SANTA MARIA - The bells at St. Mary of the Assumption Church in Santa Maria rang for the daily noon mass on an historic Wednesday.
Parishioners gather to hear the Church Pastor, Fr. Paul O'Donnell, tell them history had been made at the Vatican with the selection of Pope Francis I.
"We're going to be fine, the Lord is going to give us another very holy, holy Father for our times", Fr. O'Donnell told parishioners.
After mass, the selection of Pope Francis was cause for celebration amid ongoing headlines of legal settlements involving cases of molestation by priests
"Very excited, he's going to bring change, he's from the Americas, so many things, so its a good time", said one elated parishioner.
"Fantastic and he's a Jesuit too", added another parishioner, "its going to be good for the whole human race."
"South American, Latin American, Hispanic people that are so important in the world today, I think its going to be marvelous, I'm so thrilled", added another parishioner.
