Cairns Bishop Joe Caddy recalls fond meetings with the late Pope Francis

A Cairns clergyman who met the late Pope Francis on two occasions, has remembered the religious figure as a beacon of warmth and hope.

Cairns Bishop Joe Caddy has remembered Pope Francis, who died of stroke and heart failure on Monday, for his warm personality and service to the marginalised.

Fr Caddy, first met Pope Francis in Papua New Guinea last year, but it wasn’t until he visited Rome in September, that he got an opportunity for a longer audience with him.

“I saw him after my ordination when he went to Port Moresby, I went up and met him there,” Bishop Caddy said.

“Then last September, I had to go to (Rome) for a course to learn to be a bishop, and all the new bishops had a meeting with His Holiness.”

Cairns Bishop Joe Caddy met His Holiness, Pope Francis (born Jorge Mario Bergoglio) at the Vatican in September 2024. Photo: Supplied.

Bishop Caddy said Pope Francis held an audience with the new bishops, meeting with them as a group, and individually.

“There was a room full of us, and he spent a little over an hour with us, so we all met him individually, but I also got to stand up in the room and was able to put a question or comment to him,” he said.

“He responded very warmly.”

Bishop Caddy said he put forward a comment about the Pope meeting with Indonesia’s Grand Imam Istiqlal Mosque Nasaruddin Umar, who kissed his head as the Pope left the meeting.

“I said it was such a powerful image; here are these two leaders from different faiths meeting and the fact the imam felt close enough to kiss the pope on the top of the forehead,” he said.

FILE – The Grand Imam Nasaruddin Umar, left, bids farewell to Pope Francis, as he leaves after signing the "Joint Declaration of Istiqlal 2024" at the Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Thursday, Sept. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, File)

“In response (the Pope) had a conversation about how before we’re Christians, Catholics or Muslims, we’re human beings and we all travel together.

“I thought it was a great little summary of his ministry and his view of the world.”

Bishop Caddy also admired the Pope’s dedication to service, and following in the example of Christ, to look after the most marginalised in the community.

“I think when he was first made Pope, I was working in a prison at that time as a chaplain and what stood out to me was just his regard for people who are on the margins,” he said.

A photo of the late Pope Francis is displayed at St Patrick's Cathedral in Melbourne in Melbourne on April 22, 2025. Pope Francis died of a stroke, the Vatican announced hours after the death on April 21 of the 88-year-old reformer who inspired devotion but riled traditionalists during 12 years leading the Catholic Church. (Photo by Martin KEEP / AFP)

“When I went into the prison one day, and they said the Pope went to a prison (in Italy) and washed the feet of the prisoners on Holy Thursday, and it reaffirmed for them their own dignity, that the Pope would actually come to visit them in a prison.”

Bishop Caddy will travel to Rome later this week.

“We’ve got a group of pilgrims at the moment from our Catholic schools who saw him on Sunday at St Peter’s Square, and the very next morning he died,” he said.

“I’m scheduled to fly to Rome (this week) and meet the pilgrims and didn’t realise I’d be going there as preparations are being made for the Pope’s funeral.”

The Catholic Church has entered a nine-day period of mourning as preparations are made to bury Pope Francis, and elect a new pope.

A mass for the Pope was held at St Monica’s Cathedral on April 22.

Originally published as Cairns Bishop Joe Caddy recalls fond meetings with the late Pope Francis