Pope visits homeless shelter

Last evening, at the conclusion of the Synod meetings, shortly before 7:00pm, the Holy Father went to the new dormitory for homeless persons located on the Via dei Penitenzieri, one of a number of places operated by the General House of the Society of Jesus.

The Pope was welcomed by the Elemosiniere (the Papal Almsgiver), His Excellency, Konfrad Krajewski; by Monsignor Diego Ravelli, from the office of the Elemosiniere; by Father Adolfo Nicolás, the Jesuit General and by Father Joachin Barrero, Superior of the Community of the Jesuit Curia; by three of Mother Teresa's sisters and by a few of the volunteers who run the new dormitory.  He individually greeted all the guests, about thirty in all, who were gathered in the common room and who later stood by their beds while the Pope visited the dormitory and other parts of the building.

The Pope spoke cordially with them for twenty minutes and was visibly moved and happy to have visited with them.

As has previously been communicated, the dormitory was opened on October 7 of this year and is already functioning regularly.  It is maintained by the Apostolic Elemosiniere and can accommodate 34 men who can remain for a maximum of 30 days, making use of evening meals which are offered at the nearby Casa Dono di Maria located in the Vatican, which is maintained by the sisters of Mother Teresa and which offers 50 beds for women.