Mark Clairmont | MuskokaTODAY.com

It’s hard to be humble, even for a pope, who will be laid to rest with the pomp and circumstance becoming a state leader Saturday morning.

Pope Francis, as requested, will be buried at Rome’s Basilica of St. Mary Major after a morning funeral Mass at St. Peter’s. The first pontiff in more than a century to be interred outside the Vatican.

Historically popes are buried in triple coffins — one made out of cypress wood, one of lead and one of elm — which are placed one inside the other before being placed in marble tombs inside the heart of the Vatican in grottoes beneath St Peter’s Basilica.

The last popes there were his predecessors Benedict XVI and John Paul II.

Before them was John Paul I, whose burial tomb I visited shortly after his death in 1978.

Along with dozens of other papal leaders placed feet apart in catacombs deep beneath the Roman Catholic seat of power where the bible says Peter was buried “upon this rock” and his remains are revered before the main altar there.

It’s a long way from the Vatican’s domed peak where I overlooked St. Peter’s Square.

Top to bottom were tiny sets of stone stairs barely wide enough for me and a few other tourists to wend our way up and down.

I was also literally lifted off my feet by a crowd of worshippers when I took in a mass John Paul II said at St. Peters.

Again it was more dramatic than the simple service in Midland and grandness of one I followed to Toronto

Francis prefers much a simpler entombment.

Notably compared to Vladimir Lenin’s mausoleum where I and GHS students visited in 1974. And Napoleon’s grand tomb in Paris. And to a much lesser degree in China where I paid my respects at the grave of Dr. Norman Bethune and played the Last Post.

Francis — who came to Canada in July 2022 on a “penitential pilgrimage” — didn’t make it to Toronto or Midland as John Paul II did. But on that trip he apologized “for the evil committed by so many Christians against the Indigenous peoples” — during extraordinary stops in Alberta, Quebec and Iqaluit.

His will be big shoes (not slippers) to fill if the RC church is to survive a modern liberalized democratic world.

At St. Dominic’s Catholic High School in Bracebridge, students paused and reflected Monday saying a prayer for Francis during morning reflections, principal Joe Conway said today.

He said flags at the private school will be lowered for the next nine days in accordance with church guidance.

Paikin and my TVO Agenda

Speaking of passing the torch, after 19 years Steve Paikin is stepping back from TVO’s flagship program.

‘And that’s The Agenda: thanks for watching.’

That was Paikin’s nightly sign-off and the headline of final website column announcing that at the end of June he will be signing off the popular Ontario program for good.

Coming off another successful federal leadership debate last week, he says he will stay on with TVO in a different capacity doing specials after 32 years at TVO — including his popular Friday night #onPoli politics chats with “JMM” John Michael McGrath.

So you may see him more around Muskoka where he’s been a frequent guest speaker at the JW Marriot in Minett at the Chautauqua weekends here.

One of those included a boat tour on which I was his guide and guest speaker on Lake Rosseau tour with his family.

I was also a panel guest on The Agenda some years ago when he was talking about cottaging in Muskoka and I was defending local immigration with a couple of lake and cottage association members on the other side of the round table in a lively give-and-take.

The producers had liked my writing and columns in MuskokaTODAY.

I remember sitting in the green room make-up room next to Paikin and him telling the artist to make sure I wore my pork pie hat on the show.

Guess my pate would have negatively reflected my positive views.

I was snapping photos of him as he was made up.

He encouraged me to take photos during the show and told the camera man not to be shy about getting shots of me doing likewise.

The producers invited me back on another time to discuss municipal council issues when I was town and district councillor. But as it was taped in the afternoon for evening airing and I was working editing at the Hamilton Spectator (Paikin’s hometown) I was unable to oblige.

I’ll have to quickly offer my services and comments this spring or wait for him to be on my future Muskoka pod cast.

Prime time for first minister

Paikin has been a moderator of nine provincial and federal debates.

Last week he was smooth as ever — unlike a few others in which the aspirants challenged his refereeing skills.

That latest English engagement, which witnessed race leader Mark Carney and political foil Pierre Poilievre duelling with lunges, parrys and ripostes merely reinforced voters’ images of the party leaders vying for prime minister.

Their Parry Sound-Muskoka candidates are — save for Liberal Geordie Sabbagh — are MIA.

Tory Scott Aitchison is as absent during this campaign as he’s been during his time in office. He’s staying close to his Huntsville home.

Is that representation? Does he know all Muskokans today? Or just PCPs?

He may have long-term support, but his former leadership foe hasn’t endeared himself to even the staunchest Conservatives.

Among them surprisingly is riding right-wing crusader Hugh Mackenzie who says even he is having second thoughts about P.P.

And is listed as among the uncommitted days ahead of Monday’s vote.

The NDP, with Heather Hay, will always be on the ballot with token representation. One voter said she got their advance poll vote because Hay was a student and deserves credit for running.

New Democrats can always count on their socialist supporters who have helped with their important work this term in forcing Justin Trudeau to sign up for universal dental and pharmacare.

Reason enough to reward them by flipping them a bone and have them hang around.

That leaves Sabbagh, the new kid on the political block who has been working the crowd the hardest.

He comes off well in person at coffee shops in his desperate bid to learn what it means to be a Parry Sounder and Muskokan.

But will be a “local” by Monday?

The way polls look Carney is headed for a majority government if 7.3 million weekend voters is any indication. And may be an indication that voters know where they want Canada to go next week.

With the Trump factor clearly at play, strategically if PS-M voters believe in the status quo they should pencil in Sabbagh.

A fourth line backbencher with Carney in goal beats a housing shadow cabinet member.

As local Liberal history showed with Andy Mitchell bagging a cabinet seat, Sabbagh also scoring an upset win would be like the Leafs winning the Stanley Cup.

And as Matt Richter proved, voting strategically could give PS-M what it really needs.

A voice in government could help in the fight for attainable housing, food and job security, seniors’ and child supports, education and environmental activism.

If you haven’t voted, consider this when your grandchildren ask where you were when you cast your ballot Monday for Canada.

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