Election of Pope Francis I Makes for an Exciting Day at St. John's School

When the white smoke came billowing from the Sistene Chapel, Sister Donna Marie O’Brien took to the school speakers at St. John the Apostle Church in Clark.

"I said, 'We have a Pope!" Sister Donna Marie, Principal of St. John's, told Patch.

The students left by the time the announcement of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was announced, but Sister Donna Marie says it was an exciting day for students just knowing that a Pope had been chosen.

"We were talking about it all day and we feel very involved this time around, with all the media available," she said. "I think our students are really much more in tune this time than seven years ago and our teachers are very much in tune. It was great to go through this historic day with them. There were cheers all over the school when I announced the white smoke."

Sister Donna Marie said she is "very happy" with the selection of Cardinal Bergoglio.

"I think he'll be for the people," she said. "He came out in simple garb and picked a simple cross, and I liked that he had the people pray for him first."

Sister Donna Marie also said she liked that he's from the Americas, is a Jesuit and an intellectual, and she praised his work with the poor.

"He's for social justice," she said. "I liked that when he was a cardinal he told people not to spend their money on a plane ticket to come to Rome, but instead told them to give it to the poor. I think he'll bring the hearts of people to the church."