, she said when explaining what volunteering means to her.
A simple expression that sums up her story and reminds us that, even in the most crowded events, the smallest gestures can have immense meaning.
