Catholic clergy and laity in the territory expressed excitement Wednesday over the selection of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of the Diocese of Buenos Aires in Argentina as the new leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, citing particularly his reputation as a humble man and their hope that he will play the role of reformer. The new pontiff took the name Pope Francis.
The overwhelming support came in spite of the disappointment many locals said they felt that Boston’s Cardinal Sean O’Malley was not selected. A former bishop of St. Thomas, O’Malley had been touted as a frontrunner, raising hopes that he might become the first American to become pope.
“I’m very happy, overjoyed, that we have the pope, that the Holy Spirit guided the cardinals to elect someone from Latin America,” said Holy Family parish pastor Neil Scantlebury. “Almost 50 percent of the world’s Catholics are from Latin America.”
Monsignor Jerome Feudjio, pastor of Sts. Peter and Paul Cathedral, echoed those sentiments, saying he was very excited that the cardinals selected someone from the Third World, who will bring a fresh perspective.
“He’s a down-to-earth person who works really with the people, the poor,” Feudjio said, adding that taking on the job with the troubles the church currently faces “shows a good deal of courage. So we must pray for him.”
“When I saw ‘Pope Francis,’ I was delighted,” said Monsignor Michael Kosak of St. Anne’s parish. Like many observers, Kosak interpreted the selection of the name as a reference to the famous story of St. Francis’s vision in which God told him, “Francis, rebuild my church.”
“Recognizing all the problems we’re having in the church in the world today,” Kosak said, “That says it all.”
Senate President Shawn-Michael Malone, who traces his roots at St. Peter and Paul through seven generations, said he watched the proceedings closely and was happy with the outcome.
“I think he’s the right choice for the time that we’re in,” Malone said, noting the new pope’s reputation for living a simple life, his concern for the poor and his representing Latin America.
“He’s a Jesuit and Jesuits are a very progressive order of priests,” Malone said, saying Pope Francis is “a wonderful mix of both the old and the new.”
Dr. Alfred Heath, a prominent and active Catholic, confessed to having “an ambivalent feeling” about the news.
“I’m happy we have a pope from South America, but I had hoped we would have one from North America,” he said.
Heath said he traveled to Rome when O’Malley was made a cardinal and said at that time, ‘If there’s going to be an American pope, it’ll be Cardinal O’Malley.” But Heath consoled himself, saying O’Malley is “young enough. He’ll be the next one.”
“I’m just delighted that Sean O’Malley was recognized” as a serious candidate, Kosak said. “It was no longer an impossibility (for an American to be pope), but it was still an improbability.”
Parishioner Sara Connell said she was hoping for O’Malley but is happy with Bergoglio and sees some similarities between the two. “I said, ‘Cardinal Sean, Cardinal Sean’ and I said, ‘He’s going to choose the name Francis because he’s a Franciscan’ and look, a Latin American man and he chose Francis. Isn’t it wonderful! God is so good.”
Bishop Herbert Bevard, bishop of St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands, was traveling late Wednesday and could not be reached for comment.
Gov. John deJongh Jr. was in Denmark on Wednesday but issued a statement saying he welcomed the selection of Pope Francis to follow Pope Benedict XVI.
“The naming of a new pope, the first leader of the Catholic Church from the Americas, in the midst of our Year of Faith and just a week away from Holy Week is quite symbolic,” deJongh said. “As Roman Catholics, we look to Pope Francis to lead the faithful all around the world. On behalf of the people of the Virgin Islands and my wife, Cecile, I offer warm wishes to His Holiness Pope Francis.”
