SWFL Catholics pray for pope as his ministry gets underway
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Pope's first day on the job Video by fox4now.com
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FORT. MYERS, Fla. - Members of St. Francis Xavier Church in Ft. Myers say they are praying for the new pope as he officially starts his tenure Tuesday.
Bill and Sara Donahue, originally from Boston, are snowbirds in North Ft. Myers. They attend daily mass at St. Francis Xavier while they're in town. The Donahue's say they are especially praying for the new pope this morning at mass.
"We always wish him health and happiness and success," Sara Donahue said.
Pope Francis has officially begun his ministry as the 266th pope, receiving the ring symbolizing the papacy and a wool stole symbolizing his role as shepherd of his 1.2-billion strong flock.
A cardinal intoned the rite of inauguration at the start of Tuesday's Mass, saying "The Good Shepherd charged Peter to feed his lambs and his sheep; today you succeed him as the bishop of this church."
Later a half-dozen cardinals approached the Argentine-born pope to vow their obedience,
The installation occurred in sun-drenched St. Peter's Square before tens of thousands of people, princes, sheiks, rabbis and presidents. Colleen Hogan, reporter
chogan@jrn.com
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