Pope Francis surprises poor at special dinner

Pope Francis surprises poor at special dinner June 30, 2018

Via Vatican Media

From Vatican Media

There was great celebration on Friday in the Vatican when some 280 poor people were invited to a dinner by new Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the official almsgiver of the Pope, who was made cardinal by Pope Francis at the Consistory the previous day, June 28th.

Pope Francis surprised Cardinal Krajewski, his guests and volunteers with a visit and joined them at table at the Vatican employees’ canteen.  “I came for the poor, not for you,” a smiling Pope told Cardinal Krajewski, popularly known as Fr. Corrado (instead of Konrad) to the poor he serves on behalf of the Pope.

The Holy Father dined with the poor and spent about two hours chatting with them as if in a family, listening to their stories that often told of suffering but also of hope.

There were about 60 volunteers serving dinner to the poor, including Carlo Santoro of the Community of Sant’Egidio of Rome, who collaborates with Cardinal Krajewki’s Office of Papal Charities, to assist the homeless in Rome.

“It was a specially warm visit because it was a dinner of the new cardinal with the poor,” Santoro said.  “To the surprise of all, the Holy Father arrived. We thought it was a simple greeting and he would be off soon,” he said.  The new cardinal turned to Santoro asking him to make room close to him for the Pope.

Santoro said the Pope greeted everyone with great affection.  At the Pope’s table were several Syrian refugees who had arrived through the efforts of  the Sant’Egidio Community.  One of them travelled to Rome with the Pope after his visit to the Greek island of Lesbos on April 16, 2016.  The man told the Pope he is now working and is integrated in Italy.

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