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.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Leave a comment about this post.