It is a time of great joy for the Catholic Church and for the world. We have a new pope. Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the archbishop of Buenos Aires in Argentina, has been chosen by the College of Cardinals to be the Bishop of Rome.

This is a time of grace for Roman Catholics throughout the world as we welcome and embrace our new shepherd, Pope Francis. We look to our shepherd as a visible sign of the unity we share in Jesus Christ.

His election is an important day for all the world. In recent tradition the popes of the church have been voices for right and good in a world too often fractured by war and injustice.

As we learn more about Pope Francis, we might all be encouraged that the spirit of St. Francis of Assisi will be a positive spirit for our Church and for our world. St. Francis of Assisi, who lived in the 12th and early 13th centuries, answered a call from the Lord to “rebuild my church” when the community of the Church was in decline and disrepair.

I gladly speak for the Catholics of the Diocese of Owensboro in welcoming Pope Francis and assuring him of our prayer and allegiance.

Most Reverend William F. Medley
Bishop of Owensboro

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