Bacolod City clergy welcomes new pope
-A A +AFriday, March 15, 2013
BISHOPS and priests in Bacolod City and Negros Occidental welcomed the new pope, Pope Francis, by including him during their sermon in the Holy Masses Monday.
"The Holy Spirit chose Pope Francis I," this was the reaction of Bacolod Bishop Vicente Navarra. He said that the new Pope symbolizes the new facet of the Roman Catholic Church which is facing some controversies.
Monsignor Victoriano Rivas, Rector of the Mother of Perpetual Help Parish, said that they did not expect the selection of Pope Francis I in the conclave because he was not considered a strong contender for the papacy and that there were reports that Vatican would prefer a young Pope.
However, Rivas said that the new pope represents the poor and simple people because of the life that he chose to live -- a simple life.
Pope Francis, then Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the former archbishop of Buenos Aires and a member of the Jesuits - the biggest Roman Catholic order. He was born in Argentina to parents of Italian descent.
He is the first non-European pope for over a thousand years.
The new pope is set to hold his first mass Tuesday next week. (TDE)
Published in the Sun.Star Bacolod newspaper on March 15, 2013.
Local news
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