Pope Francis prays in front of Our Lady at his inauguration mass
Fr Richard Leonard
The Election
The Election was first published in Eureka Street
It’s only by good luck and blessing that I found myself in Rome during these days. I have been booked to come as a visiting professor to the Gregorian University for the last twelve months. Obviously BXVI got wind of it and resigned, setting in motion the events of recent days.
On Tuesday morning I was being interviewed by Geraldine Doogue for “Compass” on the roof of the Jesuit Curia, right next to the St Peter’s Square, when the black smoke went up. I said to Gerry on air, “It’s just like so many people’s impressions of the Catholic Church – black or white!” That gem deserves to be left on the cutting room floor. No one thought the Conclave would have it done after three votes, and most seasoned Vatican-watchers were saying Thursday midday.
I finished teaching at 7pm. The first clue that something was on were the bells. As the white smoke went up, the bells at St Peter’s starts ringing and, through a centuries-old tradition, the tolling cascades from one belfry to the next. It took two minutes for the churches around the Trevi Fountain, where the Gregorian is located, to ring out the news. I guess a tweet would be quicker, but less poetic.
At that moment a Polish nun, in full habit ran past me shouting ‘fumare bianca, fumare bianca’. Sister was excited. And all of a sudden so was I. These last days have seen this extraordinary Catholic theatre: where 115 men talk to the world via a chimney stack. It was time for the ‘big reveal’. I now know where real-life TV gets this stuff from. Continue reading
