Tidings of Comfort and Joy: Part 2

I wrote this yesterday, but I passed out before I could post it. What can I say? It's hard to be the birthday girl!

Today is my birthday, and like Sydney says, one of the good things about having a birthday so close to New Years is that you get two fresh starts at once. 2013 was a pretty crazy year for me; in fact, it's hard to believe that I crammed so much into one year. 

Right after my last birthday, I jumped on a plane and went to a foreign country. I thought about turning around and running away from the security lines. I thought about not going, but I got on that plane and took off into the great unknown, called Italy, and for four months, I lived in the Italian countryside, sharing a room with two other girls.

I explored Rome, eating gelato and drinking delicious coffee. We studied art and visited museums. We saw beautiful churches, got lost a lot, and became very familiar with the Roman metro system. We also just took time to wander: to drink in the sights and sounds of the eternal city. 

Then one Monday morning, as I was sitting in Art History thinking about lunch, as lovely pasta smells wafted from the Cafeteria, Pope Benedict resigned. It was the saddest thing I'd ever heard, until we realized the we were going to be there for the conclave... 

But we did say a proper good bye to Pope Benedict. I was one of the first hundred people into St. Peter's for his last Mass on Ash Wednesday. We went to his final papal audience, and, of course, we wished him a very epic good bye from our football pitch. 

Photo Cred: James Bernard

Then we waited. Our group went to Greece while we waited, but not without much grumbling. There probably would have been a mutiny if the conclave had started while we were there.But, luckily for us, God worked around our schedules, and the conclave started right after we got back to Rome. 

Then one day I blew off my homework to go into Rome. Of course, there was no point, because they weren't going to pick a pope that day, and of course, I know these things. Oh how wrong I was.

 I was standing in a huge crowd, trying desperately to be under a random Italian man's umbrella without being too obvious. Then everyone started screaming, but I was like, "Oh. Black smoke. Lame." Again, my psychic intelligence was working like a charm. 

Photo Cred: Grey.

Then this guy turned up. This photo still sends chills up my back. I can't believe that we just happened to be there! It was the craziest things that has ever happened to me. Every time I think about it I wanted to run around screaming, which is basically what I did at the real thing. 

After all the excitement of the Papal election, I couldn't possibly write a paper, so I wrote it about an our before it was due, turned that sucker in, packed my bags, and headed off to Germany! 

And, boy, was it ever cold! We spent a couple of days in Munich, and then our group split up, and four of us headed to Salzburg where we spent about four days, hanging out, hiking, and generally having a good time. Oh, and in case you were wondering, the Mozart museum is not exactly the most riveting thing in the world. 

Then we went back to Rome, and it was crazy how fast the rest of the semester went by! We took a trip to Florence and Venice. I loved Venice, but it just is not the city for those of us who are, ahem, directionally challenged, but I absolutely fell in love with Florence! I actually went back because I just had not had enough time to soak in all the art! 

Then we hit finals, and before we knew it, it was time to go! So my now-roommates and I headed off to the UK! This was definitely the wackiest trip I took, but it was also one of the most fun. We hit London, Edinburgh, and Dublin in a week! Of course, we just didn't do these cities justice, but we did the best we could. 

I should also mention that we saw the Sutton Hoo helmet, which was probably the coolest thing I've ever seen. I may or may not have had a total fangirl moment in front of this display case. 

Then my friends went home, and I went back to the city where I grew up, which was amazing. I hadn't been back since we moved ten years ago, and it was so nice to just see familiar sights. I had a lot of time to myself, so I just wandered around, but after four crazy months, it was nice to slow down for awhile.

Then, finally, I came home. In that same week, I went to work at camp, and my dear Joy moved. You hear that crack? That's my heart breaking. But she's doing a great job caring for her grandmother, so even though I miss our crazy shenanigans, I guess I can spare her. 

Then after a very long and exhausting week at Camp Cheery, I went to work at Nerd Camp. Also, in case you were wondering, camp and jet-lag don't mix. Nerd camp was a ton of fun. My two coworkers were fantastic, and all thirty of the kids were terrific. So I spent my summer running all over the country: NC, Texas, Tennessee, and back to NC!

Then it was time for school to start, and suddenly I was a junior, which was a little confusing because I was pretty sure that I was just a Freshman, but hey, I made it through one of the craziest semesters of my life. I studied Elizabeth Bishop and Chaucer and even some old English. I caught up with old friends and made some new ones. This semester had some all time highs, as well as some all time lows, but I got out more or less unscathed. 

 I can't really think of an unsentimental way to end this ridiculously long post, so here goes; 2013 was a big year for me. I grew a lot as a person, and I had some really great experiences, but it was also a very trying year with a lot of heart break. So I'm not exactly sorry to see 2013 go, and we'll see what 2014 has to offer. 

Buona Pasqua! (Now Totally Belated)

Happy Easter! I hope you all had a blessed and happy Easter ! Thank you all so much for reading and know that I will be praying for you while I'm here in Rome.

We had an amazing Easter Triduum here in Rome, but by the end, I was utterly exhausted. Due to daylights savings here in Europe, I only got two hours of sleep between the Vigil and my 5:30 am bus to the Vatican; it was a hard morning to say the least. In the rush to get out the door I somehow ended  wearing what is possibly the most ridiculous outfit ever. At Easter Sunday mass with the Pope and in the front row, no less.  I have no photographic evidence, but I will tell you it involved tennis shoes, a pencil skirt, and no tights. I was heartily embarrassed to say the least.

Mass in St. Peter's Square was absolutely lovely. They brought in live olive trees, which were in special planters in front of the statues of Peter and Paul. The steps leading up to the basilica were covered in flowers, and the sun shone down from a cloudless, blue sky. There was beautiful music, beautiful people, and, of course, the Pope. After the drudgery and exhaustion of Holy Week, it was a truly beautiful event.

After Mass we got the obligatory after Mass pastries and headed back to campus, where I slept until dinner, which was amazing! Our Italian kitchen staff truly outdid themselves with a huge chocolate Easter egg and 105 place cards made from pure sugar! It was truly a beautiful and joyful day

Sic, Habemus Papam!

I wasn't going to go into the city yesterday because I had a paper to write. I told myself that I wasn't going to go. I was going to sit in my room and write my paper. I was. I really was. I told myself that there wouldn't be white smoke. There was going to be black smoke; I'd be disappointed, and I'd waste a lot of time that should be spent on my paper.

But I went. In spite of my paper, I went into the city.

It was raining when my friend, Grey, and I got to St. Peter's, but it didn't deter us, we pushed and shoved our way to the front, ducking under umbrellas and around people. Then there was no where else to go, so we stopped. We weren't terribly close, but then again, we weren't to far away either. I couldn't see the chimney because of all the umbrellas, but that didn't really matter because it was going to be black smoke anyway. So we stood there for about an hour. Someone's umbrella nearly took my eye out, but other than that, it wasn't terribly exciting. Maybe I should have stayed home and written my paper. Dum de dum de dum.

Then there was a gasp. "Oh," I thought, "Black smoke." But everyone was screaming, Grey grabbed my arm, "It's white, it's white!" He shouted. Then I was screaming too. The crowd surged forward, but we were ready. Elbows out, we charged through the crowd trying to get to the barricade. The bells were ringing, people were shouting, laughing, crying, singing. "Habemus Papam!" We all shouted.

We didn't make it all the way to the barricade, but we were dead center in front of the balcony, so it didn't matter. Even once the crowd could no longer move, the bells kept ringing, and the white smoke kept pouring from the chimney. Everyone was still cheering: "Viva il Papa! Viva! Habemus Papam! Viva!" The noise was deafening, and I was joining in. We sang, laughed, shouted at the people in front to put down their umbrellas and flags. We kept laughing, singing, and shouting. Where was the Pope?

Grey and I were absolutely ecstatic. We were in St. Peter's square when the white smoke went up. We were there, we had a great view. Where was the Pope? We sang along with the Italian seminarians next to us. We shouted, "Viva!" At the tops of our lungs. We sang the Salve Regina. Is someone we know holding that giant American flag? I think so. Where's the pope. I wonder what name he'll choose. Viva! I have no idea. Oh my goodness! We're here! Habemus Papam! We're here. We're going to see the pope. Oh my goodness! Viva! Habemus Papam! Umbrello! Umbrello! Put the umbrella down! I wonder what's taking so long.

The ecstatic happiness of the crowd didn't wane at all in the thirty minutes we waited for the new Papa.  The energy of the entire church seemed concentrated in that one tiny place. Everyone was either laughing or crying with joy, no one could stop. We were all there! We were all going to see our new papa! The emotions were limit less.

Then the lights in the rooms behind the balcony went on. Silencio! Shhh! Shhh! Oh wait, never mind, they just turned the lights on. Oh wait, wait. Never mind. Where is he? I'm so excited! I wonder what name he'll pick. Not Benedict the 17th or Peter the 2nd, I guess. Oh, oh, oh! They're opening the doors! Hurray! Hurray! Silencio! Shhh! Wait, what's that he's saying? Shhh! Who? Cardinal who? Wait, what? Okay, okay. Shhh! Silencio. Hurray! Viva il Papa! What did he say? Who is it? What's his name? Gosh, I didn't realize how bad my Italian was.

Wait, behind us. Wait, I heard them say Jesuit. He's a jesuit. Okay. Bergolio? Who? I have no idea. What's his name? Wait... Francesco! Francesco! Francesco! Francesco? Francis! He chose Francis! Francesco! Francesco! Viva il Papa! Viva! Wait, Francis the what? Goodness, there's never been a Francis before! The first ever Francis! This is crazy! So much history in one semester! What a great time to be in Rome! Francesco! Francesco!

Oh, oh, oh! Here he comes! Hurray! Hurray! Papa! Papa! Papa Francesco! Papa Francesco! Oh, oh, oh, wait. Shhh! Silencio! Silencio! Brothers and Sisters... Uh huh, understood that. What's he saying? What's he saying? Hmm? Oh, Ave Maria, gratia plena... Oh, this is in Italian. Mumble mumble mumble. AMEN! What's he saying? Oh, pray for me. Okay. Okay. Why are we all quiet? Oh! Praying for him. Right. This is the most deafening silence I've ever heard. Now it's time for the blessing, but there's not room to kneel. In nomine Patris et Filio, et Spirito Sancto. AMEN!

Well, there he goes! Goodness! We have a pope! We were here! Here! In St. Peter's Square when it all happened! We definitely picked the right time to come! Oh my goodness, I'm so happy I could burst. I've never been so happy in my whole life!

And that's how it happened. I haven't been able to really sort through my feelings about it yet. I'm just so happy! And so glad I was able to be there. I miss Pope Benedict, I really do, but I love Papa Francesco so much! All I can tell you about the whole election, is that everyone was so happy, so ecstatically happy, and the joy was infectious. I actually saw a conga line of Franciscans dancing through the square, chanting, "Francesco! Francesco! Francesco!" At the top of their lungs. We were all smiling and smiling. And ejaculating about how lucky we were to be there, and how sure we were that it wouldn't be tonight.

After we left the square, we decided that a proper meal was in order, so, of course, we stopped at Habemus Pizza for pizza and a fanta limone before charging the metro to get home. Even the metro was infectiously happy. Little nuns chattering away, young people laughing and joking, and the elderly smiling.

When we got back to campus, the occasion obviously called for champagne, so we broke some out, drinking first to the health of our Pope Emeritus, then to our Papa Francesco. The first pope from the Americas! The exuberance lasted well into the wee hours, then finally we all fell into exhausted, but very happy sleep.

Habemusne Papam?

The day's finally here! It's been a long wait for all of us here in Rome; most of the Cardinals have been here for weeks, and the excitement has been mounting by the day! The first vote will take place this evening, and I for one, plan to be in the square when the smoke, white or black, goes up for the first time! I'm seriously hoping that the new pope is elected before I leave for Germany on Friday. Maybe it's a bit much to ask, but I have a feeling that maybe, just maybe, Jesus will give us all that gift. Of course, I want the Cardinals to vote carefully and take the time to elect the right man, but if they could do it sooner rather than later, I'd be very very happy.

Prayer for the Conclave:

Heavenly Father, We the People of God, gathered in solidarity as did the disciples in the Upper Room, pray for the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the cardinals who will be in conclave for the election of the next Vicar of Our Lord Jesus Christ. May the hearts of our cardinals be open to the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, beyond human judgment, to elect the candidate most pleasing to you, Heavenly Father, and who will guide the Church at this momentous time in history at the beginning of the Third Millennium. We invoke our Mother Mary, united in prayer with the disciples in the Upper Room, to intercede for the cardinals to select the next Holy Father in docility to the promptings of the Holy Spirit, her divine Spouse, Holy Mary, Mother of God and of the Church, we entrust this conclave to your maternal and Immaculate Heart, and offer these prayers for your guidance and protection over the choosing of the next Vicar of your Son. one Our Father one Hail Mary one Glory Be

Our Lady, Queen of the Clergy, pray for us!