'His concern for the poor will put a better direction on things than the church has done in the past, in terms of being concerned about that,' Monsignor Joseph Sobiesiak said.
Overjoyed by today's election of a new pope, Allentown Bishop John Barres issued what he called a "special appeal" to inactive Catholics across the diocese.
Barres said Pope Francis will be the one to guide those who may have lost their faith "back to the heart of the church."
"He is a bridge to us," Barres said.
Cardinals gathered at the Vatican chose Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the 76-year old Argentinian archbishop of Buenos Aires, to lead the church. He is the first pope from the Americas.
"Our new Holy Father is known for his humility, simple lifestyle and commitment to social justice, much like the patron saint he named himself after -- St. Francis of Assisi of Italy," the Most Rev. Paul G. Bootkoski, bishop of the Diocese of Metuchen, said in a statement.
"I am confident that he will prove to be a worthy successor to Peter, our first pope, and to our most recent pope, Benedict XVI, who is to be admired for his leadership of the past eight years," Booktkoski continued.
Watching Francis take his first bow in prayerful silence before a crowd of at least 50,000 in Vatican City's St. Peter's Square was especially moving for Barres.
"The man is on fire with the Holy Spirit," Barres said.
Having studied at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome from 1996 to 1999, Barres said that if anything, the "pin-drop silence" alone was jarring to see as Francis bowed in prayer.
"I spent three years in Rome studying, and I know that's an unusual occurrence," said Barres.
Admittedly knowing little about Francis before he assumed the grand stage Wednesday, Barres said he hopes to meet the new leader in the near future.
In Dec. 2011, Barres met Francis' predecessor, former Pope Benedict XVI, on a trip to Rome alongside 15 other Pennsylvania bishops.
Hope for social issues
Across the Lehigh Valley on Wednesday, residents and religious leaders voiced strong support for Francis' appointment.
Bethlehem resident Silagh White, a self-described liberal Catholic, said she was encouraged by Francis' reputation for championing the poor and social issues. She said she would prefer a pope who also supported gay marriage and abortion rights but knows that will never happen in her lifetime.
“I’m hopeful, but I’m not banking on too many liberal miracles,” White said. “The baby steps that this pope could take would already be great.”
Monsignor Joseph Sobiesiak, assistant pastor at Bethlehem’s Holy Infancy Church, said he, too, was impressed with Francis' dedication to helping the poor and his overall humbleness.
“His concern for the poor will put a better direction on things than the church has done in the past, in terms of being concerned about that,” Sobiesiak said.
The Rev. Scott Ardinger, pastor of Incarnation of Our Lord in Bethlehem, said he was so excited about the announcement of the new pope that he rang the church’s bells as soon as he saw the white smoke.
Bells also pealed at St. Rocco's Roman Catholic Church in the Martins Creek section of Lower Mount Bethel Township, once word spread that a pope had been elected.
“The fact he started with a prayer, I just thought that was so humble,” Ardinger said. “Something about his face, he just seems like a father right away. He’s the Holy Father now.”
'Good to have a pope'
Nancy Corriere, 72, attended the Stations of the Cross tonight at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Easton and said she was surprised to learn of the appointment, considering there was not much talk about him in the media as a likely candidate.
"I think he's going to be a great guy," the Palmer Township resident said.
Francis' age has garnered some concern among experts, following Benedict's abdication. St. Anthony's parishioner Ann Williams, 69, said that's not a concern of hers.
"He looks very enthusiastic," said Williams, of Easton. "He doesn't look old, he looks energetic. He looks healthy, God love him."
Josephine Giglio, 85, of Easton, said she was happy to see the first pope from Latin America. Though she is Italian, her father's brother is Argentinian, and she still has distant cousins there.
"It's great that the new pope is from that area," she said.
Bessie Boccadoro, also 85 and from Easton, said she was just happy to finally have a pontiff.
"Right now, that's good enough for me," she said. "It's good to have a pope again."