The eyes of much of the world were on the Vatican this afternoon for the announcement that a new pope had been elected.
Pope Francis of Argentina is the first pope from the Americas. Here in Austin, Bishop Joe Vasquez says that origin suggests someone with a perspective popes of the past have not had.
“He’s going to have a different view than a European might, because he’s lived most of his life in South America and Argentina, and therefore I think he’s going to have a different view,” Vasquez said.
Vasquez says his initial reaction was similar to that of a lot of people, in that he was unfamiliar with the cardinal from Argentina and wanted to find out more about him.