Within minutes of seeing white smoke emerge from the Sistine Chapel signaling a new head of the Roman Catholic Church, members of the media made their way to campus to watch the historic event unfold with students gathered in the Hogan Campus Center. Others connected with faculty members by phone, who commented live during the suspenseful wait for the new pontiff to emerge.
Upon the announcement that Argentinian cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, a Jesuit, had been chosen as the new pope, journalists near and far — from Worcester to Slovakia — called upon members of the Holy Cross community for their thoughts on Pope Francis and what his election means for the future of the Catholic Church.
College president Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., faculty members from varying disciplines, and students all offered perspectives on the historic announcement.
In the Telegram & Gazette, Fr. Boroughs remarked that Cardinal Bergoglio served in the upper hierarchy of the church, but he shunned the amenities of the office. “He seems to be a man of the people,” he said. Melissa Luttman ’15, watched the announcement in her Latin class, and was excited that a Jesuit had been chosen. “That commitment to social justice is something we really identify with at Holy Cross,” Luttman told the reporter.
Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies, who has been a go-to source for the media since Pope Benedict announced his resignation last month, said this morning on NECN’s “The Morning Show” that he assumed an Italian had been elected because the conclave was so short. "I was wrong, but I feel good about being wrong,” he said. "What the cardinals said before the conclave was that they wanted a pope who exemplified personal holiness, and this is what they meant. Someone who asks for the silent prayers of all those assembled because he knows he needs their love and support."
Rev. Thomas Worcester, S.J., who authored two books on papal history and teaches a course in the papacy, was also surprised by the announcement. “That they picked a Jesuit did surprise me,” he told "Worcester News Tonight." Elaborating on what a Jesuit might bring to the papacy, the history professor told the Slovakian newspaper Pravda that “Jesuits have a world-wide perspective and strong commitment to justice for the poor. These things should influence his papacy.”
Select news coverage:
- WBUR: “Radio Boston,” March 13 – “A New Pope Elected” (Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies)
- New England Cable News, "Worcester News Tonight," March 13 – “Holy Cross Community Reacts to New Pope” (Rev. Thomas Worcester, S.J., professor of history; Allanah Heffernan '14, Travis LaCouter '13)
- Worcester Mag, March 13 – “Papal expert: Vatican structure pope's first big challenge” (Rev. Thomas Worcester, S.J., professor of history)
- FOX25 Boston, March 13 – “College of the Holy Cross Professor Discusses New Pope” (Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies)
- NPR, March 13 – “New Pope 'A Fresh Start'” (David O’Brien, professor emeritus of history)
- Boston Herald, March 14 – “Prof: Sean O’Malley a contender next time” (Rev. Thomas Worcester, S.J., professor of history)
- Boston Globe, March 14 – “A pope from new roots” (Rev. Thomas Worcester, S.J., professor of history)
- Telegram & Gazette, March 14 – “Bishop McManus: ‘I was surprised’ by the choice” (Rev. Philip L. Boroughs, S.J., president)
- Telegram & Gazette, March 14 – “Students at Holy Cross respond to the selection” (Melissa Luttman ’15, Patricia Feraud '15, Diarmaid King '15)
- New England Cable News, “The Morning Show,” March 14 – “Religious professor excited by election of Pope Francis” (Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies)
- WTAG's “Morning Show with Paul Westcott,” March 14 - (Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies)
- Washington Post: "On Faith," March 14 - "A Franciscan Jesuit for pope" (Mathew Schmalz, associate professor of religious studies)
- Catholic Free Press, March 15 - "Bishops, laypeople react to new Pope Francis" (Rev. Thomas Worcester, S.J., professor of history; Rev. John Gavin, S.J., assistant professor of religious studies; Megan Whitacre '14)
- The Republican, March 15 - "Holy Cross professor hopeful that Pope Francis will bring 'fresh air' to Papacy"
For more on the Holy Cross community’s contributions to media coverage of Pope Benedict’s resignation see: Media Worldwide Turn to Holy Cross Faculty for Comment on the Pope’s Resignation
For news related to the papal conclave see: Holy Cross Faculty Experts Share Insights on Papal Conclave, Benedict’s Successor with the Media
