Vancouver clergyman reflects on last 7 conclaves

Priest recalls time from Pope Pius XII through to Benedict XVI's 'heroic resignation'

Pope Pius XII reigned from 1939 to 1958 and guided the Church through the Second World War.
(CNS Archives)

The B.C. Catholic columnist Msgr. Pedro Lopez-Gallo has lived through seven papal elections. He wrote a reflection on his experiences in the April 8 issue:

I was 12 years old, sleeping peacefully in the dormitory of the minor seminary in Spain, when I was suddenly roused by our prefect of discipline calling out: "Wake up! The Pope is dead!" It was Feb. 10, 1939, and the Pope was Pope Pius XI.

Fortunately the prefect explained that in a few days there would be a conclave to elect a new Pope, and till then, the Holy See would be vacant. Again, I thought that this meant that the Church was on vacation but I did not ask for further explanation. Twenty days later, March 2, the prefect gathered us all together again, and this time, radiant with joy, he announced "We have a Pope!"

Read the entire reflection here.