St. Charles native Emily Schmall, daughter of NIU Law Prof. Lorraine Schmall, was an intern at WNIJ News about a decade ago and now is a freelance journalist in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She was at the capital city’s Catholic cathedral awaiting the announcement of the new pope.
She sent the following tweets while waiting for the announcement that Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, had been selected as successor to Pope Benedict XVI:
At 2:30 p.m.: Buenos Aires' Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio becomes Pope Francisco I; BA Catholics in tears.
At 2:53 p.m.: Of newly-elected pope, a Buenos Aires city worker says: "He speaks the truth. Listening to him is like hearing Jesus speak."
At 3:07 p.m.: Buenos Aires cathedral full of faithful praying the rosary aloud "for our new pope."
Earlier Tweets …
At 1:25 p.m.: Few pews occupied in Buenos Aires' Catholic cathedral as white smoke billows from Sistine Chapel.
At 1:29 p.m.: A woman outside Buenos Aires' cathedral tells me for Catholic fervor, I must go to Argentina's northern provinces.
At 1:40 p.m.: Graffiti is a popular political medium in Buenos Aires; today, on the street in front of the city's Catholic cathedral: 'Abusive Priests.'
At 1:47 p.m.: At Buenos Aires' Catholic cathedral, scantily occupied, Father Enrique Montero describes city's Catholics as 'spiritually frigid.'
At 1:58 p.m.: Catholics packed into press office of the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, saying there's nowhere else downtown to watch Vatican transmission.
At 2:13 p.m.: Archbishop of Buenos Aires erupts with cheers as new pope emerges onto balcony facing St. Peter's Square.
At 2:14 p.m.: The new pope of the Catholic Church: The Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Cardinal Bergoglio!
At 2:19 p.m.: Mass begins at Buenos Aires cathedral following Vatican announcement--more press than congregants.