Almost finished with my pre-dawn, ritual scan of the WSJ this past Monday I ran across a headline, that if it had appeared in any other site I would have summarily dismissed –
Pope Benedict XVI to Resign
What?!?
Not much of a story, just the headline and what was obviously a one or two sentence placeholder for the story yet to come.
Drank another cup of coffee, rubbed my eyes, checked a couple of other sites – no news yet, maybe it’s just a weird rumor gone crazy, like meteorites striking Russia … oh wait, that actually happened … so could this be true?
As we all know by now the news was most definitely true, though it remains a bit surprising, even now that we’ve had a few days to digest it. Have read some really first-rate analyses, a bunch of ridiculous, off the mark, papal-elections-as-political-theater posits of drama yet to come, but of everything I’ve read, seen, or heard my favorite remains this little five minute interview with Cardinal Arinze, recorded the very next day.
Cardinal Arinze was in the room when Benedict XVI caught us (as in the royal us, as in the inclusive of sentient life forms on this planet) a bit off guard – the first three minutes or so give us a glimpse into the very human reactions of those in the room.
But my favorite part is at about 3:09, where Cardinal Arinze shifts gears and does an instant analysis that is worthy of the name – both quick and insightful, with some decisive interpretation.
Enjoy!
Best line. “The Holy Spirit does not go on vacation!”. Beautiful.