I am writing this hurriedly as I try to beat the 3 pm cut in cell service within Vatican City. They do this as an additional security measure ahead of the opening of the conclave.
This morning, I attended Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. I watched each of the Cardinal elect walk down the center aisle of St. Peter’s and walk before Our Lord’s altar in prayer and anticipation of the 267th pope.
In fact, this Mass is called the Pro Eligendo Romano Pontifice, a pre-conclave Mass meant to pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit as the Cardinals elect a new pope.
While I could go into much detail about the tremendous beauty I experienced both by receiving Our Lord – who is Beauty – in the Holy Eucharist at Mass, and attending Mass in what my mother called, “artists heaven,” I’d like to jump back to the topic of cell service.
Until the next pope is elected, the Cardinals will be cut off from the rest of the world. They will have no access to phones, internet, newspapers, or everything going on in the world. They will enter into silence.
The concept of being silent for an extended period of time is difficult in a world where we have music, videos, and media in our hands at the touch of a few buttons. Spend some time imagining what it’s like to be cut off completely.
I am reminded of Elijah who in 1 Kings 19 was told by God to go up on a mountain so that He could speak to him there. After 40 days and nights of traveling and fasting, he found a cave from which God instructed him to go out. From there, Elijah experienced wind, earthquakes, and fire, but God was not in them. Instead, God came in a whisper. God came in the silence.
So, therefore, I reflect on what it means to be cut off from media and the world. I pray and hope you can pray with me, that God will encounter them there. We pray the Cardinals will enter into the silence and they have an opportunity to experience and open their hearts and minds to God coming in a whisper.
By Annaleigh Gidosh, Communications Specialist for the Diocese of Allentown, Youth Minister at St. Joseph the Worker, and pro-life leader at Queenship of Mary Catholic Church. She has a BA in Secondary Education and Religion from La Salle University. She has led and volunteered in pro-life advocacy through both national and local pro-life organizations since high school.
Photo: CNS Photo/Pablo Esparza
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