six years ago!

April 19, 2005 fell on a Tuesday, just as it does this year.  The conclave had begun on April 18, with black smoke after each of the votes.  I only had one class in the morning on Tuesday - a Religious Studies class with a emphasis on Judaism, Christianity and Islam.  We had a guest lecturer that morning who discussed different texts of the Torah (if I remember correctly).  A freshman in my second semester at the university, I took the class with two or three other friends from St. Paul's, the Catholic student center on campus.  

Probably about halfway through class, one of my friends received a text message from his brother: Habemus Papam!  White smoke!  Suddenly, none of us could concentrate and I was convinced that if we stayed any longer in class, we were going to miss the announcement from Rome, which was truly history in the making.  

Finally, on the count of three, we decided that we'd all get up and leave together.  As we walked out of class, my professor's mouth agape, we just about ran across campus to St. Paul's, where we arrived just as Cardinal Medina began the announcement from a streaming computer - ironically, where my office as an intern at St. Paul's would be just three and a half years later.  Once we heard the last name, I just about cheered as though my favorite team had scored a touchdown.  I had watched Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger preside and preach at John Paul's funeral Mass about ten days before, and his words had, without a doubt, comforted the Catholic faithful at a time of immense sorrow.  When I heard his name announced that day in Rome, I was nothing short of thrilled - in my humble estimation, Cardinal Ratzinger was the perfect successor to John Paul II - and truly perfect, as the Holy Spirit had truly chosen him to lead the Church.  

Happy Election Anniversary, Holy Father! 
Ad multos annos!

a presto :-)