(ST. JOSEPH, Mo.) Praises through hymn filled a church in St. Joseph Wednesday night as Catholics honored their new Pope.
It was a quick turnaround shortly after then news broke early in the afternoon.
"We're going to change the readings and the music and make it more festive in honor of the new hope we're given now with this new Pope Francis I," said Father Thomas Ludwig of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish.
The excitement could be felt everywhere across the city.
For most, it was a process they have seen a few times.
For others, the election was a new experience.
"We're all excited about it," said Grace Pfister, a first grader at Cathedral School. "And we all saw it on our big screen and our TV."
The first graders at Cathedral were born while the previous Pope Benedict XVI led the church.
For the first time ever, their eyes got to see the spectacle coming out of the Vatican.
"They were very excited," said Toni Lynn Gardner, the first grade teacher. "They didn't know about the white smoke and when I went to get them from P.E. they all wanted to rush back."
It is excitement that comes during an important time for the church currently in lent.
With Easter only two weeks away, there is a lot of optimism about the new leader.
"He said he wanted to have a new Pope before Easter," said Father Ludwig, speaking of Pope Benedict. "It's real exciting now for us to go into the most exciting weeks of the year knowing that we have a new leader in our church."
It was a quick turnaround shortly after then news broke early in the afternoon.
"We're going to change the readings and the music and make it more festive in honor of the new hope we're given now with this new Pope Francis I," said Father Thomas Ludwig of Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish.
The excitement could be felt everywhere across the city.
For most, it was a process they have seen a few times.
For others, the election was a new experience.
"We're all excited about it," said Grace Pfister, a first grader at Cathedral School. "And we all saw it on our big screen and our TV."
The first graders at Cathedral were born while the previous Pope Benedict XVI led the church.
For the first time ever, their eyes got to see the spectacle coming out of the Vatican.
"They were very excited," said Toni Lynn Gardner, the first grade teacher. "They didn't know about the white smoke and when I went to get them from P.E. they all wanted to rush back."
It is excitement that comes during an important time for the church currently in lent.
With Easter only two weeks away, there is a lot of optimism about the new leader.
"He said he wanted to have a new Pope before Easter," said Father Ludwig, speaking of Pope Benedict. "It's real exciting now for us to go into the most exciting weeks of the year knowing that we have a new leader in our church."
