‘I’m still on a high!’

A Cavan woman had a moment she will never forget when she met the Pope in Rome.

Ann Galligan from Cavan met Pope Francis on Holy Thursday, April 6.

“It was the most wonderful experience anyone could have asked for,” said Ann, who has 13 children and 15 grandchildren. “I never expected to be so close to him. I’m still on a high!”

Ann was in Rome on a family holiday when the brief meeting occurred.

“I went to Rome on April 1. My son John, his wife Anita and two boys came. I met my daughter Josephine who lives in Austria when I was there.

“The Pope comes out to meet people every second Wednesday so we went to see him,” she explained.

To give herself a chance at getting close to the Pope, Ann rose before dawn.

“We went very early, it was before 6am. My daughter pushed me in a wheelchair. He went around in his mobile and greeted and waved at people. We were freezing cold. But the cold all left when we saw him.”

Pope Francis waved at the larger crowd but then personally greeted those who were sitting near him.

“He got out of his mobile and was in a wheelchair. We were all sitting in a row. All that was in front of us was the Swiss guard. He spoke to them and then he shook everyone who was sitting near him by the hand personally. He didn’t say anything, he just smiled and nodded. I said something along the lines of ‘It’s a privilege to meet you’.”

It’s not Ann’s first time seeing Pope Francis, but it’s definitely the one she’ll treasure the most.

“I saw him before in Ireland and England but it was from a long distance away. I never thought I’d be in a position like that. I’ll never forget it.”