luck of the irish?

...or maybe God's way of saying "way to go!"

in the last month, i started going back to sunday mass as a cop out lenten sacrifice because for the last 5 years or so, i stopped going to church - not even on easter or christmas. i figured something is better than nothing. so on sunday mass, during the usual administrative parish news, father reminds everyone that the lottery for the papal mass will close after the 12noon service. so i sit there and fill out the form, not thinking that i'll get it. but let me tell you that they called yesterday and I SQUEALED. at work.

i'm going to see benny. in english.

here is a clip of benny in krakow that my friend j took while kitas and i were there on vacation in poland two years ago. and before you think i'm some catholic zealot pope freak, i'm not (really!); it was pure coincidence that we were in town visiting j for this occasion. and you know, we ran into il papa on the rynek.

but much like a sporting event when even though you aren't 100% sure who you're watching or if what they're doing is great -- when the crowd is cheering, you can't help but scream and jump up and down screaming "boo yah" and waving that foam finger right along with them.

that's what watching the popemobile is like.