As the world awaits the election of a new pope, Bishop Daniel E. Thomas shares his personal memories of being at the Vatican during the historic 2005 papal conclave, which followed the death of Pope St. John Paul II and led to the election of Pope Benedict XVI.
At the time, Bishop Thomas was serving in the Congregation for Bishops at the Vatican—a post he held from 1990 through 2005.
Q: What brought you to Rome? Why were you there?
I was assigned to work at the Congregation for Bishops in the Roman Curia at the Vatican beginning in 1990. My assignment continued until the fall of 2005. So I was working there for the entirety of that time—during the pontificate of Pope St. John Paul II. It was a tremendous privilege and an extraordinary blessing to be in Rome during those historic moments: his final illness, his death and funeral, and the election of Pope Benedict XVI.
Q: What was it like to be at the heart of the Church in those days following Pope John Paul II’s death?
First and foremost, it was profoundly moving to have known both of these men—Pope St. John Paul II and Cardinal Ratzinger (who became Pope Benedict XVI). I had met and spoken with them both multiple times during my work at the Holy See. So, it was not just a historical moment; it was deeply personal.
During the Holy Father’s final illness, the sense of unity and prayer among the people was extraordinary. I joined the crowds in the square at night, praying for him. What struck me most was the international character of the people gathered. The colonnade arms of St. Peter’s—the great embrace of Mother Church—were filled with pilgrims from every corner of the world.
From my office window at the Vatican, I watched what I often describe as a “river of humanity” flowing down the Via della Conciliazione. People were walking day and night to pay their respects. Many carried signs reading “Santo Subito”—make him a saint now. And people were praying, singing, and chanting hymns as they made their way into the basilica.
As a Vatican official, I had the opportunity to view Pope John Paul’s body twice. He lay in state before the tomb of St. Peter, and I was struck by the visual and spiritual continuity: the successor of Peter lying before the bones of Peter, while the Church prepared to elect the next successor. It was a profound moment in the life of the Church.
Q: You also assisted with the funeral Mass. What was that experience like?
I was privileged to be one of the priests who assisted with distributing Holy Communion at Pope John Paul’s funeral. That Mass and the moment Pope Benedict first appeared on the loggia were among the most spiritually and emotionally powerful moments of my life.
At the conclusion of the funeral, the casket was brought to the doors of the basilica and raised for a final farewell. Some described it as a final blessing to the people gathered. At that moment, I just wept. I had worked for Pope John Paul for 15 years. For me—and for many—he was truly a spiritual father. The sorrow I felt was profound.
Q: And then, days later, came the conclave and the election of a new pope. What do you remember about that?
The formal nine days of mourning followed the funeral, and then the conclave began. I was again privileged to assist at the Mass just before the cardinals entered the conclave, celebrated by Cardinal Ratzinger, who was then the Dean of the College of Cardinals. To see the cardinals gathered from all over the world, praying for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, was unforgettable.
I remember exactly where I was when the white smoke appeared. I was in the office, and one of our Italian staff members had a small TV on his desk. He suddenly shouted, “Fumo bianco!”—white smoke! The office went from silent to stunned. I ran with a colleague to the window that faced St. Peter’s Square. We opened it and saw the smoke rising.
Almost instantly, we turned to each other and said, “Ratzinger.” It had been a short conclave—just a few ballots—and we suspected it was him.
We rushed into the square and waited with thousands of others. Then came the moment: “Annuntio vobis gaudium magnum: habemus papam!”—“I announce to you a great joy: we have a pope!” When the name Joseph Ratzinger was spoken and he stepped onto the balcony as Pope Benedict XVI, I wept again—this time, tears of joy. It was the joy of having a new father in the faith.
Q: As we await a new pope again, what would you say to the faithful of the Diocese of Toledo?
There’s a beautiful line in the Roman Missal, in the prayer after the Our Father. It says we “wait in joyful hope for the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.” In this Jubilee Year of Hope, I would say to all of us: we wait in joyful hope—for the Lord to give us, the members of His flock, a new shepherd.
This new pope will be the successor of Peter, the Vicar of Christ, a spiritual father to us all. He will guide, guard, and unify the Church. And so we pray with confidence that the Holy Spirit will once again inspire the cardinals to choose the shepherd we need.
– Annie Lust
Posted May 8, 2025 at 12:05 pm