President Danilo Medina has congratulated the new Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio who will be known as Francisco I in the Spanish-speaking world, and asked for his blessing for the Dominican people.
In a letter he sent to the Pope after his election yesterday, Wednesday 13 March, he said that his respect and admiration were united with the joy of parishioners around the world, especially in Latin America, and for the pastoral task he had in front of him.
Medina went on to say that Dominicans had followed the election with interest, and said that they were delighted that there would be a Pope from this region for the first time in the history of the church.
He then asked the Holy Spirit to provide the Pope with the strength and wisdom he needed to carry out the task ahead.
The Vice President of the Republic, Margarita Cedeno de Fernandez, used the social network, Twitter to express her joy at the election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the new Pope, saying “Thanks be to God, Habemus Papam! The Catholic Church has a new leader.”
She asked God to bless him, and for him to be a bridge for love, kindness and solidarity throughout the world.
She went on to say that Latin America would become a beacon for faith throughout the world, and expressed her delight that the new leader of the Catholic Church was from Latin America.
http://presidencia.gob.do/noticia.php?type=release&id=1566