OLPH Pastor: Pope Francis Will 'Nourish Our Faith'

Catholics here in Lindenhurst and around the world now have a new holy leader with the election of Pope Francis I, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina.

On Wednesday "the College of Cardinals under the guidance of the Holy Spirit has elected a holy and humble servant to be our 266th Pope," Monsignor Joseph DeGrocco, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Church, told Lindenhurst Patch in an e-mail.

DeGrocco said the new pope is known for being a "man of the people" who lives a life of simplicity.

"I think his choice of name, Francis, signals the spirituality he'll bring to his ministry," said the OLPH pastor.

DeGrocco also noted this was an historic choice: "The first Pope to come from the Jesuit order, the first born in the Americas and the first non-European in more than 1,000 years."

He continued: "The fact that he's from Argentina reminds us of the universality of the Church. I think he'll truly nourish our faith with the unique gifts he has. The Church is ever young, and we're excited and hopeful for the future."

Monsignor DeGrocco shared that OLPH's usual 7 p.m. Mass on Monday night will on this Monday, March 18, be a Mass for the new Pope, and he'll be the celebrant.

The pastor also said having a new Pope is in place in time Holy Week, which starts on Palm Sunday on March 24 and Easter, which is on March 31.

"The Sacred Triduum are such special times in the liturgical year that it's fitting that we've been given a new Holy Father to preside over those liturgies in Rome as the Universal Pastor, the Bishop of Rome," the monsignor said.

Related Coverage:

• OLPH Pastor: Pope Francis Will 'Nourish Our Faith'
• OLPH Pastor: Pope's Resignation Comes Out of 'Great Care' for Church
• OLPH Church Gets New Pastor
• Lindy Native & OLPH Alum Named Auxiliary Bishop

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