Pope Francis

Fr Flens also waits at the square

Black smoke earlier on Wednesday

Buddy said going into his dad’s office: “Francisco, that’s fun to say! … Franncisssco … Franciscoooo.” It is one of my favorite quotes from Elf, the sweet 2003 Christmas movie. Francis is a name with an all-inclusive program. That’s even funnier to say. … and encouraging.

It was March 13^th and today is March 16^th. There have passed three days since that cool evening. One that started cold and wet but transported us to an almost ecstasy’s from which I do not want to recover. The sensation is still electric and bloodcurdling of great emotions.

It was a quarter to six pm when I came down from the Urbaniana University to St Peter’s square. But before that, I was keeping an eye on Ricardo who had a cell phone ready to receive a text communicating white smoke after the 4^th scrutiny. Time passed after the approximate time we had for it 

and nothing happened. The assumption: the pope was not elected yet; therefore, the only evening fumata will come after the following voting, approximately 7 pm. We had still time. But who could concentrate on the most serious crimes of penal law? The conference was expanding as a slingshot and got so tense that once it was over, we just exit the conference room like the very projectiles. I stayed behind Ricardo and friends. I tried to encourage another less passionate classmate to join us. When I looked around, everybody was gone! I walked down by myself. The square was flooded. I only could see what looked like a giant carpet of multicolor umbrellas. The cloud above dissolved like if it was constipated and showered me like a Hawaiian waterfall. While I made the eternal line to get in, I prayed the 6:00pm Angelus. I was in need of patience.

The atmosphere felt much positive that the night before and earlier. I thought I wouldn’t move easily through the crowd. But I closed down my black umbrella and walked much better. Once I reached a clear space, I was as deep in as by the south Obelisk lampstand. I stayed still staring at the chimney. Actually, there was not a real need to do that. When the smoke comes out it is always generous and lasts long. But I think I wanted to be the first to see it and shout out.  The only thing that could bring me down from that cloud was the sensation of somebody looking at me. In fact, there was a man wearing a beard watching how the rain covered my beret and soaked me before reaching the cobblestone floor.  I got it. I opened my umbrella again and that solved the problem.  The whole thing was still so surreal to me that not water nor cold, not hunger nor thirst felt my body. I only wanted a Pope. This was the most authentic manifestation of waiting. It was the waiting that takes over one’s own being, just like Advent. I wish I could feel it in Advent. I have preached about it. But I never have felt it in this way. That’s how the waiting for the Lord must feel!

Some minutes later, I decided to move. Anticipating the emotion of the big moment, I didn’t like to be alone among so many people. I started to walk around without looking for anyone but hoping to find a familiar face. Actually, it is one of the best things of Rome. No matter how big the crowd is, you always meet with somebody you know. It is like a small town. Without expecting it, I met up with my old friend from the seminary fr. John Muir who was with his friend Dr Billy and seminarian Fernando. Right away the discussion went on about the name Francis, but for our favorite cardinal O’Malley. We had the name ready. I think it was the a product of the conspiracy of our deep longings for simplicity and a more visible manifestation of the Gospel values in our lives. 

Br. Pablo, Fernando, me, Fr John and Dr Billy after the white smoke came out

It became dark and the charged cloud never moved. The dark sky was the perfect background for white smoke, I just said. It didn’t pass one minute when in fact there it was: fumata bianca! But we waited a little to confirm it was white. All the others were white in the beginning and; then, some seconds later it became gray to finally get dark as black. This one was still white two seconds later and we look at each other. By second three, it still was white, but we didn’t believe it yet. By second four it was white. It was WHITE smoke! No doubt a pope was elected! The basilica’s robust bells rang echoing joy. We hug each other and run up like wild crazy goats to the front as it was possible. We shout out of excitement on the top of our lungs. The only thing for a perfect soiree was that the rain would stop. Suddenly, trumpets blared and drums rolled on the distance. It was the Swiss Guard’s band and the Italian army's band approaching the front of the square. I was in heaven with marching bands around. The rain stopped. It was perfect. Give me the pope. Maybe it was a signal that God was happy with the elected.

The summit was approaching even closer when we noticed that they turned on the lights in the loggia. They opened the doors and through the red curtain cardinal Tauran appeared with some assistants. I opened my ears wider than a lion’s jaw. I didn’t want to miss a syllable. The French cardinal began the big announcement without letting us take a breath:  

-        Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum; habemus Papam …he talked like a train with loose breaks, without waiting that we, the 250k people in the square, calm down and get silent. I needed to take a deep breath. He continued:  Eminentissimum ac Reverendissimum Dominum, Dominum and right here was when it all got distorted. This was what I heard: Geo###um  Ma###um, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae Cardinalem Ber ### lio qui sibi nomen imposuit Fran ### scum. 

I didn’t have an idea of who it was. We look at each other trying to get from the other what no one could get. The only certainty was that it was about one of whom nobody thought of. The cheer came down from Habemus papam at 100 to the name at 20. Who? Who was it? What is going on? It was frustrated.

I started processing what I could hear. It was two names. Two names may mean a Spanish name! But, that last name sounded Italian. But what name did he take? I thought I heard Franciscus … But not, it couldn’t be. It was the name we had for Cardinal O’Malley. We are not foreseers. With the confusion of the moment and with the end of the waiting, I realized how true it is what one friend used to say, it is better to have the wants than to satisfy them. Whoever was in front of a TV knew who the pope was before us.

With the help of some people around using their cell phones, we confirmed all the confusing facts. It was an Argentinian who took the name Franciscus. A Jesuit! Fr Tanner would need to update his notes of History class. Such a shock didn’t fit anywhere. We began to react by speculating about the name. Well, at least we were right on the name. But after whose Francis did he name himself? Of Assisi or Xavier? Perhaps after both: rebuild my Church and go to the missions. We didn’t want to give up the possibility that it was after il poverello de Assisi. The pope is a latino! We have a pope from America! We have a pope who would talk in Spanish the most important things, the most intimate things. We have a pope who would pray, in the intimacy of his heart and the Tabernacle, in Spanish! … like me.

When pope Franciscus came out at the loggia waited for the marching bands to finish playing the Italian national anthem and the pope’s hymn. He looked at the crowd (us) and I looked at him. I thought something is missing. He looked fresh. I couldn’t figure out what was missing. My friends thought aloud and they said: looks with dark hair (without lights), and he is no wearing the mozzetta and the stole. That’s it! Then the pope began to talk and it was still refreshing. After leading us in prayer for the pope emeritus, he asked us to pray may God will bless him before giving us the blessing Urbe et Orbe (to the city and to the world).  We lived again a great contrast, from the resounding euphoria to a sepulchral silence. It was like a silence of 250k people together without saying anything. It was the silence when God hear us and we hear Him.

Pope Franciscus blessed us and then he said good night to all and went back in. We remained there for a while. I didn’t realize I have been standing there for over three hours until I started walking away. I awoke from the dream but still remained outside reality. In the morning of the same March 13^th, I gave an interview to an international British newspaper with a large audience in Colombia. When the reporter asked me the question about the possibility of having a Latin-American pope, I answered with reservation. As a Colombian, it should be my most deep desire. It was already too much of a dream and I wanted to be more of a realistic person than a lunatic for this occasion. The fact of being in Rome for a conclave was just enough to fulfill my demanding wishes in life. I answered her question by expressing what is truly happening with me right now: connection of me to the pope and identification of the pope with me, and for that sense, with all Catholics in America. That night I witnessed a turning page in history. There are so many new things already. It felt so fresh, from the fact of his simple white robes to the novelty of his origin and the name of Francis. I still think that the pope’s origin is secondary, but today it is making all the difference to me.

Where was this man I didn’t notice before? … in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In the world’s scale, he was closer to me than I ever knew. How many times we don’t exit from our boxes and mind sets, those that we form to ourselves? We are many times of short vision and don’t want to look beyond what surrounds us; because, it means conform and we prefer it. We love our own encapsulated realities and claim them as the only ones. Cardinal O’Malley was our favorite candidate because we know him and represents all the values that we, all Catholics, want to see in the Pope. It is because we also want to grow in those values and we need inspiration for that. Thanks God Bergoglio also has those, and lives them out and transmits them so well that he took the right name. It happens with God the same way. We seek Him and we encapsulate Him in our short comfortable visions. We may name Him the correct way, but maybe we do not give the name to the right god. God is so close to us than we to ourselves, as St Augustine said. I feel so satisfied. I think the Cardinals made a very good choice. The Church needed a pastor. Benedict XVI is a great doctor of the Church. But this time, the people in the pews – and especially the priests, deacons and pastoral ministers – we all need encouragement. The fact that Franciscus is a pastor, a good shepherd, who is very close to the people, is extraordinary encouragement.

With tears in my eyes, I feel so affirmed in my faith, very well listened to in my prayer. If I thought this was a dream, I know I have awakened already, but the true is, it still feels so surreal! Blessed be the Lord who never abandons His Church and all of us in her. 

With Fr Victor, my only Argentinian classmate