April 22 2005 -- The word from Rome

I found this on this excellent blog site: http://britius.stblogs.org/

and it made me so filled with joy and happiness and love for my church that I had to share it! Please read it, if you are Catholic and love Pope B, it will make you smile and go 'yey! Thank you for the Church!!'

From my lay consecrated friend in Rome:I had completely convinced myself that there was no chance for Ratzinger. So you can imagine my cry of amazement when I saw our new Pope. I think I have never experienced sheer joy as I did yesterday evening in St. Peter's Square.

I was attending a lecture on St. Mary Magdalene, which began at five o'clock. My plan was to dart out the door to make it to the Vatican by seven in order to see the black smoke. Suddenly I heard my friends running down the stairs, interrupting the lecture, announcing Habemus Papam!

I screamed and plowed through the audience (who were sitting like deadbeats in their seats) and I started sprinting. I knew it was a forty-five minute walk to St. Peters, so I had to find a taxi to make it in time. People on the streets still had no idea. So I was able to hail a taxi and jump in with my friends. Then we hit the traffic jam. The ten minutes of slow advancement was making me crazy. But I knew this was my only choice - I was still too far away to start running. I am a short distance runner. So I had to be patient. But that was a joke. I kept tapping the taxi driver on the shoulder saying, "Vai! Vai!". Luckily, he didn't find it too annoying. In my nervous excitement I kept clasping my hands together and repeating the Lord's name. There was nothing vain about it.


Just before the traffic halted completely I pulled my friend Stefania out of the car screaming "Run!" Everyone on the street was heading for the Vatican. I started weaving through cars because the people on the side walk were too slow. Horns were blowing. People were laughing and crying as they ran. Something about it felt like Armageddon. I lost my friend during the sprint and I figured I'd never find her. But we spotted each other just after crossing the bridge, and grabbing hands we ran together until we made it into the square.

I don't know how to explain the moment they announced his name. And hearing Benedictus XVI. And then the curtain opening and seeing him. And he was smiling. And his words to us were so humble and beautiful. I guess the Holy Spirit accepted my tears and squeals of delight as my "tante grazie". Oh, the hope I felt for the Church at that moment! Not only was everything going to be "ok", but I knew great things would happen in the Church with the leadership of this Pope. So we thanked the Cardinals for voting for this great man. Did you see that on TV? The crowed was shouting "Grazie" to the men in red.


Many of us stayed in the Square to celebrate. It was great being with people my age (in our 20's) who were so fired up about the "Hammer of Heresy". That was another great thing - the crowd was so young. We tried making new cheers for Benedict XVI. When it was dark, my group of friends sang the Salve Regina together. Immediately afterwards we spotted two men with black coats and hats trying to walk casually through the square. But bits of red were poking out. Most of the girls kissed their hands and thanked them. Their faces were beaming as they in turn patted the young people's faces. Part of their joy I think was seeing the young people so happy and supportive. They were humble cardinals from Zagreb and Sarajevo. One of them granted our request for a blessing. So we knelt to receive it in Latin. Not long after, we went out for German beer, shouting "Viva il Papa!" along the way.