Six years ago yesterday, little Fr. Dickie McBrien, the prognosticator of prognosticators, opined to the WaPo that a certain German Cardinal had zero chance of becoming Pope.

“I think this homily shows he [Cardinal Ratzinger] realizes he’s not going to be elected. He’s too much of a polarizing figure,” said the Rev. Richard P. McBrien, University of Notre Dame theologian. “If he were elected, thousands upon thousands of Catholics in Europe and the United States would roll their eyes and retreat to the margins of the church.”

Then six years ago today, this happened…Habemus Papam Punk.