I had grown familiar with the bells from numerous churches ringing at different times of the day. But – akin to a fire drill – at some point you have a moment and wonder, is this the real thing?
As I recall…it was a beautiful afternoon and my multiple country trip
across Europe with students from across the U.S. was drawing to an end. The church bells began to ring and they just kept ringing and ringing and ringing. Frankly, it was a little annoying as we were trying to get in our last bit of fun before we headed home. Yet the world around us clearly knew something of monumental significance had taken place.
Shopkeepers began to close, some of the locals began to congregate in the town square, others went directly to church. After several minutes of cluelessness and confusion we learned that the Pope had just died.
It was the first time in my very young life that I had experienced widespread instantaneous shock and grief. The entire community felt as if a pall had been just placed over the top of it.
Worldwide there are almost 1.4 billion Roman Catholics which represents almost 18% of the world’s population. And there are a number of cultures that, whether one adheres to Roman Catholicism or not, are deeply impacted by it. As a good friend and theologian mused recently, “When the Pope dies it impacts the entire world. The same is true when the Cardinals elect a new Pope.”
“The Pope is not only a man of faith but a global moral leader, and the world looks to him for guidance on the most pressing issues.” – Cardinal Timothy Dolan
We live in a time where moral leadership seems to be more important than ever. As such, regardless of our religious tradition or our relationship to the Roman Catholic Church I would encourage your prayers for the Cardinals as they gather to discern who will serve as the next Pope…it does matter to all of us.
“A good leader must know how to listen, to be humble and open, and must never lose the personal relationship with God.” – Pope Francis