PHOTOS: Redlands Native Witnesses History and New Pope Francis in Rome

A graduate of Redlands High School witnessed history this week in Rome as Pope Francis became the first non-European pope of the modern era, the first from Latin America, and the first Jesuit to lead the Catholic Church.

John Paul Beall, 20, who graduated from RHS in 2010, is a devout Catholic and a student of economics, classics and Latin, his mother Kathleen Beall said.

John Paul is enrolled at Washington & Lee University in Lexington, Va., and he is studying abroad this semester at Oxford in England. He decided to visit Rome on his spring break months ago, and tweaked his plans last week to arrive in time for the conclave and deliberations to select a new pope.

"For him to be able to be there for a truly historic event, it's amazing," Kathleen said. "John Paul loves history, he loves his faith, and he loves Latin. It's a combination of all the right reasons for him to be there."

John Paul arrived late Monday March 11 and he was able to stay with Norbertine priests at their Generalate in Rome.

"Tuesday morning he was up for Mass at 6:30 a.m. with the Norbertines in their private chapel," Kathleen said. "After breakfast John Paul and Father Marek, from the Norbertine Abbey in Prague, they went together to the Vatican."

They were hoping to attend the Preconclave Mass.

"That in itself was very historic, to be there for that," Kathleen said. "They waited an hour in line to be admitted into St. Peter's Basilica. During Mass they met some women from Birmingham, Alabama, who happened to be with Catholic Radio. So they got interviewed together after Mass."

The College of Cardinals went into conclave, voted once, and later Tuesday sent out a signal of black smoke, indicating no decision was made.

"On Wednesday, John Paul stayed near the Vatican so he could be there when smoke was visible," Kathleen said. "He went back to St. Peter's Square at 3 in the afternoon, and stood in pouring rain for four hours waiting for the white smoke."

The cardinals voted four times on Wednesday, and the fourth time they released a white smoke signal, indicating a new pope was chosen, Kathleen said.

"John Paul said once the white smoke was visible and the bells started to sound, the throngs of people were crushing," Kathleen said. "He couldn't believe so many people got there so fast.

"Then the rain stopped, and people stood there and waited for the announcement of the pope's name," Kathleen said. "The Swiss Guard of the Vatican came out, and the new pope came out and spoke for the first time. That was historic for several reasons: the first Latino pope, the first pope of the New World, the first Jesuit pope."

John Paul has decided to stay in Rome until Tuesday March 19 for the new pope's inaugural installation mass.

"He was going to leave Rome on Sunday but he asked me if it was ok to stay and I said of course," Kathleen said. "What a remarkable opportunity he's had."

John Paul spoke with Catholic Radio EWTN after the Preconclave Mass on Tuesday at St. Peter's Basilica.

"I have a lot of family back in Southern California who will be very interested to hear about the Mass today," he said. "I'm a double major, economics and classics, so I have two great reasons for being here in Rome. One is the fact that I get to see things I've only read about in classics textbooks, and the other of course to experience my faith on a whole new level.

"There was lots of Latin but of course it was a transcendental experience," he said of the Mass.

John Paul has two brothers, George, 16, a junior at RHS, and Lawrence, 18, a freshman at Claremont McKenna College.

"Our family are attends St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church in Loma Linda," Kathleen said. "He was baptized at Sacred Heart Catholic Church before it became Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church.

"Our family, my grandfather, John Paul's great-grandfather, was building chairman for Sacred Heart Church and Sacred Heart School in Redlands," Kathleen said. "We've been part of the Catholic community in Redlands for generations."

Kathleen's grandfather, W.L. Gill passed away in 1984, and to this day many people in Redlands still call her simply "Mr. Gill's granddaughter," she said.

For more information about Pope Francis and the Vatican, visit www.vatican.va.

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