New Pope News Rallies Spirit FM Listeners

"We've got WHITE SMOKE!!!" Spirit FM radio station shouted (virtually) across the Interent via Facebook upon the announcement that Pope Francis is the new  chosen leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

Radio Station Spirit 90.5 FM offered blessings for the new pope Wednesday across the air waves and on its Facebook page:

"God Bless Pope Francis I!!! :D May the Holy Spirit be with him and grant him wisdom!!" the station's organizers wrote on Facebook.

"Amen!" replied Beth Coger Casey just four minutes later. More than 130 people immediately "liked" this.

Spirit FM 90.5 is owned and operated by the Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg. It combines spirited Christian rock music with news from the Catholic media. It also is a mainstream station with fans across Tampa Bay. The station uses a 7,000-watt tower in Riverview that reaches listeners in three counties.

Wednesday, it celebrated nonstop with Catholics followers in the Tampa Bay area, following the news about Pope Francis ascending as Roman Catholic leader.

Catholic followers had a front-row seat to news about the conclave and the appoinment. The station even aired a live press conference with Bishop Robert Lynch of the Diocese of St. Petersburg after the announcement.

The station is located at Christ the King Catholic Church in South Tampa, and has been on the air for more than a quarter century.

The station airs on 90.5 FM from the same tower as Channel 3 (WEDU) in Riverview. It also livestreams its radio broadcast.