A feature in Diario Libre today, Friday 15 March focuses on the decades-long close friendship between Dominican Cardinal Nicolas de Jesus Rodriguez and former Cardinal Jorge Beroglio, the new Pope Francis I. The new Pope was also a personal friend of the late Dominican Jesuit father Juan Montalvo, whose brother, Luis Emilio Montalvo Arzeno, is an eminent pediatrician. Dr. Montalvo says that when Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis wrote to Dr. Montalvo after his brother’s passing on 25 March 2012. Dr. Montalvo sent him a copy of his brother’s biography, written by Rosalina Perdomo de Davalos. The then Cardinal wrote back with comments, mentioning his appreciation for Cardinal Nicolas who he described as “an American patriarch.” Dr. Montalvo said that his brother and Bergoglio were the same age and had both been novice teachers. He said he met Bergoglio when he served as a diplomat for the DR in Buenos Aires and since then has kept up the friendship. “He always said that my brother had very lucid brilliant and innovative ideas for educating modern-day Jesuits,” he said. He recalled the Argentinean priest’s humility, saying that he always used public transport. He expressed his confidence that the new Pope would bring renewal to the Catholic Church.
www.diariolibre.com/internacionales/2013/03/15/i375403_nuevo-papa-con-lazos-amistad-desde-decadas.html