"From a Far Country"

Thirty-one years ago at this hour, the church -- and the world -- changed forever with the election of a son of Poland to the chair of Peter....


Translation:

Praised be Jesus Christ! [May he always be praised!]

Dearest brothers and sisters,

We all remain downhearted after the death of our beloved Pope John Paul I. Yet here, the Eminent Cardinals have called forth a new bishop of Rome. They have called him from a far country... far, but always so close in the communion of the faith and in the Christian tradition.

I was afraid at receiving this nomination, but I have done so in the spirit of obedience to our Lord, and in total trust of his Mother, our Most Blessed Lady. Also, I don't know if I can explain myself well in your... in our Italian language. If I err, correct me!

And thus I present myself to you all, to confess our common faith, our hope, our trust in the Mother of Christ and of the Church, so to begin again along this road of history and of the Church -- to begin it again, with the help of God and the help of men.

...and, indeed, we'll never see his like again.

Looking down from the Father's House, may he ever rest in peace, and pray for us all.

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