THIRTY-ONE YEARS AGO TONIGHT

Thirty-one years ago tonight, your rector was standing in Saint Peter's square as a seminarian as Pope John Paul II was elected as Pope. The moment he came to the balcony of Saint Peter's Basilica and spoke has been wondrously recalled by Rocco Palmo of Whispers on the Loggia and here replicated with a translation of the Holy Father's wonderful remarks!

Praised be Jesus Christ! [Now and forever!]

Dear brothers and sisters,

We all remain downhearted after the death of our beloved Pope John Paul I. Yet here, the Eminent Cardinals have called forth a new bishop of Rome. They've called him from a far country... far, but always close, so close, in the communion of the faith and in the Christian tradition. I was fearful at receiving this nomination, but I have done so in the spirit of obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ and in total trust of his Mother, our Most Blessed Lady.

Also, I don't know if I can explain myself well in your... in ourItalian language. If I err, correct me! And thus I present myself to you, to confess our common faith, our hope, our trust in the Mother of Christ and of the Church, so to begin again along this road of history and of the Church -- to begin it again, with the help of God and the help of men.