Pope celebrates Mass in Rome to honor St. Ignatius of Loyola

July 31, 2013. (Romereports.com)  St. Ignatius of Loyola founded the Society of Jesus, and Pope Francis, as the first Jesuit Pope, celebrated his feast day at the Church of Gesù in Rome, along with his fellow Jesuits.

The Pope arrived by car and was greeted at the door by the Society's Superior General, Father Adolfo Nicolás, who commended him on his recent trip to Brazil.

-Congratulations on your trip to Brazil

In his welcome remarks, Father Nicolás told the Pope that all the Jesuits are willing to take on any task assigned by the Pope.

During his homily, Pope Francis said their lives should be decentralized to allow Jesus to be the at the center of it all.

POPE FRANCIS
“I would like to propose three simple thoughts based on three expressions: keep Christ and Church in the center; let yourselves be conquered by Him to serve others; feel shame in our limits and sins, so we can become humble before Him and before mankind.”

At the end of the Mass, the Pope approached and prayed at the altar of St. Ignatius of Loyola. He also gave a floral offering to Our Lady, and prayed before the tomb of Father Pedro Arrupe, the Jesuit superior general who served until 1981.