SALT LAKE CITY — The first 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. After greeting those gathered in St. Peter’s Square and thanking them for their welcome, Pope Francis said, ""First of all, I would like to offer a prayer for our bishop emeritus, Benedict XVI. Let us all pray together for him that the Lord bless him and that the Mother of God protect him." He then led the crowd in the Lord’s Prayer, a Hail Mary and a Glory Be. "I thought that was a beautiful gesture for our former Holy Father," the bishop 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 the crowd to "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 bishops’ meeting when the white smoke poured from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel, announcing the election of the new pope. "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." In Utah, at least 70 percent of Catholics are Spanish-speaking, so a pope who speaks the same language is a connection that people can have with the Holy Father, Bishop Wester said. Bishop Wester said he also was pleased with the pope’s selection of the name ‘Francis,’ which also happens to be the bishop’s confirmation name. One well-known story about Saint Francis of Assisi is the time he told his disciple and confessor Brother Leo that he would preach a sermon on the poor. The two men spent the day in charitable works. As evening drew on, Brother Leo reminded St. Francis of his promise to preach. St. Francis then said that they had been doing that. "Clearly this pope is going to preach in a similar fashion – through his actions," Bishop Wester said. "We human beings live by sign and symbol, and little things can be very profound and very effective. It seems to me that, from the very beginning, Pope Francis is communicating effectively through these signs and symbols, his gestures, what he wears, the things he says, asking the people for a blessing, to pray for him." Like St. Francis, who suffered the stigmata, "Pope Francis is going to suffer; he’s got a very difficult job," Bishop Wester said. "There are many tensions, many stresses, many difficulties of the Church and the world today and he’s going to have to lead us through these stormy waters as we go through them. He’s going to suffer, and he knows that. But Francis trusted in God, as this pope has. "We in the Diocese of Salt Lake City are very, very grateful to Almighty God for the gift of our new pope, and we continue to pray for Pope emeritus Pope Benedict, asking God’s blessings on him, and we pray for Pope Francis as he begins his stewardship of the Catholic Church," the bishop said. "This is a little glimpse of Easter ahead of time as we rejoice and give thanks to God for this great gift to our Church."
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