New Pope - Francis I

Another very busy day today starting with Mid-Week Eucharist at St. John's, open coffee morning at the Team Office with the new Team Administrator, Cara, and then over to Debbie's in Cynthia's car for a Team Staff Meeting to discuss, once again, the arrangements for Holy Week.  I came out of the meeting feeling quite drained - there seems to be so much detail which is being discussed and I am sure it will all work out in the end.  I am saddened that the usual Good Friday ecumenism in Winterslow is being suspended this year as far as the Anglicans are concerned.  I had a bit of a break this afternoon and put my leg up to rest.  Great excitement at teatime today when at 6.06 p.m. (our time) white smoke was seen rising from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City.  A new pope had been elected - one day ahead of the earliest predictions. I had to attend a meeting of the Winterslow PCC at 7.30 p.m. this evening but was determined that I would not do so until the identity and name of the new pope had been announced.  At 7.20 p.m. we learned that it was the Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, who has taken the name Pope Francis I.  Great excitement everywhere and Thom was particularly interested in the whole procedure of the papal election.  By comparison, tonight's PCC was a rather flat affair - a discussion on the mission of the Clarendon Team.  On first impressions, I am impressed by the new head of the Roman Catholic Church and with our new Archbishop of canterbury, feel that both churches will get nearer to the laity and to people in general.  It really wouldn't surprise me if we don't see a Vatican III before too long.   More stuff to study!