Updated 03/13/2013 10:52 PM
Bishop Emeritus Matthew Clark Offers His Thoughts on New Pope
With the election of Pope Francis, many local Catholics wonder when a new bishop will be named for the Rochester diocese, including his predecessor. Bishop Emeritus Matthew Clark spoke about the election of Pope Francis.
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The selection of Pope Francis is drawing praise from Catholics in the United States.
Bishop Emeritus Matthew Clark says he hopes the new Pope's roots will give a new perspective on his teachings.
"I hope he challenges our horizons and makes us think in new ways and cause us different perspectives than we may be accustomed to in that Euro-centric kind of model. You know, it's sort of conjecture, but that would be my hope anyway."
Bishop Robert Cunningham of Syracuse, who is Apostolic Administrator of the Rochester Diocese, says the new pontiff will bring new energy to the Church, but he expects the basic teachings and positions of the Church to remain unchanged.
"Perhaps the way they're delivered, the way they're spoken and preached about, might be a little bit different. More a difference of style than of substance, but I don't suspect that there's going to be any great changes in the Church," said Cunningham.
Bishop Cunningham will preside at a Mass celebrating the naming of the new Pope on Thursday in Syracuse.
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The Jesuits are an order of missionaries bound together by vows of poverty, chastity, obedience, and Father Brian Frain says a vow of fidelity to the Holy Father.
The five Rochester-area Jesuits are delighted that Cardinal, now Pope Francis has been chosen. They say that what characterizes a Jesuit is that they're always at the service of the church, and that's why they think he'll succeed.
Father Frain says the Jesuit order, like Pope Francis, have international experience, and that experience will serve him well.
"Since our foundation in 1540, we've been sent out, we're an apostalic order, and we've been sent to many places very quickly since the early days of the formation of the society of Jesus," Frain said.
The Rochester Jesuits hope Pope Francis will connect the global community.