In anticipation of the papal conclave, KARE 11 caught up with seminarians at Saint John Vianney College Seminary (SJV), located on the University of St. Thomas campus, who have constructed their own version of the Vatican’s iconic chimney to signal the election of a new pope. Using a sauna box and a fog machine, they plan to emit white smoke, mirroring the traditional method used in the Sistine Chapel, once a new pope is announced.
Father Jonathan Kelly, rector of SJV, and Michael Naughton, director of the Center for Catholic Studies at St. Thomas, were quoted in the story, along with some seminarians.
Kelly said, “The pope is meant to be a visible sign of unity in the Church. We wanted to participate in that symbolism and show our connection to the universal Church.”
From the story:
“It’s only every so many years that you get a pope,” Christopher Foote, a freshman seminarian, said. “To be part of this, to be at the seminary while it’s happening is really cool.”
It’s a unique experience for many of the seminarians. Some have been to Rome to study, and some have even heard Pope Francis at Masses he presided over.
“I remember in third grade watching the election for Pope Francis, and how exciting that was,” Brennan Crow, a junior seminarian, said. “I was recently in Rome for the semester, and I got to go to a couple Masses that he presided. And just hearing his wisdom, hearing his care for the poor, care for the sick, care for those that society usually forgets about, is very important, very special.”
Michael Naughton, director of the Center for Catholic Studies at the University of St. Thomas, says there are many who will be watching the conclave, whether they're Catholic or not.
“I think that has been one of the kind of delightful things to see, is the respect that people have given him, even though they don’t agree with him on particular issues and they don’t agree with the Catholic Church on particular issues, they’re recognizing something highly significant,” he said.
