Reaction from around the world

“I found a smiling person, calm and eradiating peace. And then he did something that captured the people.

. . . He asked that the people pray for him and that God bless him, and there was silence, and you saw all the people wonderfully silent. We need now in the church moments of silence because we are speaking so much we don’t hear ourselves or God or others.”
Coptic Catholic Patriarch Ibrahim Isaac Sedrak of Alexandria, Egypt

“The symbolism of choosing a pope from Latin America delights and touches us, most particularly in developing countries. Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, Pope Francis, is a person from humble beginnings. . . . He has frequently and courageously spoken of the grave inequities afflicting the world, and his thirst for justice for all people will be a strong characteristic of his papacy.”
Archbishop Stephen Brislin of Cape Town, South Africa, president of the Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference

“The European bishops see in your election a sign of hope and encouragement, a stimulus for us not to be concerned just about the specific problems of the old continent, but to measure the tasks of the churches entrusted to our pastoral care in the perspective of the universal church.”
Cardinal Peter Erdo of Esztergom-Budapest, Hungary, president of the Council of European Bishops’ Conferences

According to the pope

“That is how the name came into my heart: Francis of Assisi. For me, he is the man of poverty, the man of peace, the man who loves and protects creation; these days we do not have a very good relationship with creation, do we? . . . How I would like a Church which is poor and for the poor!”
Addressing the more than 5,000 media representatives March 16 who came from around the world for the conclave and his election

“Let’s give this knowledge to young people, like fine wine that gets better with age, let’s
give young people the knowledge of life.”
March 15 to the College of Cardinals

“My thoughts turn with great affection and profound gratitude to my venerable Predecessor Benedict XVI, who enriched and invigorated the Church during the years of his pontificate by his teaching, his goodness, his leadership, his faith, his humility and his gentleness.”
March 15 to the College of Cardinals

“Build with living stones, anointed by the Holy Spirit. Confess Jesus. If we don’t do that, we will be a pitiful NGO [non-governmental organization].”
From his homily during Mass March 14 in the Sistine Chapel with the 114 other cardinal electors who had taken part in the conclave

“Now I would like to give my blessing. But first, I will ask a favor. Before the bishop blesses his people, he asks that you pray to the Lord to bless me, the prayer of the people for the blessing of their bishop. Let’s pray for me in silence.”
During his first appearance on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica March 13

Reaction from Rome

“There was a moment where [the pope] asked us to enter into silence to pray for him that was just so incredibly powerful — I could hear a car alarm going off three or four blocks away.  That moment made me excited for Pope Francis to build off the papacies of JPII and Benedict, taking their momentum and continuing with it in spiritual renewal and the New Evangelization.  By the very virtue of him taking the name ‘Francis,’ he proclaims a mission of rebuilding the Lord’s Church.”
Brian Goulet, a junior studying at the University of St. Thomas Bernardi Campus in Rome

“I hope he will demonstrate a good balance of how to be simple, yet show the richness of our tradition as Catholics, what [the Church] has been teaching for over 2,000 years and what she continues to maintain and defend.”
Michael Mazzei, a junior at Bishop Simon Bruté College Seminary in Indianapolis, Ind. , studying at the UST?Rome campus.

“I turned one way and people were speaking Spanish.  I turned the other way and they were speaking French.  Behind me, there were Polish people.  I thought,  ‘Every single person here is all part of the same Church.’  Pope Francis, when he came out on the balcony, was not Italy’s Pope. He wasn’t Argentina’s pope. He was and is our pope — the worldwide Church’s pope.”
Brandon Miranda, a junior studying at the University of St. Thomas Bernardi Campus in Rome 

Reaction from around the U.S.

“I am delighted to see the choice of a cardinal from South America as it reflects the true universality of the Catholic Church.”
Father John O’Connor, provincial minister of the Franciscans of Holy Name Province

“As I watched it, I was so pleased that not only did he [Pope Francis] offer his blessings and prayers but he also asked for the blessings and prayers [of] the people.”
Bishop John F. Kinney of St. Cloud

“At Caesarea Philippi, Jesus commissioned St. Peter, the rock upon which the church would be built. Pope Francis continues that mission in an increasingly secular culture, where many people have not come to know or have forgotten that Jesus is our savior and redeemer. . . . We pledge our faithful support for the Holy Father as he leads the church in proclaiming the new evangelization, inviting all people to develop a closer relationship with Christ and to share that gift with others.”
Cardinal Sean P.  O’Malley of Boston

“Service, humility, advocacy for the poor, mercy, prayerfulness, simplicity and grace:  These are among the immediately evident characteristics of the new leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis. . . .  We look forward to supporting him as he assumes the profound spiritual and managerial responsibilities of his pontificate.
Kerry Robinson, executive director of the National Leadership Roundtable on Church Management