The Vatican is a place accustomed to news coverage and it was such attention that captured Bishop Malooly and Pope Francis during a greeting while 135 people from the Diocese of Wilmington concluded a pilgrimage honoring the 150th anniversary of the diocese.
Vatican photographers caught the moment when Bishop Malooly shared an exchange at St. Peter’s Square in Rome.
The bishop described the April 25, 2018, exchange in Diary of #CDOW150th, the daily web coverage of the 10-day trip from Annecy to Rome, as told by Bob Krebs.
Bishop Malooly, as the highest ranking Bishop in attendance, was the first to greet Pope Francis after he concluded the Wednesday Morning Audience with the Papal Blessing.
“I said, ‘Holy Father, thank you for being who you are – such a wonderful shepherd.’” Bishop Malooly said. “He said, ‘Thank you. Will you please pray for me?’ And I said, ‘I do, every day.’ And Pope Francis said, ‘Make sure you do that, now.’ And that was it. It was very good.”
