Home 
Church Universal Papacy for a new Millenium From Veritas to the Vatican - in time white smoke!
Main Menu
CatholicIreland.net News
Creighton Says Vatican Embassy May Open in Two Years
The Irish embassy in the Vatican may re-open “within the next two years” a Government minister ....
Priests murdered in Guatemala and Mexico
Two priests were recently murdered within a day of each other in Guatemala and Mexico.
In ....
Couple 78 years married bear witness to lifelong marriage
A couple married 78 years have won Worldwide Marriage Encounter’s Longest Married Couple Award ....
| From Veritas to the Vatican - in time white smoke! |
 |
 |
 |
|
Some time in February Veritas opened a new branch in Monaghan opposite St. Joseph's Church. It's a fine establishment, bright and modern, with a helpful staff and well-stocked. During the first week they were offering 20% discount off all goods. Yours truly went along to inspect. I don't carry much money with me as a rule, just a few pound in my pocket but I had my wallet with me just in case I saw something useful. I only bought a couple of books as things turned out. When I got home after teatime no wallet was to be found.
I reckoned I was down about €360. The language I used to myself you will not find in any lexicon of ecclesiology and it was too late to go back, phone or anything else. Next day I had to attend a funeral in Crossmaglen. Afterwards I had some time to spare so I decided to nip over to Monaghan. I parked my car in the same spot in the shopping centre as I had done the day before. I went into the centre and tried a café where I had a cuppa the previous day. I enquired of my wallet ar eagla na heagla. Bingo! The wallet was immediately returned to me fully intact. My faith in human nature increased dramatically. I soon decided I would be totally selfish with the money and give myself a treat. After all I had written it off any way. A week or so later I had an idea. I would be fifty on 17 April. I would go to Rome that day and spend a few days on private pilgrimage. A hunt on the internet and I booked flights and a hotel from Sunday 17 April to Wednesday 20 April. Little did I realize in February the historic events that were to take place in Rome between then and my visit. When I landed in Rome on my birthday I had only one thought in mind for that day. By 3.30pm I was standing at the tomb of the late great John Paul. I said a prayer for him in thanksgiving for all he had done. I remembered all belonging to me, the people of the parish of Upper Creggan, particularly all who were sick and I prayed in gratitude for all the graces I had received in my fifty years. When I left the basilica and looked down the square I wondered what is that monstrosity down in the corner. I went down to investigate. It was a temporary stand built for the world's media probably for the coverage of the Pope's funeral and most likely kept until after the inauguration of his successor. It was the size of the new stand in Oliver Plunkett Park, Crossmaglen. I dandered about hoping I might get Vatican Sede Vacante stamps but they were all sold out and returned to my hotel. On Monday I went down to St. Peter's for the Mass for the beginning of the Conclave. I went to the Pantheon to see if the vestments for the new Pope were still on display in Gamarelli's, the papal tailors. They were already in the Vatican. It's a small window and it was by now very simply decorated with a purple cushion in the centre and sitting on top of it a white skull cap such as a Pope would wear. I proceeded to make my way along Via del Corso and got a few presents to take home. I didn't return to the Vatican that evening as it was highly unlikely that there would be white smoke the first day. Anyway I had BBC World on the television in my room so I could keep abreast of developments. I wondered what were the chances of a new Pope on Tuesday. Not great, I reckoned, but I had been in St. Peter's when John Paul was elected in 1978 so you never know. On Tuesday I went down about mid-morning and stayed until the black smoke around midday. I figured that if those ageing clergy in Conclave were like some I know they would have a bite to eat, maybe even a wee snooze and especially it being Rome, were not likely to report for duty again until mid-afternoon. I went back to my hotel. At 4.00pm I returned. I stood in roughly the same place as I did in 1978. I don't know why. Perhaps I was hoping that a new Pope would be like John Paul. Perhaps it was like people going to Mass on Sunday who generally go to the same seat week after week. Perhaps it was a wee bit of superstition on my part. What I can say is that this time I had a definite expectation that we would see white smoke. There were two German women standing near me, mother and daughter. Also nearby was an Italian man and his son aged about ten. The German ladies spoke good English, I managed some broken Italian so our little group were able to make conversation and time passed quickly. At 6.50pm we saw white smoke. Against a cloudy evening sky it was difficult to see but the smoke was quite unlike what was seen earlier in the day or the previous day. We had the benefit of huge television screens all around the place which left no doubt that there was smoke and that it was white. I thought of Bishop James Lennon. The only question was why the bells did not toll. As I suspected once the Angelus bell rang out it wasn't long until the joybells followed. The place went mad. John Paul was elected in the evening of the third day of Conclave. The effect this time was similar. Because people all over Rome had finished work for the day people streamed into St. Peter's in their thousands and tens of thousands to hear the words Habemus Papam. When the announcement was made the place erupted with joy, delight and expectation. When we heard who the new Pope was, there was spontaneous welcome and cheering, particularly from the Italians in the crowd, surprisingly. It was a terrific moment for me. Little did I think the day I went to see Veritas in Monaghan that my journey would take me to St. Peter's to witness the election of Pope Benedict XVI. Little did I ever think that over twenty five years later I should see white smoke over the Sistine Chapel for a second time. It was wonderful. Wednesday was my day to return home. I went to St. Mary Majors Basilica that morning and prayed in the Adoration Chapel for a long time. I went outside for a bite of lunch and met a couple from Dublin who had just arrived at the beginning of a fortnight's holiday, their first holiday abroad since they got married 33 years ago. They were lovely people and we chatted together until it was time for me to leave for Fiumicino. These few days were delightful and will stay in my memory as long as I live. Viva il Papa! Peter Clarke |
© All material on this website is copyright of the Office of Pastoral Renewal and Family Ministry, Archdiocese of Armagh
Search
CatholicIreland.net Features
