Readers Remember

I was studying for college midterm exams in 1978 when my husband came in and announced that he heard on a radio that a new pope was chosen. After he told me it was Cardinal Karol Wojtyla of Krakow I was euphoric, since I myself came from Poland.

I could no longer study or for that matter even sleep. I kept on searching through TV channels looking for any and all news about the new pope. I sure was glad when the midterms were over so that I could devour all newspaper articles and TV reports. I still have some of those magazines, and my euphoria hasn’t diminished much.

GRACE KEPSKI

Encino

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It’s good news, the new cathedral and the renewal of Saint Vibiana’s. As a young padre, I was part of the latter. Baptisms, confirmations, weddings, Masses, confessions, Christmas, Easter, and Lenten celebrations. Nonstop ceremonies and prayers attracting all sorts: a little file clerk flanked by a federal judge and a tipsy drop-in.

One busy Christmas Eve, with lines of people queuing up for confession, I pulled back the slide to be greeted with a whiff of raw alcohol and a slurring demand: “I wan to get off at Shixt and Main shteets.” “Want to confess?” I asked routinely. “Damn ye, let me off at Shixt and Main or I’ll call the plice.” Leaving my own cubicle and knocking on the impenitent’s door, I loudly announced, “SIXTH AND MAIN STREETS.” “Damn it, man, don ye undershtand Enlish?” he shouted as he ran toward the door.

MONSIGNOR SHERIDAN

Malibu

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In 200 words or less, send us your memories, comments or eyewitness accounts of the 20th century. Write to Century, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053, or e-mail century@latimes.com. Letters may be edited for space.