Bishop Declan's Statement on the Election of Pope Francis

Statement issued by Bishop Declan Lang:

With great joy, I heard the news of the election of our new Holy Father. Please remember him in your prayers, Pope Francis I.

Not only is he the first Pope to choose the name Francis, he is also the first Pope from Latin America and the first Pope to belong to the Society of Jesus - The Jesuits. He will bring to the Papacy the experience of the Church in South America, especially his support for the poor and marginalised of society.

In his message at Mass with the Cardinals, he invited them and all of us to walk in the light of the Lord; to build the Church and to profess Jesus as the Christ. In his own words he said "I would like that all of us, after these days of grace, might have the courage - the courage - to walk in the presence of the Lord, with the Cross of the Lord: to build the Church on the Blood of the Lord, which is shed on the Cross, and to profess the one glory, Christ Crucified. In this way, the Church will go forward".

Pray that Pope Francis may have that courage and we the courage to follow the way he has proclaimed.

Bishop Declan