WASHINGTON - Catholic leaders worldwide expressed words of hope and joy in calling upon Catholics to come together as one body behind the papacy of Pope Francis.

VATICAN CITY - While the cardinal electors were intensely praying and choosing the next pope, they were utterly unaware of the huge crowds waiting outside braving the rain and whether the smoke really worked, said Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan of New York.

VATICAN CITY - Without faith in Christ's sacrifice on the cross, the Church is nothing more than a "pitiful NGO," Pope Francis said in his first homily as Pope.

White smoke that billowed March 13 from the Sistine Chapel chimney heralded more than the election of Pope Francis.

VATICAN CITY - Montreal's Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte, speaking of newly elected Pope Francis, said he was "always struck by that man, who is a holy man, a man of prayer."

VATICAN CITY - The Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, began a briefing about the election of the Pope Francis, a Jesuit, by apologizing that he was a bit in "shock."

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic - Latin Americans said the election of the first Pope from the region is recognition of the role the global South plays in the Church's future.

ROME - Argentina has given the world a Pope.

On March 13th, the world's cardinals in Rome elected Pope Francis following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI. The catholicregister.org has created a special, easy-to-view section to display the news from Benedict's last days, plus all the breaking stories from the Vatican as the cardinals choose the next pope.