Opposition senators miss papal mass, follow Francis' 'charity call'

Federal Peronism senators Adolfo Rodríguez Saá and Liliana Negre de Alonso decided not to attend the inauguration mass of Francis’ papacy as part of the official mission that will be arriving in Rome for the ceremony following the Pope’s call for a “charity gesture.”

“We find it transcendental listening to the call for austerity and responsibility that Pope Francis made and we act accordingly,” the senators explained in a joint statement.

Both Rodríguez Saá and Negre de Alonso have a close relation with Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

On his behalf, Rodríguez Saá pointed out that he personally decided to make a donation to an institution as requested by the pontiff.

In this way, the official mission to Rome will include government senators Aníbal Fernández and Mario Colazo, Radical Party lawmakers José Cano and Juan Carlos Marino and the socialist Rubén Giustiniani of the Progressive Front.