I would have made a good pope…

…or so the 37^th US President, Richard Nixon, thought. I am not sure how or why he arrived at that conclusion, however.

A fetish for dressing up in long bejewelled gowns, perhaps?

A proclivity for wearing tall pointy hats?

A tendency to drive around waving regally at passing crowds from a bullet-proof glass pope-mobile?

Or maybe he was just trying to get his kids into the local Catholic school.

Unbelievably, the time has come for us to start thinking about potential educational institutions for the short one. Being in the game (as opposed to on it…), I feel I am somewhat versed in all things ‘school’. But I quickly realised that looking in from the outside gives one a whole other perspective.

Not unlike Nixon, I am assuming, our lineage finds itself steeped in Catholic traditions. Both sides of the family spent years growing up in RC schools and for the main, it hasn’t done us any harm…well…except for maybe those subjected to the ways of the Sisters of ‘No’ [sic] Mercy. They did have a tendency to instil their values and beliefs via the swing of a cane…

But I digress. 


We thought we would try our luck at the local Catholic school and apply for enrolment. Aside from filling in more paperwork than at tax time, there is a set of criteria that one has to meet before you are even deemed suitable to hand over several thousand of your dollars, ensuring that sought after placement. Reading down this list, our chances seemed to be getting slimmer and slimmer…

1. Regularly worship at parish
2. Active parishioners
3. Frequent church attendance

It appeared that we needed to do a little bit more research into this gig. 


OK, so we know there are a number of truths within the Catholic faith.

1. They own the best real estate on top of every hill in every city and town on earth.
2. They love a good drink.
3. They feel guilty about everything.

Now, I would consider myself all over points 2 and 3 and in anyone’s books, two out of three are pretty good odds.

You know…I think I would have made a good pope!

Short one's baptism with her two beautiful God parents