GAINESVILLE - American Catholics of a more liberal perspective are calling it a chance for change.

The announcement of Pope Benedict the 16th's resignation comes as a shock for many priests including some here in North Central Florida.

Father Roland Julien hopes this is a new beginning for the catholic church.

Father Julien who's been in Gainesville for 40 years says Pope Benedict the 16th is conservative and traditional particularly with the Latin Mass, the entire mass is spoken in Latin.

He was shocked to to learn the pope stepped down since its the first time a pope stepped down in hundreds of years.

"I would hope all christians people of all faiths would pray that we would get a good leader who would really bring all the people in the church and other churches too closer together,"  Father Julien said.

Father Julien expects a new pope will take over around the end of March.