Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio - the new Pope Francis I - is a "holy and humble man," according to Rev. Michael Doyle at St. Mary of the Annunciation.

"It seems to me he is an exceptional selection," Doyle said on Wednesday afternoon after white smoke emerged from the conclave in Vatican City.

Doyle said he saw Bergoglio as a contender for the leader of the Catholic Church after reading on blogs that he was the runner-up when Pope Benedict XVI at the conclave in 2005.

The only question was whether the College of Cardinals would choose Bergoglio, 76, or whether they were looking for a younger pope.

"I think the Lord did his work," Doyle said.

It was important that the new pope have the ability to address concerns about making reforms, both in Rome and outside Rome, he said.

"From all accounts, (he) is viewed as a man who has the gifts and the skillset that is needed in the church right now," Doyle said.

Bergoglio comes from the third world but has roots in "old world" Europe, Doyle said, which "shows the richness of his background."

Francis is the first Jesuit pope, something Doyle called "significant."

As for the speculation that Cardinal Sean O'Malley of Boston was a leading contender to be pope, Doyle said that O'Malley is a humble man that would not have sought it himself. O'Malley's strong connections to the church in Latin America likely made him supportive of Bergoglio, Doyle said.

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