‘It’s great to have a Pope younger than I am!’ - says delighted Bishop of Derry

The Bishop of Derry has revealed how he had a private meeting with the new Pope last year.

Bishop Donal McKeown met with then-Cardinal Robert Prevost for thirty minutes last October, when the pair discussed the future of the Derry Diocese, including Inishowen.

And now that 69-year-old Chicago native Cardinal Prevost has been elected as Pope Leo XIV, Bishop McKeown couldn’t be happier.

“I was delighted to hear about the election of Pope Leo.”

“Finally, it is great to have a Pope younger than I am!” he smiled.

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Bishop McKeown (75) feels the Conclave got it right by opting for Prevost – the first North American to become Pope – who was elected on just the second day of the Vatican vote.

“The early agreement on Cardinal Prevost suggests that there was a quick consensus on what sort of person was needed to take on the huge task of following Pope Francis,” he says.

The new Pontiff may be relatively young, but Bishop McKeown says he brings a lifetime of invaluable experience to his role as leader of the Catholic Church globally.

“From his time in charge of the Vatican Department, which helps the Pope to choose bishops, he will have a good knowledge of how the Church is in many parts of the world,” he explained.

“He has huge experience as a missionary in Latin America too – a very important point for the leader of a missionary church,” Bishop McKeown added.