The new pope elected Wednesday is the first pontiff from the Americas - Argentine Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, whose papal name will be Pope Francis. Here is reaction from the New York State Catholic Conference.
The Catholic Conference is the official voice of the Catholic Church in the state, representing New York’s bishops in matters of public policy. Dennis Poust is its spokesman.
Poust highlights what he thinks the 76-year-old South American’s papacy will mean for New York’s Catholic Community.
Plus, says Poust:
Pope Francis becomes the 266th pope in the history of the Catholic Church. New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan’s name had been talked about early on as a long shot, and Cardinal Dolan had said it would be "highly improbable" for him to be considered for the papacy. As cardinal, Dolan was part of the College of Cardinals electing the new pope. Cardinal Dolan released a statement congratulating the newly-elected pope, saying it marks a great milestone in the Catholic Church.