General News
20 May, 2025
New Pope’s FNQ links
CAIRNS Bishop Joe Caddy has recalled the newly elected Pope Leo XIV’s memorable visit to Mareeba 20 years ago — a moment he says left a lasting impression on Far North Queensland’s Catholic community.
The announcement of the new pope Robert Prevost – now Leo XIV – brought back memories of his visit to the Far North in 2005 when the-then priest, who oversaw the Augustinian religion order worldwide, visiting Australia and the Priory in Mareeba to meet Augustinian priests of the Far North.
“I met him (Pope Leo) last year when I visited Rome and he was looking after a course that I was involved in for new bishops,” Bishop Caddy said.
“We got talking about Cairns and he said he had very fond memories of his visit here in December, 2005,” he said.
“At the time he was the Augustinian prior general and as part of that he went up to the priory which is now the priest house in Mareeba and spent time with the Augustinian priest. He stayed for about three days.
“He said he had very fond memories of a reception they had for him at the Spanish Club – because he spent so much time in Peru, he speaks very good Spanish – so they had a lovely reception for him.
“He also had great memories from meeting the Aboriginal people from around the area and at his reception I even heard he joined in a verse of the Waltzing Matilda. He then visited the bishop at the time in Cairns before leaving.”
Bishop Caddy said Pope Leo XIV brought to the position extensive knowledge, sensibility and the desire to listen to what people had to say.
“It’s quite significant that he’s chosen the name Leo XIV because the last Pope Leo was a pope during the industrial revolution and he was instrumental in putting workers’ rights and the common good centre,” he said.
“We’re not in an industrial revolution now but we’re at a time of a technological revolution and he won’t be a pope that will oppose it, but he’ll be a pope who questions, ‘How does this best serve humanity?’ We now have AI, ‘How can it be of service to humanity and not oppressive?’.
“He worked closely with Pope Francis and is someone of similar of mind that thinks that we need to be a church of service that really listens to its people.
“The word pontiff, which is what a pope is called, means bridge and I’m very sure Pope Leo will be a bridge builder between all sorts of people within and beyond the church.”
