PEGGY PICO: Join me, assistant vice president, Michael Lovette Colyer and Father Lawrence
purcell of the church of Nativity in Rancho, father, tell us about Pope Francis.
>>> The first images we have, I can't imagine what he was thinking but he was himself, what
you see is what you get, his first gestures, words, "good afternoon" he referred to men
and women, "my brother's and sisters" the gesture of taking silence, he said "let's
be quiet for a minute" he bowed, asked for a blessing, I thought it was magnificent.
>> PEGGY PICO: And he asked for their grace.
>>> Yes, he did.
>> PEGGY PICO: Also I understandÊ well, Michael, let me ask you, Pope Francis is a Jesuit and
the first to be named Pope.
>>> That's right.
>> PEGGY PICO: Tell us about the key tenants of Jesuits.
>>> Well they're known for their colleges and universities and they're associated with
education and learning.
They're associated with some of the best universities in the country, Georgetown, and Boston college
as well as key basketball teams like Gonzaga.
One of their key tenants is to find God in all things so this is characteristic of Pope
Francis as a Jesuit looking for the presence of God in all people.
That's key to Jesuits, and another piece is being a key in action, always maintaining
a connection to God, critically important to Jesuits.
>> PEGGY PICO: Father, there is talk that this Pope might have been chosen because he's
not linked to the church pedophile abuse crisis that's been going on here in the U.S.
Do you think that is partly true and how could that help the church?
>> I didn't hear that that he was not linked, I think that's an issue everywhere in the
world.
He's well known as a leader, a clear leader as a bishop, local bishop he was in charge
of a Jesuit community, the word "Jesuit" comes from the Italian name for Jesus, and the Jesuits
are known as the "friends of Jesus" they sign their name "S.J.
society of Jesus, that's what they are about.
>> PEGGY PICO: So bringing integrity back, people can trust that, he's in Argentine,
among and with the people?
>> I don't know if they elected him for those reasons, I would hope anybody they elected
would be able to bring back some sense of integrity.
That's what we have prayed for and our prayers have been answered.
>> PEGGY PICO: Sounds like it.
Michael, one in three San Diegans affiliate themselves with the Catholic church.
What do you think having a new Pope does as far as influencing work here and the focus
of Catholics here in San Diego?
>> I think it's significant, and I think partly because of the reaction I saw on our campus
especially among or Latino students, incredible excitement, I think this is recognition that
the center of gravity in the Catholic world is shifting, becoming more southern.
I think that's also representative here in our area with bishop Flores, also a Spanish
speaker and Latino so it's more and more evident that our Catholic church depends on our brothers
and sisters.
>> PEGGY PICO: More than a quarter of the world's population, more than 2 billion live
in South America, of course Pope Francis speaks Spanish, his native language.
How important do you think it is having a south American Spanish speaking Pope to our
Latino Catholics?
>> You know, the majority of the people even in our state of California certainly the Catholics
in our area are from Hispanic backgrounds, many from Mexico itself, he has to be a hero
for them right out of the gate.
They're thrilled about that >> PEGGY PICO: Excitement?
>> Very excited about it.
>> PEGGY PICO: We are out of time, Father Lawrence purcell and Michael Lovette Colyer
thank you for talking with us.