It's Friday night in Lent and the big news today comes from the home & heart of the Catholic Church in Rome, courtesy of the Vatican. The Conclave is set; Tuesday begins the process to select the next Pope, the successor to St. Peter. Once the Cardinals walk into the Sistine Chapel on Tuesday they will walk out with one of their own as Pope. This gets me all excited. I am now anxiously awaiting that moment which I remember three times in my life: the announcement of Popes John Paul I, John Paul II and Benedict XVI. Many prayers will accompany my anxious hours until we have a new Holy Father.
But the Church powers on in the many places where She flourishes around the world. Amazing but the Church is not paralyzed in this period of waiting nor is She incapable of not being busy about the business of God's work here on Earth!
Tonight, a Friday in Lent the Church prays the Stations of the Cross as we did at Most Holy Trinity tonight. A nice size crowd of the faithful joined me as I led this beautiful prayer, following the 14 Stations of the Cross. Meanwhile, Lenten fish frys and dinners are being served across the globe, like the one I attended at St. Jane Catholic Church in Abita Springs, La. RCIA activities are in full bloom as thousands upon thousands of new Catholics prepare to join the Church, like the 2 parishioners at MHT. And tonight, in Covington LA the monks of St Jospeh Abbey brace themselves to welcome about 5,000 youth at the Abbey Fest including students from all the Churches in and around New Orleans and across the entire Gulf South.
So I am very excited, and yes, anxious, for the Papal Conclave to begin and that moment in time, Habemus Papem! But I and many others continue to emphasize, the Chuch is alive and well and going about the business of doing God's work on Earth!
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