7 Quick Takes - Papal Edition


1.
How cool is it that we live in an age where we can do this:

"Bye bye Papa!"

2.
and this:
Watching Papa Ben leave the papal apartments

So crazy that we get to witness these moments, right?  

3.
It's times like these I love our Faith so so much.  The bond we all share.  It's so palpable right now.  I like how Kelly put it.  It's the air I breathe, too.
Also, am I the only one who is already in tears any time I talk about or think about the moments when they will announce the new pope??  I was trying to describe the moment to the kids and I couldn't get out the words "habemus papam without getting choked up.  It's so so awesome.  All of it.  Even the smoke, which the kids are SO crazy excited to see.  Yesterday they were putting various things on their heads and pretending to be the smoke.

4.
You may or may not have already heard about this site:  Adopt a Cardinal?  For real, what an amazing idea this is!  You get randomly assigned a cardinal in the conclave for whom to pray.  Already thousands of people have been given a specific cardinal.  And guess who our family got out of all the 115 or so cardinals available?

Cardinal George!!
The very same cardinal who we got to meet back when we lived in Chicago and the very same cardinal who blessed John Paul while in utero!  (Also the very same cardinal who continues to send us annual fund drive appeals even though we haven't lived there in five years...)  I almost took a job working at the chancery there in Chicago.  Still kicking myself years later for that passing that up.
I printed out his picture and we have it on the kitchen table to remind us to pray for all the cardinals and him especially.  I love when the internet can be used for things like this and I love that someone thought of it.

If you haven't adopted yourself a cardinal, go do it!

5.
So here's my predictions based on nothing but the fact that I want to make a prediction with the slim chance of being able to say I nailed it:

New Pope:  Cardinal George (Crazy pick...nobody thinks him which is why I want to say it, I think...more bragging rights if it does happen.)
New Papal Name:  Pope Paul VII

What say you?

6.
One of my other biggest life regrets:  Not traveling to Rome on our honeymoon and missing the other chances I had to see Pope John Paul II.  We should've just put it on the credit card and done it when we had the chance.  We thought we were being smart by not going into wedding debt but that debt would have been worth it.  So wish I could redo that.

7.
But one of my most prized "possessions" is the papal blessing that my sister and brother in law gave to John Paul when he was baptized.  From his namesake less than a year before he died.  So grateful for that.  I remember watching those moments with my baby John Paul in my lap wishing with all my heart that he could've met him.  Someday we will.  And I will chat that poor man's glorified ear right off.




10 comments

  1. #3- I cried just reading what you wrote!! But, I have been weepy for the last few days. I could not hold it together yesterday. At all.

    #5- He would be a great pick, but unlikely because he is battling cancer (if I remember correctly . . . my hubby mentioned that he is sick and would be missing their March meetings due to illness)

    I was wondering if we would have a JP III . . .

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    1. Oh yeah. Um, guess that makes a really dumb pick then... Okay, then I'll go with Chaput. He's not even a cardinal but just because l would be ecstatic if it were him.

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    2. Cardinal George just finished a round of chemo to treat a form of cancer in the kidney, and his latest check-up found him essentially cancer-free. But of course he still needs our prayers!! Also, he'll be at the Conclave; he's already in Rome. I'd LOVE too see him as Pope - though VERY unlikey. My next prediction would be Cardinal Arinze. :-)

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  2. I know, I, too, have been so enamored with this process. It is just so amazing and makes me fall in love with our faith even more. The tradition is so cool when you learn about it. I watched all of the events again last night on youtube with tears in my eyes. It has made me so happy and proud to be Catholic! I also loved watching JP talk about it today in class- his eyes lit up when we were talking about it- he has such a love for his faith!

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  3. *ditto* to everything Kelly said! It really is a privilege to witness these events and to pray for the cardinals and the new pastor of the church, whoever he may be!

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  4. I had not heard about the Adopt a Cardinal! I am so going to do that!

    I second your pick of Chaput (again, knowing he's not eligible at all.) But he rocks.

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  5. Great post! Technically any baptized man can become pope (although he would have to be ordained a bishop first) so Chaput (my pick!) could "technically" be chosen!!!

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  6. I'm coming up as my son, Kolbe, but the above comment is actually from Kelly.

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  7. Great idea to print out the picture to remember to pray!! I'm going to have to do that!!

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