E&OE
SUBJECTS: Pope Francis’s Funeral
STARTS: 8:17AM AEST (12:17AM in ROME)
ENDS: 8:23AM AEST (12:23 AM in ROME)
DAVID WOIWOD:
By looking at these incredible scenes from every corner of the globe, you can certainly see why. At the Pontiff’s request, his funeral was scaled back, but his legacy of love and humility drew almost half a million people to the historic event.
SALLY BOWREY:
Among them were presidents, prime ministers, kings and queens, and Nationals’ MP Michael McCormack was part of the Australian delegation. He joins us live from Rome this morning. Thank you so much for your time. Of course, you were in attendance yesterday. Can you give us a sense of the atmosphere? The pictures that we are seeing are just extraordinary.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
It was a memorable farewell to a memorable man, Sally and David. Quite incredible scenes where 91-year-old Giovanni Battista Cardinal Re read his homily. The ripple upon ripple of spontaneous applause from the quarter of a million people — Catholics, world leaders, people from all faiths who gathered in St Peter’s Square — was quite remarkable. Images and scenes, obviously, that will stay with those who attended for the rest of their lives. But that spontaneous applause was really something else. They loved the People’s Pope. He is called back to God, and his work is done.
DAVID WOIWOD:
Michael, you talked about all those world leaders that had been pouring into the Vatican over the past few days and who were there yesterday. There was one encounter here that has stolen the headlines — between Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelenskyy. We don’t know the specifics of what was actually said, but it was quite fitting that they met there in the Basilica. Pope Francis had an enduring commitment, of course, to reaching across divides with dialogue. What was your response to that?
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Well, they are calling it the Pope’s first miracle. Last night I went out for dinner with Myloka Cardinal Bychok – of course, as Australia’s 45-year-old Cardinal, who will be one of those 135 or so in the Conclave who will elect the next Pope. They were very impressed that the two world leaders came together after, of course, their rather interesting meeting in the White House not that long ago. But to get those two, and of course the French and British leaders as well, joining in on the conversation, and joining in hopefully on a peaceful resolution to a conflict which has dragged on way too long with Russia.
SALLY BOWREY:
It was an incredibly touching service in memory of the Pope as well. There were some key moments there, particularly references to not building walls in this world. For you, what were some of the moments that stood out most?
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
I think just the people’s reaction to him. I mean, I’ve never attended a funeral where there was so much applause, and the people were very reverent; they were very respectful. But this was a man who bore great charity and brought charity and great hope and humility to the world. He loved humanity. And he tried to modernise the church and did so in many ways with just his humbleness. And I think that showed with the actual wooden casket was chosen for his mortal remains in his life on this world. He will be remembered as somebody who rode the bus with Cardinals rather than catching the Papal limousine. He was somebody who met his Cardinals face-to-face standing up rather than sitting from his Papal chair. That’s the sort of person he was and what people will remember him as — and certainly sent him off that way.
DAVID WOIWOD:
An incredible life and an incredible legacy as well. We have just been looking at some of those pictures there, Michael. One of them is world leaders seen actually snapping selfies with the casket. What are your thoughts — is it appropriate?
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
I was sitting next to the New Zealand Prime Minister (Christopher Luxon), and he said: “I think that is a bit disrespectful.” I think that is disrespectful; I think you leave your phone in your pocket on occasions such as this. Yeah, not a great look. But look, these days people want to record the moment and the fact that they were there and that they were part of something that was really, really quite special. You know, just maybe leave your phone — there will be plenty of images on the internet that you can download. I certainly left my phone in my pocket. I mean, you save those selfies for the moments that are appropriate, and when the coffin was being brought out that’s probably not one of them.
SALLY BOWREY:
It is the modern way, it does seem like that. Just incredible pictures nonetheless, that we are seeing in those extraordinary crowds.
DAVID WOIWOD:
Michael, thank you for your time this morning.
MICHAEL McCORMACK:
Thanks David, thanks Sally.