When I heard about Pope Benedict’s resignation, I was excited — I heard about it during drive time, while taking Maggie to school. She had no idea what I was talking about.
About a week later, Maggie comes home saying that her teachers talked about the pope. Really, I said, about an institution that promised not to talk about religion. Yes, she said, the teacher asked if anyone went to church or synagogue or mosque.
Oh, I said, so what did you say.
Maggie said she was an Episcopalian. Wow, I said.
And now, she said, we’re going to get a new pope.
I was kind of stunned, and I tried to explain, but she got really excited about the black smoke and the white smoke so I just let it be.
Next conversation was about when the black smoke first appeared. We don’t have a new pope today, she said. That’s right, in Rome, they are still trying to make up their mind.
Where is Rome, she asked.
In Italy, I said.
Not New Jersey? she cried, sounding very disappointed.
On the way to pick her up from, I was excited that I would be telling her about the appearance of the white smoke. But when she got into the car, she not only told me that the white smoke appeared, but that new pope was from Argentina. Yes, the teachers read it off of their phones, she said.
We now have a new pope.
Well, I said, there is a new pope, but we are Episcopalians, we don’t have popes, we have archbishops.
Silence. I could see the question — ok, if that is the case, where is the smoke?
How can I explain Archbishops without conclave and smoke? And can you image trying to explain Presiding Bishops? Didn’t the Anglican Communion recently welcome a new Archbishop? Never underestimate the power of signs and symbols.
But, now, there is a new pope — and what is exciting, is that this pope is from our hemisphere and from South America and he is Latino. The developing world which has become the center of Christianity is now recognized in international church leadership. Maggie will never know a world where this was not a possibility.
As a child I was always fascinated by the conclave as well, I had hoped I could share this Church history moment with my children, but I had no idea they would scoop me for the story because their teachers used technology in their pre-kindergartend classroom.
Now, as exciting as this new pope may be for us all, he is still arch conservative and we are not sure what this signals for the Catholic Church but at least this is an optimistic move. But he’s 76! Well, no doubt Maggie will see the white and black smoke again sometime in her childhood. I saw it twice in my childhood and I believe this is the fourth time in my lifetime.
Well, we shall see what kind of season this man will bring…
I have actually been emailing my Catholic friends, none of whom have anything to say — mmm. I suppose we are all still waiting for the smoke to clear to see what we have in this new season of the church.
