South Windsor Residents, Father Sullivan Comment on New Pope

The selection of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina as the new pope of the Catholic Church set several precedents.

Pope Francis - the name Cardinal Bergoglio took - is the first Latin American, as well as the first Jesuit, to be pope.

Local reaction to Francis’ election to head the church was mixed. In South Windsor, several people commented on Francis’ age - he’s 76.

“We could be going through this again in a few years,” Peter Romaniello wrote on the South Windsor Patch Facebook page. “They need to start looking at younger cardinals.”

But Father Daniel Sullivan of St. Margaret Mary Church in South Windsor said that it was "a wonderful selection," particularly considering that some 49 percent of the Catholics in the world are from Latin America.

What's more, Sullivan said that Francis is "a wonderful man" who is "deeply spiritual."

Sullivan pointed out that Francis is a humble man - he took the bus to work every day, he never owned a car and he cooked his own meals.

"He fought the powers that be when he was a bishop," said Sullivan, noting that Francis is still a conservative when it comes to dogma. "But his humanitarianism is beyond reproach."

Indeed, while Francis has spoken out against same-sex marriage, he also has spent a lot of time washing the feet of people afflicted with AIDS and helping the poor.

"He's truly another Saint Francis of Assisi," Sullivan said.

The new pope replaces Benedict XVI, who resigned last month much to the surprise of many within the Catholic Church. He will be responsible for overseeing a religion with an estimated 1.2 billion followers worldwide.

Bergoglio, previously the archbishop in Buenos Aires before stepping down last year. He the 266th pontiff.

"This is an historic day, one which we all will always remember, recalling where we were and what we were doing at the time," said Hartford Archbishop Henry J. Mansell. "It will be etched in the memories of people across the world. We share this momentous day with over 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide and people of every faith. It is a joyous day, one filled with hope and promise. The announcement of Pope Francis is one that will affect people everywhere, because of the Catholic Church’s longstanding tradition of providing services to people of every background."

"His opening address to us was enhanced by his immediate call for prayer, asking all of us to pray for him and assuring us of his ongoing prayers for ourselves. Today’s exhilarating event will inspire our ongoing prayers for him for all the years ahead," he said.

In a time when the church remains embattled with controversy due to allegations of covering up sexual abuse, many believe that Pope Francis has his work cut out for him.

Yahoo News reported that in the U.S. alone, the church has paid out more than $3 billion to settle allegations:

Some sources say the Catholic Church in the U.S. has paid out as much as $3 billion to settle sexual abuse claims, though others estimate a billion less. At least eight U.S. Catholic dioceses declared bankruptcy protection. Benedict said in a 1998 U.S. visit that he was ashamed of the sex abuse scandal, and assured that the church would not allow pedophiles to become priests.

Sullivan said that Francis was the right selection to steer the church through the controversy.

"In my opinion, he'll straighten out the problems at the Vatican," Sullivan said. "He's strong in faith and if priests don't buckle down, he'll get rid of them. ... [His selection] is really going back to the basics of loving God above all things."