White Smoke!
Yesterday, I was just minding my own business, eating something clearly inedible (it was supposed to be fajitas), discussing how the next Pope was definitely more likely to be Arinze. All of a sudden, someone rushed into the Commons, said, "White smoke," and ran out again. As soon as we heard, our table at least rose as one and dashed for the door. The more present-minded of us grabbed our lunches; I didn't.
There's a shortcut to the gym (where one of only two TV's on campus is [if you count Padre Pio's]) that goes down a very dusty hill at about a 45 degree angle and back up again. We all dashed down way over the sensible speed limit. Andrew tumbled down the hill and slid in the dirt, but he barely knew he was down before he was up again and running.
The Baggage Boy was the first to the TV and got to turn it on--that's his claim to fame. The rest of us dashed in on his heels. Looking around, we saw our group was almost exclusively composed of freshman. We fathomed why when, some minutes later, upperclassmen started coming in carrying their lunches. Oh yeah. Lunch. Who needs lunch? There's white smoke!
So we all watched smoke and bells for a long time, and listened to secular commentators talk about stuff they knew nothing about (until we got sick of it and switched to EWTN). Meanwhile we watched the crowd shots for Christendom Rome students--and saw them too. The college president led the Memorare.
Then the cardinal (whoever he was) came out and told us "Habemus Papam." (Screaming and shouting, hushing from college president.) Then he said "Joseph," (more screaming, more hushing) "Ratzinger," (extended screaming, shouting, high-fives, jumping up and down, calling in of bets [da boss won], "No way's" and "Yes way's," hushing) and finally "Benedict XVI," at which point the hushing stopped and we all let loose. After all, all we were missing was the TV translation, which we didn't need, and which probably stunk anyway.
When he came out, the excitement quieted down, but still, we were extremely thrilled. My favourite words he said were, "Let's get on with the blessing." We all knelt down in front of the TV to get the blessing. I didn't know this before, but there's a plenary indulgence attached to it, even if you only see it on TV or hear it on the radio.
The bells of the chapel rang solid from the end of the 11:30 Mass to the beginning of the 4:45. By the time we came out of the gym, the Vatican flag was back from half-staff and there were two more Vatican flags outside the chapel. People were driving by honking wildly, and someone even drove around with someone standing up out of the sun roof and spreading out a Vatican flag. (You can always tell the Catholics.)
Later in the day we had a Eucharistic procession all over the college, despite a few big drops of rain. The drifting pear blossoms mixed with the floating incense and made quite a lovely picture. We were all so happy.
There's only one thing to say: Holy smokes!
There's a shortcut to the gym (where one of only two TV's on campus is [if you count Padre Pio's]) that goes down a very dusty hill at about a 45 degree angle and back up again. We all dashed down way over the sensible speed limit. Andrew tumbled down the hill and slid in the dirt, but he barely knew he was down before he was up again and running.
The Baggage Boy was the first to the TV and got to turn it on--that's his claim to fame. The rest of us dashed in on his heels. Looking around, we saw our group was almost exclusively composed of freshman. We fathomed why when, some minutes later, upperclassmen started coming in carrying their lunches. Oh yeah. Lunch. Who needs lunch? There's white smoke!
So we all watched smoke and bells for a long time, and listened to secular commentators talk about stuff they knew nothing about (until we got sick of it and switched to EWTN). Meanwhile we watched the crowd shots for Christendom Rome students--and saw them too. The college president led the Memorare.
Then the cardinal (whoever he was) came out and told us "Habemus Papam." (Screaming and shouting, hushing from college president.) Then he said "Joseph," (more screaming, more hushing) "Ratzinger," (extended screaming, shouting, high-fives, jumping up and down, calling in of bets [da boss won], "No way's" and "Yes way's," hushing) and finally "Benedict XVI," at which point the hushing stopped and we all let loose. After all, all we were missing was the TV translation, which we didn't need, and which probably stunk anyway.
When he came out, the excitement quieted down, but still, we were extremely thrilled. My favourite words he said were, "Let's get on with the blessing." We all knelt down in front of the TV to get the blessing. I didn't know this before, but there's a plenary indulgence attached to it, even if you only see it on TV or hear it on the radio.
The bells of the chapel rang solid from the end of the 11:30 Mass to the beginning of the 4:45. By the time we came out of the gym, the Vatican flag was back from half-staff and there were two more Vatican flags outside the chapel. People were driving by honking wildly, and someone even drove around with someone standing up out of the sun roof and spreading out a Vatican flag. (You can always tell the Catholics.)
Later in the day we had a Eucharistic procession all over the college, despite a few big drops of rain. The drifting pear blossoms mixed with the floating incense and made quite a lovely picture. We were all so happy.
There's only one thing to say: Holy smokes!
posted by Sheila at 5:56 PM
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