Protecting Francis
The Pope has recently been to Cuba, and today he will be arriving to the United States. Like any other dignitary, the Pope needs protection from both, bad people, and adoring crowds. Yet, doing so is not easy feat.
“The crowds throw things,” Mr. Clancy, who took over as the head of the Secret Service last October, said in an interview. “They throw flags, dolls and, obviously, babies towards him. It’s difficult because we don’t want our agents to overreact. He doesn’t want to see an overreaction, either, but you don’t want to miss anything.”
Flags, dolls, flowers, I understand, but babies thrown at him? That was a surprise that brought scary thoughts!
Yet, will all the protection he gets, Francis seems not to be too worry about matters of life and death. After all, he represents the Christian God on Earth, why should he worry? Reflecting on his own mortality during an interview for a community newspaper in Argentina, Francis is quoted to have, jokingly, said:
“Look, life is in God’s hands. I told the Lord: ‘You are taking care of me,’ ” he told the newspaper. “But if your will is that I die or that they do something to me, I ask you only one favor: that it doesn’t hurt,” he said in a light tone. “Because I’m a big coward when it comes to physical pain.”