Pope Francis has inaugurated his papacy at a Mass in Rome, calling on global leaders and all the people of the world to defend the poor and the weak.

Up to 200,000 people attended the Mass in St Peter’s Square.

His homily focused on protection – of the environment, children, the elderly and those in need, who he said were “often the last we think about”.

Francis was elected by a conclave of cardinals last week to take over from Benedict XVI.

Benedict became the first pontiff in 600 years to abdicate last month. Citing his age, 85, he said he could no longer continue in the post.

Papal ring

Pope Francis, formerly Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio and now the first pontiff from the Americas, has since his election called for a “Church for the poor” and has struck an informal and spontaneous tone.

His chosen name, Francis, honours St Francis of Assisi, the 13th-Century son of an aristocrat who spurned a life of luxury to live with and for the poor.

Pope Francis’ homily at the Mass began by focusing on Joseph and his role as protector – of Mary, Jesus and the Church.

Francis, 76, expanded the image, referring to Francis of Assisi and saying that the role of protector was not just a Christian one.

He said: “It means protecting all creation, the beauty of the created world… It means respecting each of God’s creatures and respecting the environment in which we live.

“It means protecting people, showing loving concern for each and every person, especially children, the elderly, those in need, who are often the last we think about.”

Francis called on “all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life” to be protectors of creation.

“To protect creation, to protect every man and every woman, to look upon them with tenderness and love, is to open up a horizon of hope,” Francis said.

Without care for the environment and fellow humans, “the way is opened to destruction and hearts are hardened”, he said.

“Let us not allow omens of destruction and death to accompany the advance of this world.”

Francis said the pope himself must be inspired by the lowly – “the poorest, the weakest, the least important, those who Matthew lists in the final judgment on love: the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, those in prison”.

‘Very humble’

Francis had begun the day by touring St Peter’s Square in an open-topped Popemobile.

At one point he stepped down from the vehicle and approached the barriers to bless a disabled man.

Francis spent 20 minutes touring the square, waving to the pilgrims who flew flags and shouted: “Long live the Pope!”

Isaac Adroamabe from Uganda, said: “My first impression is that the Pope is very humble, and has taken the Church in his heart.”

Seven-year-old Pietro Loretti, from Italy, said: “I like him because he loves the poor.”

As the Mass began, Francis was presented with his papal pallium made of lambs’ wool – symbolising his role as shepherd of his flock – and the fisherman’s ring bearing the image of St Peter holding two keys.

With this, Francis officially began his office as the 266th pope.

Communion was distributed by some 500 priests throughout the crowd.

The Mass was co-celebrated by around 180 clergymen, including Adolfo Nicolas, the superior general of Pope Francis’ Jesuit order.

The list of attendees also included the spiritual head of the Orthodox Church, Patriarch Bartholomew.

He is the first Orthodox patriarch to attend a papal inauguration Mass since the two branches of Christianity split nearly 1,000 years ago.

The Pope later greeted the assembled dignitaries individually in St Peter’s Basilica.

Hundreds of people also gathered in the early hours of Tuesday in Plaza de Mayor, the main square in Buenos Aires, to watch the Mass broadcast on giant screens set up outside the cathedral.

They erupted in joy as a call from the Pope, made an hour before his Mass, was played via loudspeakers.

He said: “My dear children, I know you’re in the plaza. I know that you’re making prayers. I need them very much.”

BBC News

Pope Francis will visit his predecessor at the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo next Saturday in a historic encounter that brings together the new pope and the first pope to resign in six centuries, the Vatican said in an announcement that outlines the church rites and political meetings for the first days of the papacy.

Among the talks, the Vatican said Saturday, will be a session with the president of Francis’ homeland Argentina on Monday, the eve of his formal installation as pontiff. The pope has sharply criticized Christina Fernandez her support for liberal measures such as gay marriage and free contraceptives.

But the most closely watched appointment will be Francis’ journey next Saturday to the hills south of Rome for lunch with Benedict XVI, who set in motion the stunning papal transition with his decision become the first pope in 600 years to step down. The meeting will be private, but every comment and gesture on the sidelines will be scrutinized for hints of how the unprecedented relationship will take shape between the emeritus pontiff and his successor.

Benedict has been out of the public eye since officially leaving the papacy on Feb. 28 and the Vatican dismissed any suggestion that the former pope helped shaped the discussions inside the secret gathering of cardinals that selected Buenos Aires Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio on Wednesday as the first pontiff from Latin America. Vatican officials said there was no contact between the papal electors and Benedict before the conclave.

Benedict has promised to remain outside church affairs and dedicate himself to prayer and meditation. Pope Francis, however, has not been reluctant to invoke Benedict’s legacy and memory in both an acknowledgment of the unusual dimensions of his papacy and also a message that he is comfortable with the situation and is now fully in charge.

World leaders and senior international envoys, including Vice President Joe Biden, are expected on Monday for the formal installation of Pope Francis. It offers the new pope his first opportunities to flex his diplomatic skills as head of Vatican city-state. But the most potentially sensitive talks could come with Fernandez after years of open tensions over the then-archbishop’s strong opposition to initiatives that led Argentina to become Latin American country to legalize gay marriage. He also opposed — but failed to stop — Fernandez from promoting free contraception and artificial insemination.

On Saturday, thousands of people gathered for Francis’ meeting with journalists, media workers and their guests.

Francis charmed the crowd with his informal manner, tossing off jokes and giving glimpses inside the conclave that made him pope.

By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press/ABC News

Pope Francis has warned the Catholic Church would become “a compassionate NGO” without spiritual renewal.

In a Sistine Chapel Mass with cardinals on his first day as Church leader, the pontiff said: “If we do not confess to Christ, what would we be?

“We would end up a compassionate NGO. What would happen would be like when children make sand castles and then it all falls down.”

Francis is the first Latin American – and the first Jesuit – Pope.

The BBC’s David Willey, in Rome, says the 76-year-old has already been swift to stamp his style on the papacy.

Pope Francis is regarded as a doctrinal conservative, but he is also seen as a potential force for reform of the Vatican bureaucracy, analysts say.

Shunned special car

On Wednesday night, Pope Francis endeared himself to the crowds in St Peter’s Square – and underlined his reputation for humility – when he asked them to bless him before blessing them in return from the balcony of the basilica.

The Vatican’s account of his first hours in the top job on Thursday also emphasised Pope Francis’s humility, describing how he shunned a special car and security detail provided to take him to the Vatican, travelling instead on a bus with the other cardinals.

Following his first outing as pope to the Rome basilica on Thursday, Francis went back to the clergy house in a city centre side street where he had been staying ahead of the conclave that elected him on Wednesday.

“He packed his bags and then he went to pay the bill for his room so as to set a good example,” said Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi.

He also broke tradition by remaining standing to receive cardinals’ acts of homage after his election, instead of sitting in the papal throne, Father Lombardi said.

On Friday, Pope Francis will meet all the cardinals, including those aged over 80 who did not take part in the conclave.

On Saturday he will meet the world’s media at a special papal audience, an opportunity perhaps to set out some of his global vision, says the BBC’s James Robbins in Rome.

A visit to his predecessor Benedict XVI at his retreat at Castel Gandolfo outside Rome is also planned, but will not take place in the next couple of days, Father Lombardi said.

The visit to Benedict is important, correspondents say, as the existence of a living retired pope has prompted fears of a possible rival power.

Francis will be installed officially in an inauguration Mass on Tuesday 19 March, the Vatican added.

BBC News

Pope Francis has spent his first day at the helm of the Catholic Church meeting people in Rome ahead of a Sistine Chapel Mass with cardinals.

After private prayers at the basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, he crossed the road to a local school to meet children and commuters heading to work.

The Pope later went to the priests’ residence in Piazza Navona to pick up his belongings and pay his bill.

He will also start the process of appointing senior staff at the Vatican.

As the first Latin American – and the first Jesuit – pope, Francis has received a flood of goodwill messages from around the world.

But the 76-year-old Argentine, formerly Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, also faces a series of tough challenges.

The Church has been dogged by infighting and scandals over clerical sex abuse and alleged corruption.

The BBC’s David Willey, in Rome, says that Pope Francis becomes head of the Church at a critical moment in its history.

Shunned special car

On Wednesday night, Pope Francis endeared himself to the crowds in St Peter’s Square – and underlined his reputation for humility – when he asked them to bless him before blessing them in return from the balcony of the basilica.

The Vatican’s account of his first hours in the top job also emphasised Pope Francis’s humility, describing how he shunned a special car and security detail provided to take him to the Vatican and travelled on a bus with the other cardinals.

Following his first outing as pope to the Rome basilica on Thursday, Francis went back to the clergy house in a city centre side street where he had been staying ahead of the conclave that elected him on Wednesday.

“He packed his bags and then he went to pay the bill for his room so as to set a good example,” said Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi.

He also broke tradition by remaining standing to receive cardinals’ acts of homage after his election, instead of sitting in the papal throne, Lombardi said.

Pope Francis is returning to the Sistine Chapel on Thursday afternoon, scene of his election, to celebrate Mass with the cardinals.

During the Mass he will deliver a homily which will be carefully scrutinised for what it may reveal about his priorities for the Church.

The next day, he will meet all the cardinals, including those aged over 80 who did not take part in the conclave.

On Saturday he will meet the world’s media at a special papal audience, an opportunity perhaps to set out some of his global vision, says the BBC’s James Robbins in Rome.

A visit to his predecessor Benedict XVI at his retreat at Castel Gandolfo outside Rome is also planned, but will not take place for the “next few days”, Lombardi said.

The visit to Benedict is important, correspondents say, as the existence of a living retired pope has prompted fears of a possible rival power.

Francis will be installed officially in an inauguration Mass on Tuesday 19 March, the Vatican added.

The election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio surprised many observers when it was revealed on Wednesday.

Although he reportedly came second to Pope Benedict XVI during the 2005 conclave, few had predicted the election of the first pope from outside Europe in 1,300 years.

Pope Francis is regarded as a doctrinal conservative, but he is also seen as a potential force for reform of the Vatican bureaucracy – and analysts say that may have won the support of reforming cardinals.

The new pontiff will certainly come under strong pressure to reform the Curia, the governing body of the Church.

He will also face an array of challenges which include the role of women, interfaith tensions and dwindling congregations in some parts of the world.

The 76-year-old from Buenos Aires is the first Pope to take the name of Francis – reminiscent of Francis of Assisi, the 13th Century Italian reformer and patron saint of animals, who lived in poverty.

BBC News

White smoke rose from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel today and the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica are ringing, signifying that a new pope has been elected to head the world’s Catholic Church.

A roar of cheers arose from the thousands of people awaiting the signal outside the Vatican. Elated crowd members from around the world cheered and cried as the smoke wafted over the Vatican.

The newly elected 266th pope will quickly be moved into the room of tears where he will be outfitted with his new vestments.

The 115 cardinal electors began the conclave on Tuesday following the resignation of Benedict XVI, the first pontiff to resign in 600 years. At least a two-thirds majority — 77 votes — was required to elect the next pope.

French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the senior cardinal in the order of the deacons, is expected to step onto the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica shortly to announce, “Habemus Papam,” Latin for “We have a pope.”

Tauran will then reveal the pontiff’s birth name and the name he has chosen for himself as pope.

The new pope is then expected to step onto the balcony to greet the crowd gathered below in St. Peter’s Square.

By CHRISTINA NG/ABC News

White smoke billowing from the Sistine Chapel chimney has announced to the world that cardinals gathered inside have elected a new Pope to head the Catholic Church.

Crowds in St Peter’s Square cheered and bells rang out as the smoke appeared.

The name of the new Pope is expected to be announced shortly.

He will replace Pope Benedict XVI, who stepped down last month saying he was no longer strong enough to lead the Church.

The 115 cardinals have been in isolation since Tuesday afternoon, and held four inconclusive votes before electing a Pope.

Before the conclave began, there was no clear frontrunner to replace Benedict.

BBC News

The Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles is to pay out nearly $10m (£6.7m) to settle four cases of sexual abuse by a former priest, Father Michael Baker.

Recently released files show Cardinal Roger Mahony knew the priest had abused but put him back into ministry, where he is alleged to have abused again.

The settlement comes as the cardinals of the Catholic Church are meeting to select a new pope following the abdication of Benedict XVI.

Cardinal Mahony is at the conclave.

Nearly 10,000 US Catholics signed a petition urging him not to go because of the allegations he protected priests accused of child sex abuse.

Church files

Cardinal Mahony was the popular archbishop of the Los Angeles Archdiocese – the largest in the US, representing five million Catholics – for 26 years until his retirement in 2011.

As part of this settlement, no parties admit any wrongdoing.

But thousands of pages of church files were recently released on a court order, revealing that Cardinal Mahony shielded a number of accused priests from the law; among them Baker, who in 1986 was sent for psychological treatment at a church-run centre and then allowed back into ministry.

He went on to abuse again and this payment of $9.9m relates to four of his alleged victims, who accused him of molesting them – and claimed the cardinal covered up his behaviour.

Two of the plaintiffs, who are brothers, will get $4 million each, and the two others will get nearly $1 million each, plaintiff’s attorney John Manly said according to the Associated Press news agency.

Baker was convicted of child molestation in 2007 – the same year the LA archdiocese reached a record-breaking $660m settlement with hundreds of abuse victims – and released in 2011.

‘Mistakes’

This is a further embarrassment for the archdiocese and especially for Cardinal Roger Mahony, says the BBC’s Jane Little in Washington.

Cardinal Mahony has called Michael Baker his “greatest mistake”.

“We have for a long, long time said that we made serious mistakes with Michael Baker and we had always taken the position in these cases that whatever Baker did we were responsible for,” AP quoted J Michael Hennigan, an archdiocese attorney, as saying.

“That was never an issue.”

“The person who could have stopped this in its tracks and prevented three out of four of these children from being sexually assaulted is now sitting in Rome voting for the next vicar of Christ,” said Mr Manly.

“I find that terribly troubling.”

BBC News