New Pope Francis: Diocese of St. Pete Reacts
The Diocese of St. Petersburg has announced a Mass of Thanksgiving at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at St. Timothy Catholic Church in Lutz.
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Bishop Robert Lynch, Diocese of St. Petersburg, released a welcome letter congratulating Pope Francis on Wednesday afternoon on his selection as the 266th pope.
"Your Holiness, the priests, deacons, religious and laity of the Church of St. Petersburg in the United Sates of America send you their love and prayers on the occasion of your election to the See of St. Peter and embrace you as our universal pastor. Our hearts are full of gratitude today to our gracious God and to the Holy Spirit and to your electors for choosing you for this awesome Petrine ministry. We also thank you for your generous 'yes'.
Promising you our filial support and wishing you every blessing."
According to the Associated Press, the 76-year-old Pope was selected the 266th pontiff in a brief five-ballot conclave. The AP reported the cardinals, "clearly decided that they didn't need a vigorous, young pope who would reign for decades but rather a seasoned, popular pastor who would draw followers to the faith."
Francis asked for prayers for himself, and for retired Pope Benedict XVI, whose surprising resignation paved the way for the conclave that brought the first Jesuit to the papacy.
"Brothers and sisters, good evening," Francis said to wild cheers in his first public remarks as pontiff. "You know that the work of the conclave is to give a bishop to Rome. It seems as if my brother cardinals went to find him from the end of the earth. Thank you for the welcome."
The Diocese of St. Petersburg has announced a Mass of Thanksgiving at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at St. Timothy Catholic Church in Lutz. The public is invited.
The Diocese covers 3,177 square miles in five counties, including Pinellas, Hillsborough and Pasco. It serves a total population of about 2.9 million, of whom more than 425,000 are Catholic, according to the Diocese website.
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michael mirra
7:21 am on Thursday, March 14, 2013
Here comes the new boss. Same as the old boss.
Mark E. Talboom, D.C.
7:02 pm on Thursday, March 14, 2013
You're right Michael. Don't expect any real changes. He's just another member of the old guard RCC. Catholics are leaving in droves even on his own continent and opting for evangelical Christianity.
In North America and Europe, Catholics are fed up to their eyeballs with church involvement in politics. Many in America and in Europe are leaving--or turning to alternative Catholicism like the American Catholic Church, The Old Catholic Church and the Ecumenical Catholic Communion, The ECC welcomes women as priests and even allows clergy to marry. Divorced members and GLBT folks are welcomed with open arms and treated as equals within the community. We'll never see that in the RCC--EVER.
As for caring for the poor--something that Jesus embraced and preached is too much like "socialism" the last leaders. They were more concerned with a woman's uterus and whether she choose to limit the number of children she can afford to support.
Good luck Francis, The church is running hard and fast away from the progress of Vatican II and the vision of Pope John XXIII. The RCC is out of touch in ministering to the needs of those in need of spiritual guidance in the modern world. I hope you can do something about it and give those who have been disillusioned an opportunity and reason to come back---just like your TV commercials say. But who wants to come back the same ol', same ol, that caused them to leave in the first place? I don't hold much hope you'll listen and act.