Catholic Charities USA Welcomes Pope Francis I

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Mar 13, 2013, 04:38 ET

ALEXANDRIA, Va., March 13, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) welcomes the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, SJ, of Buenos Aires, Argentina, now Pope Francis I, as the 266th Bishop of Rome and the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church and its 1.1 billion members across the globe.

"We join with Catholic Charities agencies across the country and the Caritas movement around the world in offering our prayers and support for our new Holy Father," said Fr. Larry Snyder, President of Catholic Charities USA. "We look forward to continuing our mission of service and living out the call of the Gospel with Pope Francis I as our spiritual leader."

A native of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis I is well known for his compassion for all of God's people, especially the poorest among us. Since 1988, he had served as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires. The first Pope from a non-European country, Pope Francis took his name after St. Francis, who devoted his life to service and supporting the poor and needy, and is the patron saint of the environment.

About Catholic Charities USA
Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is the national office for Catholic Charities agencies nationwide. CCUSA's members provide help and create hope for more than 10 million people a year regardless of religious, social, or economic backgrounds. To learn more, please visit www.catholiccharitiesusa.org

SOURCE Catholic Charities USA