Leaving only smoke and ashes

Papal Conclave 2013 is underway!

The children have asked questions about the process and about the Pope's role. We've answered them and, sometimes, assisted with a bit of research. We are not unaware of the Church's issues and we don't glaze over them and pretend that all is peachy. We do center ourselves on the Church doctrine rather than the overwhelming flood of paparazzi shots, captions and headlines.

That said, I am still laughing at the quote in yesterday's Daily Press that "he who enters the {Sistine} Chapel as Pope exits as Cardinal." I was reminded of the great line in Proverbs, "Pride goes before disaster" [Prov 16:18]. Of course the major contenders are politicking. Who wouldn't want to be Pope and be potentially infallible? Sign me up because I love to be right and tell people what to do.

All joking aside, a good friend and I discussed our hopes for the Conclave today. We'd like to see a representative from our largest growing areas - South America and Africa. We think the European dudes have had the last 1000 years or so and maybe a new region should get a chance. We'd like to see a Pope that will effectively address the many issues facing our Church.

In the meantime, I am comforted by the knowledge that our little family continues it's own mission as Church. We encourage one another, as well as those friends entering the Church. We look at each new day as an opportunity to minister to each other and those we encounter:

“Family constitutes a special revelation and realization of ecclesial communion,

and for this reason, can and should be called the Domestic Church….

Family is not merely like the Church, but is truly Church.”

Credit: A Family Perspective in Church and Society,

Committee on Marriage and Family Life

National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

So, we wait and wonder when the white smoke will bring news our way.


Today's post title from Tracy Chapman's Smoke and Ashes