New Pope Francis I Elected: Catholics in Somerville React

The white smoke appeared on Wednesday, signaling that the conclave had chosen Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio to be the new head of the Catholic Church. Locals in the Somerville community responded.

Update, March 18, 2013: Comments from Heather Curtis, an associate professor in the Department of Religion at Tufts University, have been added to this article. Catholics in Somerville Wednesday were still digesting news that the conclave of cardinals at the Vatican had selected a new pope—Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, who took the name Francis I. The initial reaction, however, seemed positive. Sister Gertrude Mary, superior of Somerville's Little Sisters of the Poor, which cares for elderly low-income people, said, "We are very pleased and happy." "I think we're just delighted, like everyone else," she said. "Everyone has been praying that the right person would be chosen." Sister Mary said Little Sisters of the Poor …

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Will Cardinal O’Malley Become Pope?

The conclave is tomorrow, and Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston has emerged as a possible frontrunner to become the next pope.

With the papal conclave to choose the next pope beginning Tuesday, speculation has grown about Cardinal Sean O'Malley of the Archdiocese of Boston. O’Malley's name is on the list of those who could become the new pontiff following Pope Benedict XVI’s Feb. 11 resignation, according to the National Catholic Reporter. Though it's not likely an American would be elected, it’s not impossible, and O’Malley has as good a chance as any Western papal candidate, according to the Reporter. O’Malley, 68, has been lauded for his efforts in the wake of the Church’s sex abuse crisis. However, the Reporter said O’Malley may not have enough Vatican experience and, referring to his reaction to the 2004 closing of parishes in the archdiocese, might be seen …

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Somerville Churches Ring Bells for Outgoing Pope Benedict XVI

St. Catherine's joined Catholic churches throughout the Archdiocese of Boston in ringing bells to mark Benedict XVI's last eight minutes as pope.

Somerville's three Roman Catholic parishes, including Saint Catherine of Genoa parish on Summer Street, seen in this video, joined Catholic churches and institutions throughout the Archdiocese of Boston Thursday in ringing bells to mark the end of Pope Benedict XVI's tenure as head of the Church. The bell ringing began throughout the archdiocese at 1:52 p.m., and the bells rang for eight minutes, one minute for each of Benedict's years as pope.

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Somerville Parishes Share Priests

There's a priest shortage in the Archdiocese of Boston. As a result, some parishes, including three in Somerville, have started sharing priests.