Rockford’s Bishop Malloy to celebrate special Mass of Thanksgiving for new pope March 18

Online Staff Report

Bishop David J. Malloy will celebrate a special Mass of Thanksgiving in honor of newly elected Pope Francis Monday, March 18.

The Mass will be celebrated at 5:30 p.m. in the Cathedral of St. Peter, 1243 N. Church St. All Catholics are invited to join together in prayer and the Eucharist at this Mass to welcome the new shepherd of the Universal Church.

The Mass will also be streamed live on the Diocese of Rockford website at www.rockforddiocese.org.

Catholic cardinals in the Vatican City selected Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 76, cardinal from Argentina, as the new pope Wednesday, March 13. Bergoglio, 266th pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church, is the first leader of the church ever chosen from South America. Bergoglio, the archbishop of Buenos Aires, is also the first non-European leader of the church in more than 1,000 years. He will be called Pope Francis I.

Posted March 14, 2013