By Florida Catholic staff - Florida Catholic
Photographer: FILE
Jesuit Father Pedro Suarez, marking 50 years of priesthood
MIAMI | Father Pedro Suárez, former superior of the Miami Jesuits and former president of Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, died Jan. 1, 2026, at the age of 84 in the Dominican Republic. His funeral Mass and interment were held there.
In a social media post, Belen Jesuit Prep (@belenjesuit) wrote, “The Belen community is grateful for the many years of service, leadership, and devotion that Father Suárez had shown in his vocation. Please pray for the repose of his soul and be inspired by the lives of the young men he taught so that they become great leaders for the benefit of our world and the greater glory of God.”
More than 1,800 followers responded, calling Father Suárez “an amazing priest,” “a strong leader,” “a true servant of God,” “humble,” “compassionate” and “deeply human.”
One former student called him “a fantastic guiding presence, both as a priest and as a professor, to which I remember fondly instances where he would quiz me on calculus principles while getting ready to serve at Mass as an altar server.”
Casa Manresa Ignatian Spirituality Center in Miami, where Father Suárez actively served, also announced his passing, writing: “Although his academic formation led him to earn a doctorate in mathematics, in his true vocation he devoted 64 years to religious life, and his passion was to accompany souls and serve the Ignatian mission wherever he was sent…Through his serenity, wisdom, and simple manner he helped so many encounter God in the stillness of the heart. His measured words, attentive listening, and love for the Spiritual Exercises left an indelible mark on all who shared with him those spaces of silence and grace.”
Pedro Antonio Suárez González was born Oct. 30, 1941, in Havana, Cuba. He graduated from El Colegio de Belén in 1958 and studied architecture at the Universidad Católica de Santo Tomás de Villanueva from 1958 to 1961.
He entered the Society of Jesus at the Instituto Pignatelli in Los Teques, Venezuela, on April 9, 1961. He studied philosophy at Fordham University’s Loyola Seminary in New York from 1964 to 1966 and taught during his regency at the Colegio Loyola in the Dominican Republic from 1966 to 1967. He earned a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Miami in 1969 and became a member of the Jesuit-founded Clavius Group of Mathematicians in 1971.
On June 24, 1972, Father Suárez was ordained a Jesuit priest at Gesu Church in Miami. He continued his studies and earned a master’s degree in divinity from Loyola University in Chicago in 1973 and a doctorate in mathematics from Northwestern University in 1977.
That same year, Father Suárez returned to the Dominican Republic where he served the community until 1987, when he returned to Miami. He then became a professor at Barry University from 1987 to 2008, and chair of its Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.
He served as superior of the Miami Jesuits community from 1991 to 1997 and again from 2010 to 2016. He also celebrated Mass in various parishes across the Archdiocese of Miami.
In 2009, Father Suárez was named president of Belen Jesuit Preparatory School. During his time there, he led with the Jesuit values of service, compassion, and social justice. Ever an educator, he also visited classrooms, and occasionally taught math. In the 2011-12 academic year, Belen celebrated its 50th anniversary, and under his direction, several technological innovations and campus improvements were implemented.
Father Suárez stepped down as president in 2016 but remained a spiritual counselor at the school.
Reflecting on his time at Belen in a 2023 article for the school, Father Suárez noted, “The fraternity/camaraderie that I’ve experienced at Belen among co-workers and friends, and as I grew older, my relationship with former students, their families, and other alumni has grown in a significant way.”
He added, “I have always felt that Belen gives you a sense of belonging. For students and young alumni, I hope they know that Belen will always be their home. No matter where you are or how long you have been away, Belen will welcome you."
Father Suárez also served as president and chairman of Regis House, a drug prevention and treatment center for underserved communities in Miami founded by fellow Jesuit Father Francisco Perez-Lerena. In April 2018, Father Suárez was recognized by the Miami-Dade County Office of the Mayor and Board of County Commissioners for his efforts and the work of Regis House.
Father Suárez retired in 2022.
Memorial Masses for Father Suárez were celebrated in South Florida on Jan. 12, 2026 at Our Lady of Belen Chapel of Belen Jesuit Prep in Miami, and Jan. 14 at Casa Manresa Ignatian Spirituality Center also in Miami.
Photographer: ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO | FC
Jesuit Father Pedro Suarez receives a plaque from Archbishop Thomas Wenski commemorating his 50 years of priesthood during the annual chrism Mass, celebrated by Archbishop Thomas Wenski April 12, 2022. Also present was the retired bishop of Miami, John C. Favalora.
