I’m not sure I have calmed down from the excitement of last night when Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio was announced as the new pope, succeeding His Holiness, Benedict XVI.

In the run up to the conclave all sorts of people used it to forward their own agendas. The media, last night and this morning hasn’t been short of those people telling the new Pope Francis what he needs to do now! However God often gives us what we need, not necessarily what we want and is very good at springing surprises on us! The last pope, through his writing and his creation of the various ordinariates managed to turn our lives upside-down. I’m sure God is going to do just as many surprising things through this new pope, although I am hoping it won’t involve us moving again!

One thing that did occur to me last night, when I saw him on the balcony and then read the translation of his speech later is that here is a man who is likely to become very well loved by the people he leads.

While we wait to see what God will do through this man we need to do as he asked us; to pray for him and for His Holiness, Benedict XVI and place them both into the care of Our Lady.