New Pope News Rallies Spirit FM Listeners

"We've got WHITE SMOKE!!!" Spirit FM radio station shouted (virtually) across the Interent via Facebook upon the announcement that Pope Francis is the new  chosen leader of the Roman Catholic Church.

Radio Station Spirit FM offered blessings for the new pope Wednesday on its Facebook page:

"God Bless Pope Francis I!!! :D May the Holy Spirit be with him and grant him wisdom!!" the station's organizers wrote on Facebook.

"Amen!" replied Beth Coger Casey just four minutes later. More than 130 people immediately "liked" this.

Spirit FM 90.5 (WBVM) celebrated nonstop on its radio station, which broadcasts to Catholics in the Tampa Bay area.

The station aired a live press conference with Bishop Robert Lynch of the Diocese of St. Petersburg after today's announcement of the new pope, which it is repeating for listeners this week.

The station is located at Christ the King Catholic Church, 717 S. Dale Mabry Highway, and has been on the air for more than a quarter century. It is owned and operated by the Catholic Diocese of St. Petersburg.

Spirit FM even had helped Tampa Bay followers with an app of sorts that alerted followers when white smoke was rising from the Vatican:

"Want to be one of the first people to know when there's a new pope? Check out www.popealarm.com ...It's a pretty cool service from FOCUS (www.focus.org) that will actually text and/or email you when that white smoke rises! :)"

The station airs on 90.5 FM from the same tower as Channel 3 (WEDU) in Riverview. It also livestreams its radio broadcast.