The underlying motive of Columbus' voyage

 The underlying motive of Columbus' voyage was the conversion of those 
who did not know Christ as the living Son of God Who became the Son of Mary. 

His favorite prayer, said in Latin, was 
Jesu cum Maria sit nobis in via, which means 
"May Jesus with Mary be with us on the way." 

For Columbus this way meant both the voyage through time into eternity 
and the voyage in time to bring Mary's faith in her divine Son 
to a still unbelieving world. 

Fr. John A. Harden, S.J.