Pope Francis I

A new leader was chosen for the world's 1.2 billion catholics Wednesday.

Director of Holy Rosary Cathedral and Vicar General for the Archdioceses of Regina Lorne Crosan is surprised and excited that Pope Francis I is the first pontiff from South America.

"The church is different in South America and certainly that's the largest part of the church where we have the greatest amount of catholics, so there's something to be said about having a pope from there. And I think the Pope will understand issues differently coming from South America then coming from North America, or even coming from Western Europe."

Crosan believes the difference will be this Pope's understanding of issues around justice, poverty and corruption, which will differ from those of a pontiff from Western Europe.

The Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now Francis I, is the first Jesuit pope. He succeeds Pope Benedict XVI, who resigned February 28; the first to do so in 600 years.