By Fr. Paul D. Scalia, The Catholic Thing - For the past week, the death of Pope Francis has dominated the news. For the next several weeks, the election of his predecessor will do so. And today the Church places before us the story about Thomas’s doubt and, therefore, about what it means to believe. (John 20:19-31) In God’s providence, the scene orients our thoughts and prayers about the papacy and the next pope... Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.”