Does 10 years make a difference?

 

Yep.  It was her 14th bithday anniversary, 10 years ago today.  Not a happy birthday celebration.  90 miles away, we thought it was just another action out on the artillery range. 90 miles away…

 

A couple of years earlier? It was the Waco murders (echoes of burning children screaming, ).  For several years after April 19, 1995, she flinched at the thought of her approaching birthday anniversary.

 

Today, the good Baptist girl (young woman) called with, “They’ve chosen a new pope!” and cheerful thoughts about how her April 19 birthday anniversary doesn’t have to be a harbinger of tragedy.

 

So, a new pope, eh.  Ratzinger? Or was he the “popemaker” this time?  The news will likely break by end of day.  But it’s better news than on some other April 19ths.

 

Update: Yep, as I thought.  Ratzinger is now Pope Bbenedict XVI, and he certainly “dict-ed bene” going into yesterday’s meetings,

 

“Having a clear faith, based on the creed of the church, is often labeled today as a fundamentalism,” he said, speaking in Italian. “Whereas relativism, which is letting oneself be tossed and ‘swept along by every wind of teaching,’ looks like the only attitude acceptable to today’s standards.” (from MyWay News)

Now, those are good words from Pop “Good Speech” XVI. Ratzinger was, of course, the political fav of the college of cardinals going in (he had 2/3 or so of the necessary votes before the thing started), and as John Paul II’s right-hand man on church/society interface, he represents a continuation of the previous administration.