ROBERTSDALE, Alabama -- On March 13, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina, became the 266th pope of the Catholic Church, becoming Pope Francis. While the impact of a new pontiff in Rome might not have a direct impact locally, Father Patrick Madden of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Robertsdale knows that the new head of his church will have an immediate global impact.

“I think he’s a good choice,” said Madden. “Any time you bring in someone new it’s like a new beginning and I think he will have an immediate impact.”

Madden said he thinks it is fitting that the new pontiff comes from the Latin American community.

“Immigration is such a big issue right now in this country and the Hispanic population continues to be the largest growing single group,” he said. “I heard where today, one in three Catholics under the age of 30 are Hispanic and I think it’s fitting that we have someone that can speak their language.”

Pope Francis takes his name from St. Francis of Assisi, who was called by God to rebuild the church during his time, much the same way the current pope has been called to rebuild the church.

“I think he has established himself early on as someone who will make himself more accessible to the people,” Madden said. “He said himself that while it is important to develop spirituality and the mind, it is equally important to develop through actions.”

Madden said he thinks it important that the current pope has as his first language something other than English.

“It makes us realize that the world is made up of all languages and all cultures,” he said. “We are one of the few nations that the majority of us only speak one language. It is important in this day and age that the pope can relate to all peoples and all cultures. We have to have that in order to move forward.”

Maddens said with the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on Feb. 28 and the rise of a new pope have come a lot of questions.

“(The resignation of a pope) is something that hasn’t been done since 1406,” he said. “We live in a different time. I think Pope Benedict saw what happened with Pope John Paul and his failing health. Everyone watched and waited as his health deteriorated, but he and every aging pontiff before him believed that when they serve they take up the cross and just because they get older doesn’t mean they have to get down from the cross. We live in a time where action is necessary and Pope Benedict recognized that we needed a pope willing to take that action.”

Madden said questions have also been raised about the age of the new pope, who is 76.

“I think it is a matter of having someone with experience, but also having someone who is known to the people and known to be a man of action,” he said. “I cite the example of Pope John III who was 78 when he began and did a lot of good things to reform the church in a time when it was needed. I am expecting a lot of good things out of Pope Francis.”

Also, as St. Patrick’s Church prepared to celebrate the patron saint of Ireland, Madden sees a correlation between the current pontiff and St. Patrick.

“He (St. Patrick) is someone who was a foreigner in his land who was able to come back to Ireland and make a huge impact on the people there,” Madden said. “I think he serves as a great example of what Pope Francis can accomplish.”