‘One of the good guys’ - Donegal abuse survivor recalls meeting Pope Francis

A Moville sexual abuse survivor, who met Pope Francis in Rome three years ago, has described the late Pontiff as “one of the good guys”.

Gerry McLaughlin was part of a group of eight men abused by priests of the Comboni Missionaries during the 1960s and 70s to meet with the Pope in the Vatican in 2022.

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He told Pope Francis how he was just 11-years-old when the abuse began at a seminary, and he recalls how the Catholic leader labelled abusers as “monstrous” and those who cover up abuse as “caca” [filth].

Mr McLaughlin revealed how the Pope, who passed away aged 88 on Easter Monday, was warm, genuine and compassionate – and anxious that the church should try to make immediate amends.

“We were the first survivors’ group to get to meet with Pope Francis in the Vatican. We met him for an hour and a half, and each of us told him our stories of sexual abuse at the hands of the Comboni Missionaries. They had never admitted it, no doubt advised by their lawyers and insurers.

“However, Pope Francis believed us immediately and apologised on behalf of the Catholic Church. I told him that European Religious Orders were dumping their paedophile priests in Africa and that that was wrong. One of the sexual abuse priests was sent to Uganda.”

“The Pope told us that he would call the Comboni Missionaries and tell them to meet us. He also said that he would contact all the Orders and tell them to stop sending abusive priests to Africa. He was as good as his word. Hopefully, that has saved many young African boys.”

He said Pope Francis was pivotal in brokering a key meeting between the Comboni Missionaries and the survivors’ group.

“When Pope Francis heard that the Combonis had agreed to meet us in Rome he got up an hour early so he could chair the meeting. All the Comboni top brass were there. He told the Combonis, who were all on the edges of their seats, that they had brought shame on the Catholic Church and they should wear that shame around their necks.”

“He also told them that the devil had penetrated their organisation. Since then we have had several meetings with the Combonis. This was all down to Pope Francis.

“Thanks for all you did for us, Pope Francis, and farewell. You were one of the good guys.”

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He further shared his insight on the warm-hearted and generous side of Pope Francis.

“One of our guys is gay. He didn't want to read out what happened to him, so he had it translated into Spanish and handed it to the Pope instead.

“He hadn't taken communion for 24 years as his parish priest told him he couldn’t, being gay. Outside the room later, I saw him leaning bereft against the wall. I asked what happened. He said that the Pope had motioned to him to bend down [he was in a wheelchair]. He just said: ‘Take communion’.”

As he was leaving the Vatican, Pope Francis presented Mr McLaughlin with a special set of rosary beads and asked the Moville man for a small favour: ‘Please pray for me. This is not an easy job.’

Meanwhile, in his final testament, the pontiff expressed his wish to be buried at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome, and not at St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican like many previous Popes.

The will specified that Francis wanted to be buried “in the ground, without particular decoration” but with the inscription of his papal name in Latin: Franciscus.

Pope Francis, originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, was the first ever Pope from Latin America and led the Church since 2013, when Pope Benedict retired.

He had been ill with pneumonia but the Vatican said he died following a stroke that led to irreversible heart failure.