This week the eyes of the world will be focused on a chimneyabove the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican. The chimney will serve asthe exclusive channel of communication to the outside world for theage-old pageantry of a papal election.

The Conclave will have the initial ballot occurring on Tuesdayafternoon, once the 115 Cardinals of the Church are sequesteredwithin the walls of the Vatican.

If no one receives a two-thirds majority, the cardinals willthen vote twice in the morning and twice in the evening on all thedays that follow. They will repeat the pattern with a day off afterevery three days until they elect a new pope, and all throughouttheir only communication to the outside world will come in the formof smoke.

Yes, after each vote, the ballots will be counted and boundtogether, then burned in a special temporary oven in the SistineChapel. If the vote is unsuccessful, the ballots will be burnedalong with a chemical compound that will produce “fumata nera” or ablack smoke. This explains the significance of that special chimneythat's been recently erected and visible from St. Peter'sSquare.

However, once the vote is successful, the ballots will be burnedalone, producing “fumata bianca” or white smoke. It's this whitesmoke that signals the election of a new pope. At that moment, thebells of St. Peter's will toll loudly and some 40 minutes later,the newly-elected pontiff will make his first public appearance tothe world from the basilica's balcony.

Now, consider the entire process. For countless people, the roleand authority of the pope is viewed to be without limits, and even,divinely sanctioned. He is not only the Bishop of Rome, but alsoleader of the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, ruler of theHoly See (the government of the Catholic Church), and head ofVatican City, the sovereign state within the city of Rome.

So given the magnitude and authority of the Seat of Peter, whythen in an age of mass media, from satellite communications toTwitter, is the world watching for a “smoke signal” to learn if theshoes of the fisherman have been filled?

What do these smoke signals say about the church and how do theycolor your perception of a centuries-old organization that'sseeking to be a relevant and influential force in the21^st century?

Is your credit union and in fact, the entire credit union systemany different when we consider the language we use—sharedrafts—and our business practice—not for profit, not forcharity but for service? Certainly, in today's capitalistic,money-driven world, credit unions and their philosophy aren'tactually considered “the norm.”

Yet, there should be no doubt that credit unions are unique,modeled in ways that make them distinct in the marketplace; but arethey seen and properly understood for the role they play withinfinancial services and for the value they deliver to their members,the underserved and their communities? After all, the perceptionspeople have of credit unions—their knowledge andunderstanding—occurs only as a result of credit unions themselvesand the ways they communicate; not just by the tools they use forcommunication but by the experience they afford to their audiencesas well.

By their very cooperative nature, credit unions are meant to bemuch more than simply providers of financial services andcompetitive rates. They are meant to do so much more than fight thebanking lobby on their tax-exempt status and lending authorities.In their role of service, credit unions are also called to meet thechallenge of being educators, co-operators and advocates for theless fortunate.

Credit unions – or perhaps I should say “we” – have aresponsibility for the way we meet these challenges in today'sworld. Most important is our responsibility to continuouslycommunicate who we are, what we stand for and what is right for theAmerican consumer. We must be heard with one continuous andconsistent voice, spoken not just for us but for all who because oftheir plight or social status are given no voice.

To be successful in meeting these challenges doesn't alwaysrequire that our efforts be spectacular and extraordinary. All weneed to do is simply take a lesson from a common chimney, whichthis week will command the attention of the world.

It all comes down to serving your purpose and the color of yoursmoke.

Walt Laskos,CUDE, M. Div., is a credit union veteran in Temecula, Calif., withmore than 30 years of experience in marketing, communications andpublic relations.