The Catholic Church has a new Pope.
Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected by his fellow cardinals and will now be known as Pope Francis.
The 76-year-old becomes the first Latin American to be Pontiff.
Dedicating his life to the priesthood in 1969, Cardinal Bergoglio, will now take up the position as head of the Roman Catholic Church under the title Pope Francis.
The Pope is nominally the Bishop of the old diocese of Kilfenora following a Papal Dictate issued from the Vatican in 1883.
This means that as well as been the leader of the Catholic Church and the Archbishop of Rome, Pope Benedict is also Bishop of Kilfenora and parish Priest of Liscannor.
Ordained to the priesthood on December 13, 1969 Jorge Mario Bergoglio attended the Philosophical and Theological Faculty of San Miguel.
Here he attained the position of novice master and became professor of theology.
Impressed with his leadership skills, the Society of Jesus promoted Bergoglio and he served as provincial for Argentina from 1973 to 1979. He was transferred in 1980 to become the rector of the seminary in San Miguel where he had studied.
In February 2001 Pope John Paul II summoned the newly named archbishop to the consistory in the Vatican City and elevated Bergoglio with the papal honors of a cardinal.
As cardinal, Bergoglio was appointed to several administrative positions in the Roman Curia. He served on the Congregation of Clergy, Congregation of Divine Worship and Sacraments, Congregation of Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Congregation of Societies of Apostolic Life. Bergoglio became a member of the Commission on Latin American and the Family Council.
Upon the death of Pope John Paul II, Bergoglio, considered papabile himself, participated in the 2005 papal conclave as a cardinal elector, the conclave that selected Pope Benedict XVI.
Under the title of Pope Francis he’ll now serve has head of the Roman Catholic Church and as Bishop of Rome.
