So much for all the pre-conclave speculation and scenarios. For those of you who view papal elections in terms of brackets, e.g., Religious News Service’s “Sweet Sistine, the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio is even bigger than a play-in team upsetting a #1 in the first round, and then going on to win the championship.
When will we learn? The conclave isn’t over until the Holy Spirit votes. If anyone tells you that he/she predicted Cardinal Bergoglio would be elected pope, he/she is either a. a member of the Holy Trinity, or b. a liar.
By the way, those who participated in the RNS bracket had Cardinal John Onaiyekan of Nigeria winning it all. And www.paddypower.com, mentioned often prior to and during the conclave, had Cardinal Bergoglio at 40-1.
What’s not to like about Pope Francis? Simple lifestyle, served among the poor, humble, defender of the faith — sounds like the job description for the Vicar of Christ, doesn’t it?
Calls to mind that Jesuit cardinal and eventual doctor of the church, St. Robert Bellarmine, who, when he resided at the Vatican in the early 1600s, tore the tapestries from the walls of his room in order to clothe the poor. He was said to have remarked, “The walls won’t catch cold.”
If they had such an honor… We’ll never know, but if Cardinal Timothy M. Dolan was as kind to his brother cardinals in the conclave as he was to the media and others to whom he spoke prior to the conclave, he certainly would have won Cardinal Congeniality.
Great date: March 13 was the date on which our 48th pope was elected. In 483, Pope Felix III on chosen on that date. And, Pope Innocent XII, was born on that date in 1615.
Down in the mouth: Root Canal Awareness Week begins this Sunday.
