i'm bob abernethy.>> and the corporation for public broadcasting. >> welcome. i'm bob abernethy. it's good to have you with us. pope francis began his papacy this week amid high expectations and intense scrutiny from catholics and non-catholics alike. an emphasis on simplicity and humility marked the installation mass tuesday, where francis continued to highlight his concern for the poor and for the weakest in society. in his homily, the new pope urged protection for creation and for all human beings. he said people, including the pope, should remember that authentic power is the service of others. representatives of many faiths attended the mass, among them, for the first time in nearly a millennium, the ecumenical patriarch of eastern orthodoxy. on wednesday, francis held a special meeting with a broad range of interfaith leaders. he highlighted what he called "the importance of promoting friendship and respect among men and women of different religious traditions." he specifically recognized several

i'm bob abernethy. it's good to have you th u at the vatican, as the catholic cardinals chose this coming tuesday to begin the papal conclave, more groundwork was laid this week for the selection of the new pope. our managing editor, kim lawton, reports from rome. >> since monday, the cardinals have been gathering for a series of meetings --what they call "congregations" -- to discuss the future of the catholic church. >> that's where they meet and have speeches, listen to each other, do some logistical planning for the conclave. some of it's very boring. but the important part that they do there was actually talk about some of the issues that face the church and what they think is needed. >> father thomas reese is doing analysis of the papal transition for national catholic reporter. he says the cardinals' most essential work this week took place outside the meetings. >> over the coffee breaks, over dinner and lunch where the cardinals have a chance to talk to one another, get to know one another, aski

i'm bob abernethy. it's good to have you with us. at the vatican, the college of cardinals is making preparations for the selection of the next pope now that benedict xvi has officially stepped down, the first pope to do so in over 600 years. on thursday, his final day, benedict met with the cardinals already gathered in rome and promised "unconditional reverence and obedience" to his successor. he then took a helicopter to the papal villa, castel gandolfo, where he will stay until moving to a vatican monastery for what he's said will be a life of prayer outside of public view. during his last papal audience on wednesday, benedict spoke of the joy of leading the church, as well as the many difficulties he faced a pope. >> i will continue to accompany the church with my prayers and i ask each of you to pray for me and for the new pope. with the papal seat empty, the cardinals will soon decide when to begin the conclave to elect their next leader. earlier this week, cardinal keith o'brien of scotland, who

i'm bob abernethy.t's good to have you with us. man catholics around the world this week welcomed their new leader amid many expectations and questions about what the papacy of pope francis may hold. cardinal jorge mario bergoglio of buenos aires was elected pope wednesday, choosing the name francis in reference, the vatican said, to st. francis of assisi. he is the first pope to take that name. he is also the first jesuit to become pope and the first pope from south america. francis is known for his advocacy on the part of the poor and for his humility. in argentina, he lived simply in a small apartment, often cooked for himself, and took the bus or subway every day instead of a chauffeured car. he is also a staunch social conservative, who strongly opposes abortion and protested vigorously against his country's legalization of same-sex marriage. this week, francis celebrated mass with the cardinals. earlier, he prayed at rome's basilica of santa maria maggiore, dedicated to the virgin mary. our managi

i'm bob abernethy. it's good have you with us. >>> from palm sunday to easter, western christians have been observing holy week, the most sacred time on their calendar. with special rituals, music and worship services, christians around the world have been commemorating the last days of jesus' life before the crucifixion and then his resurrection. there's been particular attention paid to pope francis and the first holy week of his papacy. many catholics said they were especially moved when francis celebrated the traditional maundy thursday service at a juvenile detention center, where he washed the feet of some young detainees. in a break with tradition, two of them were women and at least two were muslim. >>> francis had a busy week, including a brief visit with pope emeritus benedict xvi at castel gandalfo. the vatican announced that, for now, francis will not be moving into the papal apartments in the apostolic palace overlooking st. peter's square. rather, he will stay in a simpler suite at the vat