1Celebrating the election of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, Archbishop
2of Buenos Aires, to the Office of Pope and congratulating him
3for becoming the world's first pontiff from Latin America.

4WHEREAS, On March 13, 2013, the Vatican conclave elected
5Argentina's Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio to become Pope, Bishop of
6Rome and the Holy Father to the nearly 1.2 billion Catholics
7throughout the world; and

8WHEREAS, Former Bishop of Pittsburgh, now Cardinal and
9Archbishop of Washington DC, Cardinal Donald Wuerl has described
10Pope Francis as a man who is "very gentle but firm, very loving
11but fearless, a very pastoral and caring person ideal for the
12challenges today"; and

13WHEREAS, A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis
14was born Jorge Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires,
15Argentina, to Italian immigrant parents; and

1WHEREAS, Pope Francis entered the Jesuit priesthood in 1969,
2served as Provincial for Argentina from 1973 to 1979 and was
3named Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998; and

4WHEREAS, On February 21, 2001, the late Pope John Paul II
5announced he had appointed Archbishop Bergoglio to the office of
6Cardinal; and

7WHEREAS, Pope Francis is a pope for the people who, while
8Cardinal, gave up the splendor of the office of Cardinal for a
9simple life of personal humility and commitment to social
10justice by riding public transportation, living in an apartment
11instead of the archbishop's palace, cooking his own meals and
12regularly visiting the slums that surround Buenos Aires; and

13WHEREAS, Pope Francis is the first pope from Latin America
14and the first Jesuit pope; and

15WHEREAS, His name, Francis, invokes the spirit of St. Francis
16of Assisi, and like St. Francis of Assisi, Pope Francis is
17revered among Catholics for his work with the poor; and

18WHEREAS, It is the hope of both Latin-American Catholics and
19Catholics all over the world that Pope Francis will rebuild the
20Catholic Church through the teachings of poverty, humility and
21simplicity, and serve as a bridge between Europe and Latin
22America; therefore be it

23RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives celebrate the
24election of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio as Pope and congratulate
25him on being the world's first Latin-American Pontiff.