Illinois religious leaders are reacting to news of the new pope with ties to the state. Rockford’s Bishop David Malloy is the 9th Bishop of the Diocese of Rockford. In a press conference Thursday afternoon, he said he observed real dignity in the pope’s message.
“His call for peace is reminder of the lessons of the pontificate of Pope Francis,” he said. “His hope for bringing unity among the peoples of the world, through dialogue, through the search for truth, [and] the search for God. I thought it was a very inspiring moment.”
Malloy said the message left him with a great deal of hope.
The Rockford Diocese includes 11 counties in northern Illinois.
The new pope is from Chicago and has spent time in Peru. He is the first American Pope.
