Bedford Priest: Pray for New Pope

Making his first official appearance as Pope Francis I, Jorge Bergoglio, the 76-year-old cardinal from Argentina, emerged from the main balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica Wednesday.

White smoke emerged from the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City around 2 p.m. Eastern Time Wednesday, signaling the election of the 266th pontiff of the Catholic church. The decision was made by a conclave of 115 cardinals.

"I'm sure that the conclave fathers, the cardinals, listened to the guidance of the holy spirit and now we have a pope," Monsignor George Thompson of Saint Patrick's Church in Bedford. "We are all very, very overjoyed with that, and now we have to pray, we Catholics, and really all Christians, pray for him that he be responsive to the guidance of the same holy spirit that the cardinals were in electing him, and may he have a wonderful tenure as holy father."

Students at the Montfort Academy watched in school as the news was unveiled Wednesday.

"You know, being a Catholic today is difficult. It's important to be strong," Krishna Magalona, a senior at the Katonah-based institute, said, referring to the speech Francis gave from St. Peter's. "I really thought it was humble of him to ask for our prayers."

Alissa Dos Santos, a freshman at the school, hopes Francis will unite Christians of different sects.

Domenic Zottola, a Catholic who works at Portofino Pizzeria in Goldens Bridge, was relieved when the news broke Wednesday, and he was especially pleased that Francis has the "acumen to push the church forward." 

"I think his personality will play a huge part in how he handles the post," Zottola said. "He's very humble."

Joan Fleischer, a Somers resident who has belonged to St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Katonah for years, was one of many folks praying for the new pope at mass Thursday morning. She's happy with the results of the conclave, because Pope Francis I seems like an open person. 

"He's elderly again, but I think things are going in the right direction," she said, adding that she's pleased with his name choice, because it shows his concern for the poor.

Born Dec. 17, 1936 in Buenos Aires, Francis was ordained for the Jesuits on Dec. 13, 1969, during his theological studies at the Theological Faculty of San Miguel, according to the Vatican.

He was novice master in San Miguel, where he also taught theology. He was provincial for Argentina (1973-1979) and rector of the Philosophical and Theological Faculty of San Miguel (1980-1986). After completing his doctoral dissertation in Germany, he served as a confessor and spiritual director in Córdoba.

On 20 May 1992 he was appointed titular bishop of Auca and Auxiliary of Buenos Aires, receiving Episcopal consecration on June 27. In June 1997 was appointed coadjutor archbishop of Buenos Aires and succeeded Cardinal Antonio Quarracino on 28 February 1998. He is also ordinary for Eastern-rite faithful in Argentina who lack an ordinary of their own rite.

Francis was adjunct relator general of the 10^th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, October 2001.

He served as president of the Bishops' Conference of Argentina from November 2005 until November 2011.

Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation last month.

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