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Young Catholics hope new Pope will modernise Church

Abigail Taylor
BBC News NI
BBC Ella-Beth is smiling at the camera. She has blond hair ties back. She is wearing grey jumper.BBC
Ella-Beth Rooney said the Pope should be a role model

Young Catholics have said they hope the newly elected Pope will be a role model in the Church.

Pope Leo XIV was unveiled on the balcony of St Peter's Basilica after his election on Thursday evening.

On Friday he celebrated his first Mass in the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican.

At St Mary's University College on Belfast's Falls Road, students welcomed the new Pope's election.

Friends Maria McClean and Ella-Beth Rooney said the fact Pope Leo XIV was an English speaking pontiff could be important for communicating directly with other English speakers.

The said they hoped he would continue in Pope Francis's footsteps in terms of reaching out to people.

"People are looking for a Pope out in the world nowadays, someone to relate to," said Ms McClean.

"As leader of the Catholic Church you need someone who's a model, that's what we all should be aspiring to do, going out and helping," Ms Rooney said.

Maria is smiling at the camera. She has long brown hair and is wearing a bright blue hoodie.
Maria McClean said it was important that Pope Leo can speak English

Roisín Daly, a student at St Mary's, said she hoped Pope Leo would be a moderniser.

"When we knew who he was and we were looking him up yesterday, he seemed quite similar to Pope Francis and hopefully he continues to bring the church in a more progressive direction," she said.

'Challenges' for Church

Emily Collins Emily is smiling at the camera. She has long brown hair.Emily Collins
Emily said she was delighted with the newly elected Pope

Emily Collins, 22, a student from Newry who met Pope Francis in 2024, said she thought Pope Leo would resonate with the younger generation

Speaking on The Nolan Show, she said she was delighted with his election and added that humility was an important issue for her.

"That transcends through all types of people", she said.

"I would like to hear more of the same message as Pope Francis, but every Pope will have their own take.

"More understanding and bringing unity and peace, to send a message to young people to unify the Church".

Liam is smiling at the camera and is wearing a grey flat cap. He has black framed glasses and is wearing a black water proof coat.
Liam Wilson hopes the new Pope will continue Pope Francis' legacy

In Londonderry, Liam Wilson told BBC News NI he hoped the Pope would carry on the work of his predecessor.

"What we want now is to maintain the ground that Pope Francis has laid and keep everything going, and bring peace to the world hopefully."

Pauline is smiling at the camera. It is a very sunny day, and she is wearing brown sunglasses. She has short white hair and is wearing a pink 'North Face' coat.
Pauline Madden said there are a lot of issues continuing in the Church

Pauline Madden said she hoped the new Pope would be a good successor to Pope Francis.

Speaking to the North West Today programme, she said: "There are challenges and issues for the Church worldwide. Hopefully he will be seen as maybe a peacemaker, there is a lot of conflict in different parts of the world."

Pope Leo was very 'affable and courteous'

Fr Tony Finn is based in Galway and is also an Augustinian like Pope Leo.

Speaking on BBC Radio Ulster's Talkback he said he had met him many times when he was a Cardinal

"He is certainly a very pleasant, accommodating and understanding person", he said.

When he visited Ireland in his previous role as Cardinal, Fr Finn said Pope Leo engaged with the Augustinian order and "pointed us in the right direction".

He believes the Pope will visit Ireland in the near future.

Fr Tim Bartlett from Belfast said: "As an Augustinian he knows the virtue of listening, not only with your ears but with your heart.

"I am convinced he will be deeply moved and do whatever is needed to help those who have been hurt by the Church."

The leader of the Catholic Church in Ireland, Archbishop Eamon Martin, has said he "really didn't expect" the American Robert Prevost to be elected as the new Pope but welcomed that he would continue the teachings of Pope Francis.

Archbishop Martin said he was praying for the new Pope and hoped that "he will do a good job for all of us".

Getty Images Archbishop Martin is smiling at the camera. He is wearing a pink zucchetto (Cardinal's cap) and black robes.Getty Images
Archbishop Eamon Martin, pictured when Pope Francis visited Dublin in 2018

Speaking about meeting the then Cardinal on BBC Radio Ulster's Good Morning Ulster, Archbishop Martin described Pope Leo as very calm and respectful.

He said: "He was a very affable and a courteous person, somebody who is in that kind of humility that Pope Francis has exuded over the last number of years."

"Whenever I heard his name called out, I just thought, it's not what I would have thought, but the more I've begun to think about it, clearly the Cardinals have been reflecting for a full two weeks before they even went in the door of the Sistine Chapel.

"And what are the needs of the Church? What kind of person do we need at this time?"

"This is the one they've chosen," he said.