The white smoke and anticipation of the announcement of the new Pope doesn’t have Sleepy Hollow’s Helen Manca glued to her television.
Rather, this 95-year-old was catching a bit of the warming afternoon sun on her front porch when the news came that the audience gathered at the Vatican has witnessed the white smoke indicating a new Pope has been selected.
Manca, a lifelong parishioner at Beekman's St. Theresa of Avila Church, has seen her share of new Catholic leadership through her many years, and doesn’t think much change will come under a new Pope. "I'll tune in later."
Downplaying the news, she said, “He’s the leader of the Christian faith, and that’s about it.”
She did say it would be nice if they chose a Cardinal from New York State but that seemed unlikely. Rather, she assumed he would be European. She thought the conclave in the Vatican was more special for Europeans. “If it was here in the U.S., we’d be doing the same thing,” she said.
She did wonder however if there would be same changes coming for women in the church.
What does a new Pope mean to you and your Catholic experience? Weigh in below.
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