My Day in the 40 Days for Life

I volunteered to stand in the prayer vigil for an hour in front of the local Planned Parent clinic in support of the 40 Days for Life Campaign. This campaign occurs during Lent every year, so I thought it was a good Lenten observation for me - especially since our parish priest really pushes us to support it. There was an hour today when they had nobody to stand and pray, so I volunteered.

I had only recently recovered from influenza pneumonia brought on during the H1N1 flu epidemic this year, but I felt strong enough now, and I thought I would be okay, if I bundled up and kept my head covered. This is the Seattle area, so of course it was rainy, so I brought a big blue and yellow umbrella to be sure to keep dry. I must have looked a sight in front of the abortion clinic - standing there all alone, my coat on and the hood up with my face barely showing, juggling a huge umbrella and a purse full of brochures.

I tried to catch them at the door to give them a brochure, but they were too quick. They would slip in the door before I could offer them a brochure. I guess I'm just getting to old to move quickly. I caught one young woman to offer her a brochure as nicely as I could. She refused it. You couldn't stay in front of the door, even on the public sidewalk, so I tucked the slightly rain-spattered brochure back in my purse, and went back to my place on the sidewalk. I began to think I really sucked at pro-lifing.

I tried to catch them as they were coming out of the clinic, in case they hadn't gotten an abortion yet, but I could tell it was too late. The way they looked when they came out was heart-breaking. They came out, eyes glued to the ground, unable to look at anyone. Did they think I would judge them? Why would I judge them? They are the victims, not the perpetrators.

 I decided if I was going to look a little ridiculous, I might as well beam out a friendly loving smile. In that way, maybe the love of God would shine through and they could see it. Then I noticed something interesting. The glass on the front of the clinic was that one-way mirror glass, so you couldn't see into the clinic, but I could vaguely see that I was right in front of the waiting area. However, anyone in the waiting area could clearly see me. I decided to stand in front of the glass and smile as warm and loving a smile as I could. And I prayed, mostly random things, as my heart prompts me. And I talked to God. Maybe the prayers are what makes the most difference anyway.

What We Can Learn from Pope Francis

As Pope Francis was presented to the world on the Loggia of the Vatican Palace, the world was struck by his humility, compassion, and kindness. This demeanor was fully consistent with his life as the Archbishop of Buenos Aires. Consequently, it was not surprising that he continued to demonstrate kindness, compassion, and humility in the days that followed his election as Pope.
When I was an Army Officer, there was one principle of leadership that was foremost: Lead by example. Pope Francis is using this principle in leading the Catholic. Without words, he is teaching Catholics and the world some very important lessons.

There is Dignity in Humility
When Pope Francis initially asked for the people assembled before the Loggia to pray for him, even the news media remarked on the great silence that fell over the crowd. It wass not the silence of suppressed speech, but the silence of a deeply moving spiritual experience. When someone humbles themself, it is the natural tendency to lift this person up. Humility dignifies both the person humbling himself and the persons before whom he humbles himself.

There is Power in Compassion

When Pope Francis descended for his vehicle before the inaugural Mass to embrace a severely handicapped man, it gave everyone a great moment of tenderness and joy. Compassion allows us to give others the priceless gift of love and joy.

Pope Francis - More than Words

When Pope Francis appeared on the Loggia of the Papal Palace, most people were asking who is this? Cardinal Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, Argentina was a virtual unknown in the College of Cardinals. His address, while short, was humble, warm and friendly, and ended with "Everyone get some rest" like a kind papa that was concerned his children had stayed up too late.

While his words were few, they were preceded by many past good deeds that were the foundation of those words. His life as Cardinal Bergoglio was a life of ascetism, humility, and mortification. While Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he avoided staying in the Episcopal palace, but took up residence in a small apartment with an elderly priest, where he would cook their meals and clean up after.

Even after his election as Pope, he refused the Papal limousine, and instead took the shuttle bus with his former fellow Cardinals. He even insisted on paying his hotel bill in person. While this spontaneity may be giving the Swiss Guards and other security personnel a nervous breakdown, his actions are giving great weight to the sparse words of his initial speech.

He seems to follow the words of Our Lord, "Take up my yoke upon you, and learn of me, because I am meek, and humble of heart: and you shall find rest to your souls." (Matthew 11:29)

A Latin American Pope in the Social Media Age

My Latin American friends are jumping up and down with joy; the new Pope is Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina. Although he is a Jesuit, he chose the name Francis - a first among Papal names. There were a lot of unusual factors in this Papal election: Pope Benedict stepping down, the quartering of the Cardinal-Electors in the Domus Sanctae Marthae, and the surprise third vote today.

The comment from my Latin American friends was how "kind and friendly" he seemed. In his initial speech from the balcony, he joked that they "had to go to the end of the earth to find the Bishop of Rome."

Another unprecedented factor was the impact of the social media in this Papal election. Everyone was sharing news and information on various media outlets - Twitter, Facebook, etc. The need for secrecy in the election process required special security measures. Even prior to the start of the Conclave during the Congregations and other meetings, besides removing all cell phones, tablets and other communications devices, they also jammed all radio frequencies inside the borders of the Vatican City State. Journalists working near the Vatican remarked about being unable to use their cell phones.

Before the start of the Conclave, a nun who worked in the Vatican remarked that the media isolation of the Conclave might hurry along the election process. She noticed that many Cardinals seemed a little addicted to social media. Confine them on bread and water, if you must, but don't take away their iPad!

Black Smoke: Non Habemus Papam

Black smoke rises from the chimney in the Sistine Chapel in the first round of voting in the conclave. Did anyone expect anything different? The first round almost never produces a clear vote. Especially when the College of Cardinals has such a deep bench of papabile. The seclusion of the conclave eventually produces the best results in the end.

The mainstream media has made a kind of joke about the centuries-old tradition of the conclave, but it does work for the Church. The talking and speeches are over, and now it's time for worship, prayer, meditation, and voting - and more prayer, worship, meditation, and voting. The nature of the conclave makes for choices that are clear-headed without the usual rhetoric, passion, and compromise found in secular political elections.

So be patient and let the process work - and keep your eye on the chimney.

Conclave: the Church View vs. the World View

I have glanced at the news of the Conclave as covered by the secular media only briefly. They are treating this as they would any political election, assuming the cardinal-electors would be attentive to worldly matters. They are dredging up the dirt, wherever they can find it. They are promoting their favorite liberal Cardinals (as if media had any influence over the voting). The news media's behavior in these pre-Conclave days shows a clueless lack of professional journalism, that is painfully embarrassing.

Here are some ways the mainstream media (MSM) just doesn't get it:

1. The Scandals.While the cardinals are clearly aware of the scandals that have come to light in the Church, their solution will probably not be what the MSM expects. Most of the scandals have occurred in dioceses led by those who were the darlings of the liberal media. To address this, the Cardinals will want a Pope who is a firm disciplinarian to get these errant dioceses back in line.
2. It's not a popularity contest. Any cardinal seen as campaigning for the position of Pope would automatically be discounted as lacking humility. The Cardinals will not be impressed with a Papabile who is popular with the World. As the old Vatican adage goes: "He who enters the Conclave a Pope, comes out a Cardinal."
3. The Criteria. The MSM thinks the Cardinals will be looking for a Pope to address the social and political issues of the day. In fact, they are much more concerned with the spiritual issues of the day, such as the loss of the Faith among Catholics, how best to preach and teach the Faith, missionary work, and how the Vatican can be best organized for this purpose.
4. The voting. The MSM is under the assumption that inside the conclave they will conduct the voting as it is done in the Houses of Parliament or the Congress. The Papal election process is much older than these modern democracies, and they follow different rules. The time between votes is not spent in speeches and debate, but rather prayer, meditation and recollection. 
5. Who chooses the Pope. It is the Holy Spirit that chooses the Pope. The Cardinals are only His humble instruments.

As the MSM fumbles around trying to makes worldly sense of a government "not of this world" (John 18:36), they would be better served to go back to their high school newspaper staff, as they are clearly out of their league on this issue. As St. Paul observed: "But the sensual man perceiveth not these things that are of the Spirit of God; for it is foolishness to him, and he cannot understand, because it is spiritually examined." (I Corinthians 2:14)

If you want to get more accurate coverage of the Conclave and Papal election, you would be better served to rely on one of the reputable Catholic News sources.

• Catholic New Agency (CNA)
• Catholic News Service (CNS)
• Eternal World Television Network (EWTN)
• National Catholic Register (Not National Catholic Reporter!)