Students at Chicago Catholic school learn valuable lessons in mock conclave
By Noel Brennan
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CHICAGO (WBBM) — As cardinals in Rome get ready for the papal conclave, some kids in Chicago got an idea of their job ahead with a special activity Tuesday.
At Our Lady of Mount Carmel Academy, at 720 W. Belmont Ave. in Lakeview alongside the English Tudor Gothic-style Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, youngsters were all dressed up as cardinals and Vatican Swiss Guards. And a school assembly room became the Sistine Chapel as the kids held their own mock conclave.
Suddenly, fourth grader Cameron Smith felt the weight of a cardinal in Rome, as he interviewed candidates for pope with notebook in hand.
“There’s so many good options,” he said.
Cameron and the other elementary school cardinals all donned scarlet cassocks, birettas, and mozzettas for the occasion — and they had to vote like cardinals, and think like them too.
Teachers, parents, and the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish helped plan the mock conclave. It was up to 20 kid cardinals to pick their pope.
“They need to be humble,” said sixth grader Evan Broz. “Be a pope of the people.”
“I think you’ve got to be kind, respectful,” said Cameron.
“What makes a good pope is a pope that’s holy, and has a good heart for everyone,” said another kid cardinal, Angie.
As the cardinals campaigned for each other, frontrunners cropped up. The young cardinals went through multiple rounds of voting — with a snack break of Goldfish crackers before round three.
“We’re getting very close to a pope and everyone’s freaking out,” Cameron said as the voting went on. “It could be anyone!”
But the palpable papal suspense finally lifted. Cardinal Augustus Wilk — also known as fourth-grader Augie Wilk — was elected “Pope Augustine” with two-thirds of the vote.
“I also learned it’s good to have a little bit of fun, but also to stay humble,” Auggie said.
White smoke billowing from a pipe out a window signaled the news to the entire school. And the new kid pope came to another window and waved to an exuberant cheering crowd of youngsters — just like the real pope in St. Peter’s Square.
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