(NECN: Kristen Carosa) - Reaction is pouring in from around the world and in Worcester, Mass.
President of Assumption College, Francesco Cesareo, watched as Pope Francis speaks for the first time.
“It's a great day for all of the Catholics throughout the world and for all people of good will,” Cesareo said.
The former cardinal from Argentina was born in Buenos Aires and is 76 years old.
“What we have here is someone of great humility, you can see it just by the way he came out on the balcony, he is very simple, very humble,” Cesareo said.
Assumption College’s President has studied the church's history extensively.
Though the new pope was mentioned in the last conclave in 2005, Cesareo says the choice is still surprising.
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“His name was not mentioned as a serious contender, which goes to show you that anything can happen in the conclave,” he said.
Cesareo says it took five ballots and a little more than 24 hours to choose the new pope.
“He must have emerged very early on in the voting process as someone who garnered a lot of support from the college of cardinals that led up to this very quick outcome.”
Pope Francis I is the first Jesuit pope and the first pope to be chosen from the Americas.
“Coming from Latin America, Argentina, he is really going to be the bridge between the first world and the emerging world.”
Cesareo says he believes Pope Francis named himself after Francis Xavier, the great Jesuit missionary. And the fact that he is a Jesuit, Cesareo says Pope Francis will be focused on being a good teacher.
“That in particular tells me that here is someone who sees his role as spreading the word of the gospel just as Francis did.”
