Local lady's once in a lifetime opportunity to meet Pope
A TANG woman who was invited to meet the Pope last week “jumped at the chance”.
Mary Tumelty, her husband Michael (Bushell) and daughters Olivia (7) and Molly (5) presented the official World Meeting of Families 2018 ‘Icon of the Holy Family’ to Pope Francis in Rome during his weekly general audience with the faithful last Wednesday.
They were joined by another family, the Tobin family from Kildare, in making the presentation.
Mary told the Westmeath Independent it was a surreal experience.
“It was a very eventful week. I was so nervous on the day itself it passed in a blur!” she said.
Pope Francis was “really nice and smiled all the time”, she said. “He had that aura of gentleness. He really took time with the children, such a Holy and important man.”
They made the presentation in front of a huge audience. “It was surreal. We were standing there looking at all the people,” she said.
The atmosphere was great, she said. “We arrived a bit early to get our seats. We were treated so well. It all seemed very calm, even though it was such an important occasion. It was unreal.”
She explained how she and her family were chosen to take part in the event.
“We attend the Irish Pontifical College in Rome. We go to Mass there. We know the Rector there. They were looking for an Irish family so I jumped at the chance. We were delighted to get the opportunity,” she said.
“We never thought this would happen, not in a million years.”
Mary is from Tang and Michael hails from Knocklyon in Dublin.
They moved to Rome two years ago, initially for a two-year period, but now Mary says they will remain on a bit longer.
Mary is a nurse manager who worked for more than 17 years in Temple Street Children’s Hospital, Dublin, and is currently on leave from Tallaght Children’s Hospital.
Molly and Olivia are attending an English speaking school in Rome, but are also on leave from Saint Colmcilles Primary School in Knocklyon.
The Pope gave each person a pair of Rosary beads. “Olivia is preparing for her First Holy Communion and she is so delighted to have the Holy Father’s Rosary beads for her prayers as she gets ready for First Holy Communion,” said Mary.
Michael is currently on leave from An Garda Síochána to take up a position with the United Nations (World Food Programme).