AS the world mourns the death of Pope Francis who died on Easter Monday at the age of 88, the youngest councillor in Cork county has spoken of having an audience with the pontiff two years ago, which he said he will treasure forever.
Independent Cllr Ben Dalton O’Sullivan told The Southern Star that he met Pope Francis in August 2023 after he was invited by a friend to go with her to the Vatican.
‘There was a lot of simplicity about him and all around him. He came out and gave a homily to about 130 of us which was held in the Clementine Hall in the Apostolic Palace,’ he said.
‘Pope Francis then met each of us individually. I shook his hand and genuflected and said it was a great honour to meet him. I told him I was from Ireland and he said he loved Ireland.’
Cllr O’Sullivan said he actually had rosary beads in his pocket and even managed to get them blessed by the Pope who then asked Ben to pray for him.
‘We found that there was no protocol associated with Pope Francis and he wanted people from all parts of the world that day to greet them in their own custom.’
He said there were ‘tears in his eyes’ following his audience with the Pope.
‘It was a huge moment and an unbelievable experience that I will treasure for the rest of my life. I just didn’t expect him to pass away the day after he came out to greet people on Easter Sunday and he worked till the very end.’
Another West Cork man, retired Capuchin Brother Kevin Crowley from Enniskeane, met Pope Francis during his visit to Ireland in 2018.
The Pontiff came to visit the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin, which was founded up by Brother Kevin on Bow Street in 1969 and was synonymous with helping the poor of Dublin city down through the decades. Brother Kevin retired from the centre in 2022.
Meanwhile, a book of condolences in memory of Pope Francis will be opened by the Mayor of county Cork, Cllr Joe Carroll and the chief executive of Cork County Council Moira Murrell this Friday. It will be available for the public to sign in the foyer from 12pm on Friday and during office hours.
Bishop Fintan Gavin has invited the people of the Diocese of Cork and Ross to united in prayer to God at this time.
‘We remember Pope Francis as one who challenged us to reach out to those on the margins and to bring God’s mercy to all those we encounter,’ he said.
Rev Dr Paul Colton, the Church of Ireland Bishop of Cork, Cloyne and Ross offered his deepest sympathy and condolences to all the people in the Diocese.
‘I had the honour of meeting Pope Francis in Rome in May 2017 and like so many others, was affected and influenced by his human gentleness, empathy and humility and most of all by his prayerfulness and deep spirituality.
Independent Ireland leader and Cork South West TD Michael Collins said Pope Francis was a man of extraordinary faith who never shied away from the difficult questions of our time.
‘He led with sincerity, with gentleness and with an unwavering commitment to the poor, the marginalised and the forgotten.’
