Choice of New Pope Brings Excitement to Port Chester

For Port Chester’s Grudy Guzman, the announcement of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s selection as the next pope coming on Wednesday was a good sign.

That night she attended an event held by the Port Chester Bolivian Cultural Center in honor of Port Chester Trustee Luis Marino, a Democrat who is seeking re-election in March 19 village election, in which advance voting is currently in progress.

“I think it’s a very good sign,” she said. “We’re here tonight to re-elect a man who has done a lot for Latin American communities here in Port Chester, and it’s the same day a Latin American is elected pope for the first time. I think he will also do great things for Latin Americans, as well as Catholics.”

Guzman was one of many excited on Wednesday about the earlier announcement that Bergoglio is the next pope. Port Chester Mayor Dennis Pilla also said he was excited about the announcement. Coincidentally, Bergoglio comes from Argentina but is also of Italian descent. Pilla is Italian American and his wife is Latin American, coming from Colombia.

“It’s a historic first,” said Pilla, a Democrat who is also seeking re-election. “It’s great news for the church. He seems to have a great humility to him.”

Pilla said that between the announcement Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday night, he didn’t have much time to spend out around Port Chester, but he guessed many people were happy about the news.

“Just like there’s dancing going on over there and in Argentina, I’m sure we had some residents over here dancing when they heard the news too,” Pilla said.

The selection of Bergoglio as the next pope even excited some who aren’t Catholic. Tom Kissner, of Port Chester, is Protestant praised the selection.

“I’m happy to see someone from Latin America elected to the position,” he said. “The Latin American community is a large and powerful group within the church, so it’s nice to see them represented like this, by electing a pope from that community.”

Guzman said she hopes the new pope can strengthen the church.

“Right now the church is in crisis and sometimes it makes me worried,” she said. “They are losing a lot of members.”

However, Guzman thinks Bergoglio can help in that regard.

“I think he will have a big impact on Latin American communities, especially in a place like Mexico,” she said. “Mexico is a huge part of central America and I think he can be very influential in that area. The church can gain even more members from Latin America because of him.”

Over at Port Chester's Don Bosco Center, Fr. Richard Alejunas said the Pope Francis will be a instrument of healing in the church.

"The Christian faith was brought to the shores of the Americas over 500 years ago," said Fr. Richard. "The Roman Catholic Church has been the heart and soul of Mexico and South America especially in the area of justice for the poor and marginalized. What a great day for Latin America and Hispanics in the USA that a child of the "New World" and a son of immigrants to Argentina returns to the "Old World" to be a healing instrument within the Church and for the world like St. Francis Assisi! Long Live Pope Francis I!"