7 Quick Takes Friday, March 15th: Papal Edition

HABEMUS PAPAM!

We Have A Pope!

1 - Quick Takes a little late this week!  Was away last weekend and SO busy celebrating my birthday this week things got a little delayed, but I'm back to blogging - I'm sure you've been on the edge of your seats waiting, waiting, waiting for me...well, probably not!  This week, 7 AWESOME things about our new pope! I'm sure there are better and more exciting things else where, but this is my take on my birthday present!

2 - That's right, people!  I got a POPE for my birthday!  That doesn't happen every year or to every one!  Only one other time in this century!  I join a small group of people who were born on April 19th!  It was so funny because when we had pizza and cake at work, we were singing then doing the obligatory blowing out of the candles when I said, I wish for a Pope today!  I'd been following closely of course - listening to my celebrity crush, Lino Rulli, along with Father Dave on their special show Holy Smokes: The Road to the Papacy.  It had been an awesome week of coverage so far!  Our Deacon said the black smoke had already gone up, but I was like - um, NO - Lino didn't announce that yet!  Then after pizza, Father was in his office and telling us in disbelief that there was in fact white smoke!  WHITE SMOKE, people!!!  We have a Pope!  So many of us gathered in my office to watch FoxNews on my computer, listen to Lino & Father Dave on my phone, and watch CNN's feed of Vatican Television on another co-workers phone to await the announcement.  We heard him announced and were so excited - we were reading and reading as much as we could after the Cardinal Deacon came out with "Habemus Papam" until Francis came onto the balcony.  

3 - Since then, I've been reading as much as I can about this man and am truly in love!  I joked that I should have wished for a husband if my wishes were that powerful (just 25 minutes later and it came true!) - but the Lord knew what He was doing (as always) and gave me another man to fall in love with.  Pope Francis will be a true inspiration for me (and I hope the 1.2 Billion Catholics in the world).  So I'm going to share a few of the moments I've seen that have really touched me!

4 - First that he is such a simple man who went to pray on Thursday morning before stopping to get his bags and pay his bill.  I was listening to Vatican Radio last night and he even greeted all of the workers at Domus Internationalis Paulus VI when he went to collect his luggage and pay his bill.  He stays there whenever he is Rome and even greeted all of the workers, asking of their spouses and children.  He remembers them!

5 - Yesterday I saw this video when he greeted the Cardinals - and it just shows that he sees them as brothers in Christ - they are his friends.

6 - Today I saw this video of his meeting with the 6,000+ media professionals who had been covering the Conclave and more.  He's so loveable and easy going - like a true PAPA - daddy to the Catholics of the world.



* favorite line * 'when it got dangerous'!

7 - And a quote from his time with the Cardinals on Friday regarding Spiritual Warfare that still sits with me:

Let us never give in to pessimism, to that bitterness that the devil tempts us with every day.  Let us not give into pessimism and let us not be discouraged.  ~Pope Francis

He sees the world as it is - he's been to hell on earth in the Favellas of Argentina.  He sees the need for the poor so much that he chose Francis (as explained in the video for #6).  He wants us to be a poor Church that serves the poor.  As Mother Teresa has said, "Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat."  We are all the poor - in different ways - and are being called to live a simple live devoted to God.  I think that Papa Francis is going to teach us how to love one another with true devotion and in turn how to love our God.  I am so excited and eager to see what the next weeks, months, years, and maybe decades holds with this man.


Check out Jen for more great quick takes!