Bishop Wester 'delighted' with new pope

Intermountain Catholic

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SALT LAKE CITY — The first public appearance of Pope Francis, who was elected March 13 by the cardinals in Rome, impressed the Most Rev. John C. Wester, Bishop of Salt Lake City.

“I was very impressed that he prayed for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI,” said Bishop Wester, referring to Pope Francis’ first words as pope, when he emerged on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica after the election.

He then led the crowd in the Lord’s Prayer, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be to the Father.

 “I thought that was a beautiful gesture for our former Holy Father,” Bishop Wester said. “And I thought it was very significant that he bowed and asked people to pray for him. That was certainly a beautiful sign. It demonstrates his humility.”

Before pronouncing his blessing on the people, Pope Francis asked that they “pray to the Lord to bless me – the prayer of the people for their Bishop.”

Pope Francis then gave his first blessing Urbi et Orbi – to the city and to the world. In closing, he said that in the morning he wanted to go to pray to the Madonna, that she would protect Rome. Then he said, “Good night and sleep well.”

 That farewell reminded Bishop Wester of Pope John XXIII (pope from 1958 to 1963).

“It was very tender and very dear, I thought,” said Bishop Wester, who was in Baltimore for a Catholic Relief Services Board of Directors meeting when the white smoke poured from the Vatican, announcing the election of the new pope.

Bishop Wester then watched coverage of the event with Bishop Gregory Mansour, Bishop of the Eparchy of Saint Maron of Brooklyn, also a member of the CRS board.

“I’m delighted that he’s the first pope in history to come from the Western Hemisphere, and the first non-European to be elected in almost 1,300 years, and the first Jesuit pope,” Bishop Wester said. “I think it’s an exciting day for the Jesuits and for the Church, and it’s a wonderful thing for Latinos and for all the Catholics in the United States to have someone from South America to be named pope.”