Local Catholics Looking Forward to New Pope's Leadership

As Marlene Seaton watched the news announcing a new pope and listened to him speak, she expressed happiness, satisfaction and pride about the choice.

“I’m very excited,” said Seaton, a member of Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Stone Mountain. There is also a Catholic church in Lithonia, Christ Our Hope.

Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina -- Pope Francis -- is the newly elected leader of the Catholic church. Bergoglio, a Jesuit, is the first pope from the Americas.

Parent Robert Robinson of Stone Mountain, who spoke to Patch at Saint Thomas More Catholic School in Decatur, said, "I always believe new leadership is good, not that I think the previous pope was doing a bad job. ... Things will be looked at a different way."

Seaton said she was moved by “how humbly he came out asking for our blessing. That’s a good impression, and I feel good about it.”

Originally from Jamaica, Seaton grew up a Jesuit. “That’s another plus for me” about him, she said.

Seaton, part of the assembly of the Atlanta Catholic Charismatic Renewal, said she’s been hoping for a leader who would possess one of the most impressive characteristics she observed from him.

“That’s what I’ve been praying for, that we would have a humble pope, someone with humility that would be able to take the church forward. I just have a good feeling."

Decatur Patch editor Ralph Ellis contributed to this report.