Wow!

First non-European (with the exception of Peter and some other very early Popes). First Latin American. First Jesuit. First Francis. Nobody saw this coming. Marvelous!

I don’t know anything about him, but what I saw I liked very much. The Global South is starting to make its impact felt on the consciousness of us self-absorbed first worlders. Thanks be to God!

God bless him to do his work through Christ our Lord.

I wonder which, if any, Francis he has in mind? I suspect he has several rolled up in the name, most prominently Francis of Assisi and Francis Xavier.

Oooh. This is gonna be good! World Youth Day in Rio is gonna be one major Partay!!!

I love, love, love that he asked for the prayers of the Church before blessing us. I loved the glory of a billion people praying the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory Be along with him all over the world. I loved receiving a papal blessing through my computer, along with everybody else. Wonderful!

Update: When I want to know what’s going on in Rome, I always turn to John Allen Jr., the best writer in English on things Vaticany. Here’s his take on then-Cardinal Bergoglio.