MUSIC IN MILAN

 

 

EVENING 3

 

 

PAPA FRANCESCO

 

 

 

After our trip to Cremona, we had a dinner reservation at Osteria Stendhal in the Brera district of Milan.  We had to postpone leaving the hotel because someone came to the lobby with news that white smoke had just been emitted from the chimney at the Vatican.   We waited....  no news.  So, I made the executive decision to leave.  The walk was longer than expected and we had some very anxious Catholics with us.  Who will it be?? 

 

You must understand that our Chicago contingent consisted of four ladies, all of whom were from South America:  Argentina, Chile, Peru and Colombia.    Catholic countries.  Olga, Chela, and Gloria were very intent upon learning who was elected.  Others in the group were too.  Would it be a continuation of conservatism or would it be an acknowledgement of the world-wide church?    The Chi ca go ladies stopped people  in the street as we walked to Stendhal to ask them if they had heard who the Pope was.    No word yet.

 

But as we walked into Stendhal, the news was at hand:  the cardinal from Argentina, Francis.  Excitement, Pride, Applause.  During dinner, Dori was on her iPhone looking for information about him and informing us all about the direction the church was headed in.

 

This was a very exciting, historical evening that for our group will be forever associated with the trip.