Dowling Catholic Students Watch History Unfold With Pope Francis I’s Election

With smart phones, tablets and other communication devices at their fingertips, West Des Moines Dowling Catholic High School have been able to witness history in a way that the school’s president thinks will make them more engaged Catholics in the future.

The Catholic Church’s 115 cardinal electors have decided on the 266th pope of the Roman Catholic Church – Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires, who has taken the name of Pope Francis I.

As the new pope prayed for the church, the papacy and for his predecessor, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, students at Dowling were doing the same during what is a historic moment for many of them, said the school’s president, Jerry Deegan.

“In their lifetime, there has been one pope (Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI) that they remember, and his selection was a distant memory with little meaning,” said Deegan. “In many ways, as they become young adults, we think they will move forward and become more engaged in the church because they witnessed this historic moment.”

At the time Benedict was elected, the oldest of the Dowling students would have been about 10, the youngest 5 or 6.

Students at the West Des Moines private school have been closely watching the papal selection process and theology classroom discussions have centered around “just how historic it is and to be able to witness it in their lifetime,” Deegan said.

Televisions in the school’s offices and computers throughout the building have tracked the black and finally the white smoke signaling the election of the new pope.

“It’s been an interesting day,” Deegan said. “There has been a healthy, prayerful anticipation and as we have gotten closer, the interest has heightened. It’s been a really healthy, prayerful discussion.”

Early speculation that an American, Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, might be selected piqued the students’ interest, Deegan said. Students also discussed the growth of the Catholic Church among Hispanic populations and said they thought that might be the direction the cardinals would go.

The selection of Francis, 76, a Jesuit priest, may affirm that, Deegan said.

“I expect we will continue to have a lively, positive discussion as we go along,” he said. “This is somebody from outside of Europe, and there will be speculation from everybody in terms of what does this mean.”

At Mass the day Benedict left office, the students prayed and continued to pray throughout the process. When the final bell rings today, Deegan expects the students again to engage in prayer not only for the new pope, but also for his papacy and Pope Emeritus Benedict.