Dear Blog Readers —
It has been an exhausting day and I am wiped out, but it would be a shame not to tell you all about it. Today’s was Pope Benedict XVI’s last weekly audience in St. Peter’s Square as Pope. Tomorrow he will meet with Cardinals in the morning and at 5pm he will get on a helicopter and fly off to Castel Gandolfo. At 8pm his papacy officially ends. The Swiss Guard at Castel Gandolfo will go off duty and shut the doors to the Castle. Goodbye Benedict XVI.
Today I was at the Vatican very early. The Vatican had given out 50,000 tickets for the event and many more were expected. We had to do an early morning story with comments from pilgrims arriving and I had to door-step Cardinals. If any of you do not know what door-stepping is, check out my blog post “Door-stepping the High and Mighty“.
By the time the audience was about to begin at 10:30 am, I had already door-stepped Spanish Cardinal Julian Herranz, Ecuadorian Cardinal Raoul Vela, Argentinian Cardinal Estanislao Karlic and German Cardinal Joachim Meissner, and Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal, Archibishop of Trivandurum. I had already rushed into the center of the Square where AP cameraman Gianfranco Stara was positioned at the obelisk getting the crowd in the square and waiting for the Popemobile, then I had to rush up to the top of the Colonnade on St. Peter’s where AP cameraman Paolo Lucariello was getting the spectacular top-shot of the scene in the square and the Cardinals gathering. It was a gorgeous, sunny day and I wanted to stay up on the Colonnade to watch the Popemobile emerge into the square. No such luck. I had to rush back downstairs and start editing and writing with my colleague TV journalist Paolo Santalucia. Ah, the frustrations of witnessing history hunched over my Mac Lap-top.
AP Television was putting out the event live with a signal from Vatican TV, so I was able to see on a screen the Popemobile moving through the square and the Pope kissing a baby that was handed in for him to kiss. As soon as we finished our edit I ran to the press office so I could get a copy of the Pope’s speech.
I liked the Pope’s speech. He gave an interesting explanation to the people of why he has chosen to resign. He said that as Pope there have been “moments of joy and light” but also “not easy moments”. He described being on the “boat of St. Peter” when sometimes “the water was rough and the winds have been blowing against us.” He explained again that “in these past month I have felt my strength diminish” and said he made his decision to resign with the “full knowledge of the gravity and the novelty.” Interestingly he noted that the Pope has no — and, although he was speaking in Italian, he used the word in English here — “privacy”. He said “the Pope belongs to everyone, and everyone belongs to him.”
He concluded by thanking everyone for their “respect and comprehension” for his decision and urged everyone to pray for the Cardinals “who have such an important duty, and for the new Successor of St. Peter.”
I liked the directness of this speech and I have a new admiration for Benedict XVI’s making the historic decision to resign. He said, “loving the Church means also having the courage to make difficult choices.” He made a difficult choice and I think it took guts.
As the audience was wrapping up, I called in to AP radio for a quick report from the square on the speech and the atmosphere in the square, then it was back to Cardinal door-stepping duty.
On the way out, I managed to catch Cardinal Roger Mahony of Los Angeles who has been at the center of a controversy over his participation in the Conclave. See my blog post “Counting Down to the Conclave.”
This was our exchange:
Me: What do you think of the Pope’s words today?”
Cardinal Mahony: “Wonderful message, very encouraging.” (trying to push on past)
Me: He spoke about a ship on rough water with the wind against it…?
Cardinal Mahony:”Wonderful, the whole message was great, and we are not in the barc (boat) alone. (still trying to get past) But now we need more space. Thank you Thank you.”
Me: How do you respond to the people who say that they don’t want you to participate in the Conclave?
Cardinal Mahony: “God Bless You.
Well, now I have been blessed by Cardinal Mahony. A colleague suggested he really probably wanted to stick another word instead of “God Bless” before the “you.”
The rest of the day was spent requesting Cardinal interviews and preparing a lengthy story on Pope Benedict XVI’s legacy.
I won’t write about any of that now. Tomorrow is a big day. I have a sit-down interview scheduled with Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, and requests in to various other Cardinals. We have press conferences, briefings, interviews with Vatican officials, and Vatican analysts set up, and then we have the historic departure and the beginning of the Sede Vacante (Empty Seat).
On the frazzled Mamma front– I have been a disastrous Mamma, totally deserting my kids. My husband is on a work trip to Mexico so I am holding the fort on my own. My youngest, Chiara is on vacation this week and has contracted a stomach bug. I think she spent the day thinking about her latest form of amusement– painting fingernails. She watches videos on Youtube on how to do cool designs on fingernails. Now if I were a better Mamma, I would probably be encouraging her in more intellectual pursuits — like doing her homework. When I got home late she insisted that she paint my fingernails to look like strawberries. I could not say no. She launched into an elaborate nail painting operation while I tried to send emails and text messages on my blackberry without getting it red and green. So, this is what my nails now look like. Chiara says I cannot take it off before my Cardinal interviews tomorrow. What do you think Dear Blog Readers?
Finally, I would like to say a big THANK YOU to my AP photographer colleague Gregorio Borgia, who gives me his photo rejects to use on my blog. His pictures are so beautiful, if these are the rejects, it gives you an idea of the AP photo standard. Thank you Gregorio!
Wow, frazzled hardly begins to describe it. I can just picture you running ragged from one place to another and filing your pieces in a rush. It is exhausting but exhilarating work. Your photographer takes great “rejects.” And brava to you for pushing forward with that question to Cardinal Mahony. His reply was the kind you’d expect, but you can’t say you didn’t try. I’ll be eagerly awaiting the interview with Cardinal Dolan and yes, I think you should keep the nail polish as is. Who knows? It might give you a leg up (or shall we say a hand up) on the competition if Dolan notices it and asks you about it. It will also assuage any guilt you’re feeling about “deserting” your kids. But I’ll bet they’re mighty proud of you right now.
Thanks Linda. The question about my kids being proud of me is an interesting one. For the moment, no signs of pride, just aggravation. As I was frantically editing and writing yesterday my daughter called saying she had a stomach bug and to cancel her guitar lesson. I couldn’t find the teacher’s number and told her she would just have to do her guitar lesson sick. She was not happy at all. Then in the evening I had a go-round with my son because I was late to take him to water-polo pratice and I couldn’t remember where I parked my car (Rome is a parking nightmare). He was furious with me for forgetting where it was and making him more late, and then I got really angry at him and started telling him that I have enough info in my brain that I can’t keep car parking data in there. Not a pretty tiff. The embarassing thing is that I left it strategicaly double-parked the night before because I thought I had to run back out to pick him up at water-polo, and then he got a ride home. So my car was left 24 hours double-parked. But I am a talented double-parker. I did it so no one was blocked in. And I didn’t even get a ticket!
Hi Trisha,
A photographer who is a BORGIA!! Oh do tell! Any relation!
First things first. Leave the nail color. Tomorrow will be a once in a lifetime event. Might as well have the manicure to go with it.
I found your one on one with Cardinal Mahony quite telling. I suppose his answers should come as no surprise, yet I find myself angry again.
I look forward to your interview with Cardinal Dolan. I know very little of the man, but I saw him on the Today Show when the Pope’s resignation was first made public. He was fresh, open and honest, a welcome change from the obfuscation and evasion of Cardinal Mahony. In Cardinal Dolan’s back and forth with Matt Lauer, I was laughing out loud. He spoke very kindly of his personal relationship with the Pope. I wish I could see your interview!
And on the Frazzled Mamma front – this too shall pass. I hope Gustavo returns home soon,.
Keep these posts coming. Bart and I are enjoying them immensely.
Gregorio tells me he is not related to those Borgias of the past, that he comes from much more humble origins. It is a fantastic name though for a photographer who has to cover the Vatican. Today I will ask him if he can get me a photo of himself at the Vatican and I will post it.
Leave the nail color? It is still on, but I still have an hour before I have to go to work. Will I chicken out? I will let you know.
Dolan will definitely be included in the next post, whenever I find the time.
Thanks for all your support.
I had the exact same thought as Adri: Gregorio WHO?? A Borgia back in the Vatican?? That’s too scandalous for words! I knew things hadn’t changed, but I didn’t realize to what extent.
Fantastic reporting, as always, Trisha. I was there too, but much further away, clinging on to the edge of a fountain, but it was still an amazing experience and a piece of history that I am sure will brag to my grandchildren (or my great-nephews, which I already have!) about having witnessed. I didn’t manage to interview any Cardinals, of course… I tried but they were just a little too far away to hear my voice! I wish I could have seen Mahoney’s face when he gave you the brush-off. That’s a classic! “No, God bless YOU, your eminence.”
Tiffany – I am so glad you were there too! I wish I had seen you clinging to the fountain, I would have interviewed you! It is such an historic moment.
I bugged Gregorio today to have one of our photo colleagues take a cool picture of him at the Vatican, but no such luck for the moment.
But Borgia is back and tonight I will post more of his fabuluos photo rejects!
Bravo, Trisha! Just getting through your days would exhaust the rest of us. And you are brilliant in the midst of it. Bravo for spending time with Chiara, even while on your Blackberry. And I like the nails! But I’d chicken out on wearing it to an interview, though Dolan might warm to you for it.
Some thoughts: Dolan is a terrific interview to get. Ask him hard questions about the sex scandals and how he thinks they should be handled, and also about modernization as a value in the next Papacy, not just carrying on traditions.
The scandals are one aspect of the larger issue, equality before God of women and men, and social as well as spiritual equality; and the understanding gay as well as straight sex is a natural part of the creation, that all of the creation, as it says in Genesis, is good, not just part of it. If the next Pope can find a way to embrace a biblical theology rather than continue an old moral theology, the church could regain its footing in the modern world. And that would be a huge blessing for all of us, Catholics and Protestants and people of other faiths, too.
Trisha, I wonder if adding some other American interviews to your mix would be possible? I am thinking of Thomas Groom, who teaches religion at Boston College and has a wonderful, fresh theology. He was on Boston’s NPR station today being interviewed, you may be able to find it online, Tim Ashbrook’s program. Groom would, I think, do a Skype interview with you. He grew up in Ireland but has taught here for at least 30 years. And then, Elizabeth Schussler Fiorenza, who teaches at Harvard Div School, also Karen King who teaches there – Fiorenza is Catholic, and from Germany, and wrote In Memory of Her about 20 years ago. King brought the fragment about Jesus-said-my-wife to light. They would both have interesting things to say about the next papacy and what they think the church needs.
The Catholic tradition is a treasure of such immense proportions, it really is tragic to see it being brought down by a mire of sexual scandal and fossilized gender roles, none of which have roots in the gospels.
Keep on with your fine work! I can’t wait to read more –
Nancy — unfortunately I am reading this message at night and I did the Dolan interview hours ago. But I do appreciate your comments and will keep them in mind for other interviews. I have one scheduled with Cardinal Pell of Australia at 930am tomorrow. As far as interviewing other people– you are absolutely right in us needing other voices, but we have to have people here in person, skype quality is not good enough. I did interview Karen King when she was here presenting the fragment– she was lovely. So humble and intelligent. I should have done a blog post on her and her research.
Brava… complimenti on your questions to Mahony, and the nail polish episode.
Thank you Mary Jane!
As I write this, the Pope is flying off to the castle in the Pope-copter….I’m not too happy that the nuns got ‘kicked out.’ Hope you had another sunny, beautiful day and that your work pace will lessen?! Probably not, though, until a new Pope is elected. Thanks for being our eye-witness to history. Looking forward to future posts. I think Gutavo got the better end of the stick this week. Hopefully, you two can enjoy a Mexican sunset together real soon. Brava Trisha for all your efforts!
Thank you Sally! When the Pope went off in the helicopter I was on the roof of the North American College in Rome with Cardinal Timothy Dolan and a group of American seminarians. It was such a beautiful, historic moment. I will blog about it later tonight. I thinnk Gustavo is enjoying his Mexican sunsets on this own. I would content myself with a margarita right now!
A PS!
I agree with you, that the Pope has shown courage in retiring, At age 85, it is time, and he has now held this up as a standard for his church. And perhaps ten-year Papacies should be the norm, too, in the current world.
This, though, cannot sweep aside the persistent problems the world must insist be addressed. And you and the press are our voices. Courage!
Nancy – interestingly we got the below quote today from Cardinal Sean O’Malley who spoke to the press in his brown capuchin robes. I think he agrees with you. I have requested an interview with him, but I’ve heard he doesn’t grant one-on-one interviews.
“I can see the Conclave deciding to elect an older man realizing that he is not going to have to carry this burden into his 90s and that if he becomes incapacitated that he would feel permission to be able to resign. And so certainly it is a whole new ball game after this resignation but it is very difficult to forecast how it will play itself out.”
. . all that and blogging too! You women are amazing, something to do with diffused awareness I think! So, when are you going to fit in a post about the weird electoral system in Italy? That business of being less that a per centage point ahead of your rival and being gifted a few extra seats is quite bizarre!
Alan — you are right, the Italian political mess is definitely worth a blog post or two, but I have been assigned to the Papal resignation and election so it would be useless for me to spout off about Italian politics given that I am not covering it right now. It is a pretty disastrous, chaotic mess though. But Italians do always tend to pull through one way or another.
Trisha,
Have you ever done a profile of Archbishop Gaenswein? Not the “Vanity Fair” hunk-of-the-year fluff, but about his loyalty, commitment and role as the man closest to Pope Benedict (it’s not yet 8pm in Rome …) for the past eight years? And what now for him – a difficult path to walk?
Very good point Philip. I should do an in-depth report on Archbishop Ganswein, and not just hunk-of-the-year fluff. He indeed has been extremely loyal and is not heading into one of the most complicated roles in the history of the church, living with the X Pope and working for the new Pope. I have requested interviews with him in the past and my request was never even answered. But once things settle down, I will try again. I think it is highly, highly unlikely that he would ever grant me an interview. But it would be worth a try.
Wooh!! Will you be writing about your interview with His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan? :D He’s awesome! That picture of Benedict leaving his weekly audience is great on so many levels – it made me feel sad yet proud of him for making such a difficult decision.
Also, tell Chiara I’m impressed with her nail-painting ability and would be the first to make a manicure appointment should she decides to pursue it further :p
Thanks Pauline!! The interview with Dolan went really well. I hope to blog about it later if I have the energy. He is pretty awesome.
Chiara is thrilled by your comments. I think she might be gearing up to try something else out on me. Yikes.
Hi Trisha
Oh gosh WHAT A DAY! A witness to history in our time that has no precedent in terms of media involvement there to record and document it for the future. You are a part of that – I’m so happy to have this insider view of the whole thing via your blog. It’s like being invited to the VIP section of a private party and stepping behind the velvet rope.
I so feel for you with regards the kids and the huge dose of working mom guilt I can sense you are maybe feeling? I remember receiving the news that I had won a major academic prize for my post-graduate study a few years ago. I was ecstatic! Being a single mom the first people to hear the news were the kids. Their reaction – ‘that’s great mum what’s for dinner and can Robert come over for a sleep over and where’s my wetsuit I want to go for a surf and I can’t find it’. I was annoyed at their reaction – couldn’t they share my joy for just two seconds?? But I got a grip and realised their world is small – they do care but at that moment they had other stuff on their mind. I am sure Nico will be in awe of his mother and your role in telling the world what happened in Rome today – it may take a while but I am sure he will one day say ‘gosh mom that was so cool’
And I agree with Adri – leave the strawberry nails – they are so cute.
Hope you have a chance to take a rest sometime soon.
Hey Kathy — thanks for your support. Well, I think it is wonderful that you got a major academic prize for post-graduate study. What was that? Kids will be kids I guess. Bikes and surf boards– adolescents will be adolescents from Italy to Australia.
Yes, kids are kids. The prize was for achieving in the top five percent of the cohort in the academic year – it’s called the Dean’s Merit List – something like it probably exists in US colleges. I was totally thrilled and was presented with the award at a special ceremony – which my sons didn’t want to attend (it’s TOO BORING mum!).
Congratulations Kathy! I think it is wonderful. Someday our kids will realize how special we are!
Loved reading your write up on the Pope’s words, the interaction with Mahony and your budding beautician. You really are doing many things! Love this blog!
Thank you Heather!
Work is beautiful !
You are doing a fantastic job
Congratulations and enjoy it all
Dario
Thank you Dario! I have been on an adrenalin rush since the Pope announced his resignation, however, I think from midnight last night I am starting to crash. I need to recuperate some energy for the coverage of the Conclave. It is going to be interesting and exciting.
Well done journalist of the month. I really am enjoying the insights into the historic transition. Oh the pagentry and pathos of taking the Pope’s rings and shoes and putting him on a real / symbolic helicopter and then the Swiss guards closing the door. Look forward to reading the Dolan interview. I agree with Kathy, someday the kids will understand and be proud. Kind of tough to have Gustavo away. Look forward to reports on the positioning and the Conclave itself. This is a great time for catholicism to move forward and the probabilities of them taking ther opportunity are low. It will be interesting.
Keep up the great work, you have quite a following.
L/D
Thank you Dad!!! Love, Trisha
Having just found your blog, please pardon the tardiness of this response, but I had to say how intriguing I found your encounters with Cardinal Mahoney to be. As he has now is ‘retired’ as Archbishop of Los Angeles, he is now residing at my parish here in a suburb of LA (Toluca Lake, CA). In the weeks leading up to the conclave when the controversies around the release of the abuse documents from the LA diocese and the additional controversy of his attendance at conclave, there were news vans converging in front of the church every Sunday. Going to mass was like going to a film premiere…there were so many camera crews filming and pushing microphones in parishioners faces for comments on Mahoney. Meanwhile he was posting inflammatory comments on his blog, showing no sense of humility or remorse for his actions or for the suffering of the many victims of the abuse that he helped cover up. Many parishioners have left our church knowing that he lives there, but does not preach there, but once in a while he will make an appearance with that smarmy smile plastered across his face and conduct mass…when he does, I promptly walk out. Some things are really hard to forgive, especially when there is no remorse.
Kay — thank you so much for your comments. I am surprised and honored that someone is actually reading my old posts. As far as Cardinal Mahoney is concerned, I agree about the smarmy — hard to take. The other one who we see a lot at events in Rome is Cardinal Law of Boston. Sigh.
Do keep on reading and let me know what you think…I love hearing the thoughts and opinions of readers.