Questions 4 and 5

Today, you get a special bonus:  two questions answered (well, sort of, you be the judge.)

Question #4: Where does the Pope shop?

You just don’t walk into Kohls and pick up a white cassock and red shoes off the rack.  (This is yet another reason why I could never be Pope.)  But, there is Gammarelli’s in Piazza Santa Chiara near the Pantheon.  It is the tailor shop that has been making vestments for the Pope for the last 100 years or so.  Not knowing who the next Pope will be, and seeing that he will need to be dressed quickly, they have prepared three white vestments of different sizes for the new Pope.  You can be sure there won’t be a wardrobe malfunction when the new pontiff steps onto the balcony of St. Peter’s.  I was in the neighborhood, so I took a stroll past the shop.  All I could find was a hat (but notice that a Swiss Guard is protecting it.)

I wonder if they accept Visa?

I really wanted to ask "Can I try on the hat in the window?"

Of course, the biggest question being asked these days:

Question #5: Who will be the next Pope.

The answer to this question is quite easy…I haven’t a clue!  Everybody has their favorites and their picks.  So, to join in the fun, I offer my “dream team” of candidates.  Now, I have to first say that I don’t really know anything about the individual Cardinals.  My list is solely self-serving.  And, so I offer it in all fun.  Here we go…

(In decreasing order):

5)  Cardinal Agnelo of Brazil.  The website www.newadvent.org has a “Buzz-Meter” that ranks the Cardinals based upon buzz in the press.  It has, in my opinion, very little relevance because it could be good or bad buzz.  At any rate, this Cardinal is ranked number 115 right now.  (Remember, there are 115 voting Cardinals.)  He’s like the last kid to be picked for kickball.  He's on my list because, if elected, I could say, “Told you so.”

4)  Cardinal Ouellette of Canada.  He presided at the prayer service of St. Kateri that I went to.  If elected, I could say I prayed with the Pope.

Slightly embarrassing: I think this is Cardinal Ouellette, but I'm not sure.

3) Cardinal O’Malley of Boston.  If elected, perhaps the brothers would stop making fun of me for how many times I say “Boston” in stories.  Also, he presided at a chapel dedication at the Jesuit Scholasticate in Boston where I lived.  I played piano for the mass.  If elected, I could say I played for the Pope.

Chapel blessed by Cardinal O'Malley (or the future Pope)

2) Cardinal Sepe of Naples.  I got him from www.adoptacardinal.org (No joke, it exists).  If elected, I could say that my prayers helped elect the Pope (okay, not really the intent of the website, but fun all the same.)

I don't have a picture of Cardinal Sepe.  But, Naples is known for pizza, so here's a pizza (unfortunately the pizza is from Mantova, but it was really delicious.)

1) Cardinal Collins of Toronto.  He was also at the St. Kateri prayer service, and I got a picture with him.

With Fr. Louis and the Cardinal (you can figure out who is who.)

But, he also stopped by our house last Saturday for pranzo (lunch).  He is friends with Marianist Fr. Louis who invited him.  I must say, if your image of a Cardinal is a stuffy, out of touch bureaucrat, then he doesn’t fit the mold.  He seems to be a very down-to-earth fellow, and told us that one of the most difficult tasks for him during the Conclave will be giving up his cell phone, ipad, and Kindle.  So, if he is elected, I could say that I had lunch with the Pope.

I got to sit at the grown-ups table.

It was also Bro. Ed's birthday celebration that day. 

Bro. Javi was quite impressed that the Cardinal had an IPhone 5!

 So there are my "picks."  We should be all set, as long as the Holy Spirit reads my blog!

Ciao!