Pope Francis Elected: Gig Harbor Catholics React

A Jesuit cardinal from Buenos Aires is the new pope.

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 76, the son of an Italian railway worker, becomes the first Jesuit and first South American pontiff, according to news reports.

He has taken the name Francis, another first.

After the choice was announced in Rome, we went to our Facebook page to see what Gig Harbor users thought of the new pope.

One user wrote: "This pope will reflect Catholic values of serving the poor and freeing the opressed , ver(y) exciting to have Pope Francis lead us. He will be a faithful and humble father of our church."

The London Guardian and National Catholic Reporter described Bergoglio as a Jesuit intellectual who travels by bus, cooks his own meals and lives simply. After being appointed cardinal in 2001, "Bergoglio persuaded hundreds of Argentinians not to fly to Rome to celebrate with him but instead to give the money they would have spent on plane tickets to the poor," the Guardian said.

He also strongly opposed Argentina's decision to legalize gay marriage, saying children should be raised by a father and a mother.

He originally planned to be a chemist, but began studying for the priesthood in 1958, according to the National Catholic Reporter.

In addition to his advocacy for the poor, Bergoglio believes in contraception to prevent the spread of disease, faces no questions over abuse scandals and would reform the Vatican Curia, according to the Guardian.

Shortly after he addressed the crowd at St. Peter's Square, the Vatican issued a tweet via its papal Twitter account. It said in Latin, "HABEMUS PAPAM FRANCISCUM," which translates roughly as "We have Pope Francis," according to the Los Angeles Times.

TELL US WHAT YOU THINK IN THE COMMENTS

Are you surprised by the choice of the first Jesuit and South American pope? What do you think of the choice?