Pope Francis has lunch with brother Jesuits

Pope Francis has lunch with brother Jesuits

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Monday spent lunch with his brother Jesuits on Monday in Guayaquil, Ecuador. One of the highlights was the birthday celebration of one of his collaborators.

“What a beautiful thing to celebrate your birthday” read the Tuesday-morning message on Twitter by Father Antonio Spadaro, SJ, the editor of the Rome-based Jesuit weekly, La Civiltà Cattolica. The pictures attached to the tweet showed why this, his 49th birthday, was so special.  Pope Francis, along with around 20 other Jesuits, congratulating him, and sharing some hazelnut cream cake, on which the Holy Father insisted on having a candle. Pope Francis joked that he had forgotten his birthday, and had not brought a gift.

Pope Francis met with the Jesuits for over an hour, and the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Father Federico Lombardi, SJ, said the meeting and lunch were “informal” and held in a “familial atmosphere.”

Pope Francis also held a brief, private meeting with the 90-year-old Father Francisco Cortes – better known as “Padre Paquito” – who served at the Colegio Javier, where many Argentinian Jesuits studied for the priesthood.

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