"He won't rock the boat"

Several years ago I read In this House of Brede when it was brought back into print by the Loyola Classics imprint (and edited by Amy Welborn!). It's such a great book, and I wish it, as well as many other of Godden's novels, were available on Kindle.

There's one small part that came to mind when I heard the news this morning about Pope Benedict XVI's resignation. I don't have the book handy, only my blog post where I did not note the page number. The sisters at Brede are discussing the election of a new Pope.

The younger nuns hoped for a progressive pope, the older ones were silent, remembering Pope Pius. "We shan't see his like again," said Dame Perpetua. Then the excited voice proclaimed the eleventh smoke, a spiral of white, strawless, and the heard the cry [on the radio] that went up from the crowd, thousands strong, in St. Peter's square: "We have a pope! We have a pope!" The voices were of acclamation, but in Brede's parlor depression filled the room. "Cardinal Roncalli?" asked the nuns disbelievingly. "Roncalli?"

"But who is he?" That was the question asked by many. "They have chosen an old man," said Dame Anselma in disgust. "An interim pope," and "He won't rock the boat," said Dame Paula, who was emerging as the abbey's progressive nun....
Then, "John," said the abbess. "A curious name to choose."
"Yes, he has broken precedent," said Dame Agnes. "There hasn't been a John for five hundred years."
"He has broken precedent!" Young Dame Paula approved of broken precedents.

I loved the irony, likely accurate for the sentiment when Pope John XXIII was elected. I could not help but think even then, in 2005, how Pope Benedict XVI was viewed at his election, and how I was sure history would prove everyone wrong.

"He has broken precedent" is what we may remember most.