Over at dotCommonweal, Fr. Komonchak started a caption contest for this shot from Wednesday’s General Audience. The lion cub came courtesy of the Medrano Circus, whose acrobats apparently performed a little something for the pontiff. Amy Welborn also has a contest, though at this point (the entries are still coming) I think Komonchak’s contestants have the upper hand.

Here are a few:
“Don’t you recognize me without the wardrobe and the witch? I’m Aslan, your boss!”
“Lion Cub vs. German Shepherd!”
And my favorite so far…
“And how do you like being thrown to the Christians?”
Can anybody beat those? The combox is open below…
BTW, apparently, Benedict was smitten with the kitty, which roared when he got up to pet it.
Having covered innumerable audiences like these, nothing makes me feel for a pope than encounters such as this. Frank Sinatra Jr. getting tongue-tied and thinking of nothing better to say to JP2 than “Live long and prosper”-complete with Vulcan split-fingered salute-is a good example.
But when John Paul met the Harlem Globetrotters following one audience I covered he duly got ready for the photo, and was handed a tricolor basketball while flanked by towering African-American fellows. When told who they were he brightened and said in his Boris Karloff baritone, “Ah yes, I have been to Harlem!” He may have meant the Netherlands, but he had been to Harlem, NY, which is what he meant. I’m sure. Whether any of the players had been to Harlem is another question.
In any event, after the week the pontiff has had, he was probably happy for the distraction. Besides, he loves cats. Papal pets? That’s a post for another time…
Bye, bye, Lion…