Forget March Madness. We have Conclave Craziness.
It's too bad there isn't the threat of snow in Rome. The local TV stations would blow a gasket.
The eyes of the world are now firmly fixed on the Vatican. That's because the cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church have gathered in Rome to start the process of electing the next leader of the church. As we speak they are attending Mass. Following that they will enter the Sistine Chapel, the doors will be locked behind them, roped off in red as almost everything in Rome seems to be this day, and then they will get down to the game of hardball that is known as selecting the new pope.
There may or may not be a vote taken today.
Of course, as we have been told umpteen times by now, we will know the results of the vote - and if we have a new pope - by the color of the smoke emanating from the chimey at the Sistine Chapel. Black smoke means no pope; white smoke followed by ringing bells means it’s party time.
I often find myself at odds with some of the teachings of the church. This is not what one of them. To be honest, I think the church for a long time has been going in the wrong direction, trying to broaden their appeal to reach more people.
I’m more of an old school guy. I’d still like the Mass to be said in Latin, with the priests’ back to the pews as he went through the celebration of the Mass.
We will not learn of the new pope via Twitter. Or a post on Facebook. Text message? I dont’ think so.
Instead we will state intently at that single chimney and try to interpret what color the smoke is.
Now that’s old school.
Here are my odds on the length of the conclave. I put the over/under at three days. It says here we will have a new pope on Thursday
An American? I wouldn’t put the house on it.
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