Local man witnessed church history

Deacon Jeff Walker at St. Rose Church in Perrysburg. (Photo: J.D. Pooley/Sentinel-Tribune)

(Editor’s note: Deacon Jeff Walker, a Custar native, is in his final year of preparation to become a diocesan priest. His studies have taken him to the Pontifical North American College in Rome. Walker was in St. Peter’s Square for the announcement of Pope Francis as the new leader of the Roman Catholic Church.)

I was one of the thousands of people waiting underneath my umbrella in a cold and rainy St. Peter's Square. The first two burnings of ballots came about 20 minutes ahead of when they were scheduled to come, so I think most people were expecting to see smoke around 6:40 p.m. When my watch hit 7 p.m., I started to wonder if maybe it was taking longer this time because they had elected the Pope and were asking for his acceptance and his name. Low and behold, shortly after 7 I saw white smoke emerge from the chimney.