Catholic Question

Lehcarjt · Sep 12, 2012

I just realized that I have a major event scheduled for my NYC historical novel on August 4th, 1903 - the day of Pious X's election. The conclave ran from July 31st forward. If I understand it correctly, the common people wouldn't know that the election was complete until it was complete (ie. no planned end date so that the announcement would be sort of a surprise).

I've got an Italian-American Heroine and an Irish-Catholic American Hero. Both are first generation. I'm wondering about their devout families' experience on that day. I imagine they'd know reasonably early in the day (time difference an all) that the election had concluded. Is there anything special that would happen at the local churches? Would school (Catholic school) occur normally? Is there anything else you can tell me that I don't know to ask? (I realize that the historical aspect makes this harder to answer. I'll happily take more modern experiences just to give me ideas of avenues to pursue.)

Thanks in advance!

Rachel

James D. Macdonald · Sep 12, 2012

My own experience is from the late 20th century, but I remember the election of every Pope from John XXIII on, and was in Catholic school for a lot of them ... and the reaction on the ground-level was "Oh, so we have a new Pope."

I'd expect that a prayer for the new guy would be offered at the following Sunday's Mass. Beyond that, and beyond changing the wording to "Pius our Pope," rather than "Leo our Pope" there'd be no change in their day-to-day lives (and since that bit would be in Latin in the Order of the Mass, few of your characters would even understand it).

Since Pius was crowned on August 9th school wouldn't be in session anyway.

blacbird · Sep 13, 2012

Lehcarjt said:
I just realized that I have a major event scheduled for my NYC historical novel on August 4th, 1903 - the day of Pious X's election. The conclave ran from July 31st forward. If I understand it correctly, the common people wouldn't know that the election was complete until it was complete (ie. no planned end date so that the announcement would be sort of a surprise).

That's still the way it works. If you want surprise, go back and look at the election of John Paul II (Cardinal Woytila), who succeeded John Paul I after the latter had reigned for only a month. JP2 was the first non-Italian pope in centuries, and the first ever from Poland. Unexpected is a mild adjective for that moment.

caw

James D. Macdonald · Sep 13, 2012

blacbird said:
That's still the way it works. If you want surprise, go back and look at the election of John Paul II (Cardinal Woytila), who succeeded John Paul I after the latter had reigned for only a month. JP2 was the first non-Italian pope in centuries, and the first ever from Poland. Unexpected is a mild adjective for that moment.

caw

I won a dinner from every other officer in the wardroom of USS Hawkins by betting that the next Pope wouldn't be Italian.

Y'see, I'd read my Nostradamus....

Becky Black · Sep 17, 2012

I'm not sure they'd know as fast as you're describing, back in 1903. They didn't even have radio broadcasts then.The news would have to come over to the US via the telegraph - no transatlantic phone calls happened until 1926. I'd think most people wouldn't know about it until they read it in the newspaper the next day.

Shakesbear · Sep 17, 2012

It might not have been the next day - it depends on the time that the election was announced and the times in the US that papers were printed. It might,and probably is, possible to see the papers for the time of the event in archives. The reports would also give an idea of how the election was celebrated.

Lehcarjt · Sep 17, 2012

Yes, the news would have come by transatlantic telegraph. I was thinking (and perhaps I am wrong in this) that the NYC ArchBishop would be notified immediately upon the election completing and thus the information would get out quickly. One of the communities I'm writing about is extremely devout (and nosey / connected to each other). If one person knows, everyone knows.

I will check the newspapers though. Hard on my eyes sometimes (and I've got great eyes!), but very useful. Thank you.

Lil · Sep 17, 2012

You know, even devout Catholics probably wouldn't much care who was elected Pope. It wouldn't really affect them, other than changing the name of the pope who gets prayed for on Sunday. It's not as if they'd have been rooting for one candidate or the other, or they're expecting any changes.

Becky Black · Sep 19, 2012

Lehcarjt said:
Yes, the news would have come by transatlantic telegraph. I was thinking (and perhaps I am wrong in this) that the NYC ArchBishop would be notified immediately upon the election completing and thus the information would get out quickly. One of the communities I'm writing about is extremely devout (and nosey / connected to each other). If one person knows, everyone knows.

I will check the newspapers though. Hard on my eyes sometimes (and I've got great eyes!), but very useful. Thank you.

That sounds reasonable, that they'd hear it by word of mouth. Official channels would take longer. Though like Lil says, to your ordinary person it's not that big a deal in that it will have no immediate effect on their lives. It's certainly interesting and I suppose some people would have a particular cardinal they preferred to get the job. Certainly the higher up in the church they are that would be the case. But most ordinary Catholic people wouldn't have a clue who the cardinal for any other country than their own is (if they even knew that), so unless their guy got the job the new Pope would be a total stranger to them. There's no public campigning or anything, like a political election. (Though who knows what behind the scenes machinations go on?!)

Catholic Question

Lehcarjt

Been here, Done this.

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

blacbird

James D. Macdonald

Your Genial Uncle

Becky Black

Writing my way off the B Ark

Shakesbear

knows a hawk from a handsaw

Lehcarjt

Been here, Done this.

Lil

Becky Black

Writing my way off the B Ark