Mother Teresa order welcomes new Pope
Kolkata/New Delhi, Mar 18 : The election of cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as Pope Francis to lead the Catholic world has been received with prayer and excitement by organisations like late Mother Teresa's order Missionaries of Charity (MoC) and Catholic communication body Signis India.
Sister Prema, Superior General, Missionaries of Charity, said the MoC celebrated the election of new Pope with prayer and songs.
The MoC, which is a Catholic order of nuns dedicated to serving the poorest of poor, has a special connection with the Vatican since the sainthood process of Mother Teresa is under the supervision of the Vatican.
"Upon receiving the news of the election of cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio to the papacy, we sang the 'Te Deum' in thanksgiving in our Motherhouse chapel after we had prayed for him during Holy Mass in the early hours of the 14th of March. With great excitement, we then tried to learn more about the life and work of our new Holy Father.
"We join His Holiness Benedict XVI, Pope emeritus, in promising our unconditional reverence and obedience to Pope Francis I," said Sister Prema.
"We are fully confident that Jesus Christ, our Supreme Pastor, will continue to guide the Church through the leadership of Pope Francis I, bringing to me and women of every nation the message of God's love beauty and truth," said Sister Prema.
According to Sunil Lucas, the President of Signis India, the World Catholic Association for Communication, the election of the new Pope from a Latin American country is a very positive sign.
"We welcome it in India. He is such an earthly person and an epitome of humility. He is a Pope who does not believe in ceremonies," said Lucas.
"The new Pope is committed to social justice and he always led an austere life even as a cardinal," he said.
The non-Catholics also welcomed the new Pope.
Kevin R Roberts of Diocese of Calcutta, which adheres to Protestantism, said the election of Pope Francis is a landmark event and said he believed he "will be a pope who will reach out to the poorest of poor."
Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was elected the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday last and is known as Pope Francis.
The 76-year-old Pope Francis, who stepped into the shoes of Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned last month, is the first non-European pontiff in about 1,300 years, who was elected by the cardinals on the second day of the conclave to elect a new pope.
The new Pope Francis, who was the archbishop of Buenos Aires, appeared before the world from the balcony of the Vatican and addressing the thousands who gathered at the St. Peter's Square said: "As you know, the duty of the conclave was to appoint a bishop of Rome, it seems to me that my brother cardinals have chosen one who is from faraway. ... Here I am. I would like to thank you for your embrace."