'We knew him long before he became pope: Cork journalist on his 'enduring' friendship with Pope Francis

Pope Francis greets Gerard O'Connell, Vatican correspondent for 'America' magazine, during an audience with members of the International Association of Journalists last year. Picture: CNS /Vatican Media

A Cork-born journalist and his wife, who was brought up in Argentina, are much sought after by the international media converging on Rome for the funeral of Pope Francis and the Conclave which will elect his successor.

Gerard O'Connell, a native of Cork city, has been Vatican correspondent for numerous publications throughout the world for more than 40 years. His wife, Elisabetta Pique, although Italian-born, was brought up and educated in Argentina. 

She has worked as a war correspondent, while also being the Vatican correspondent for the Argentinian newspaper La Nacion.

They both befriended Pope Francis when he was Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio and he baptised their two teenage children.

Elisabetta said: "We were very friendly with the pope, but we did not speak about it. This friendship only came out in public when the Pope was speaking to journalists on a flight back to Italy after a foreign visit. He was talking about conflict and one journalist asked how he was so well-informed and he said I got it from 'one of you, a journalist, Elisabetta Pique'.

Pope Francis is interviewed by Elisabetta Piqué, a journalist with the Argentine daily 'La Nación'. Picture: Vatican News

"He knew I covered wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Middle East, and Kosova for the international media. When we talked he never discouraged me from doing my work, which he knew was very dangerous."

Gerard said his friendship and knowledge of Pope Francis, which began when he was a cardinal, helped in his reporting of him as Pope.

I have reported on three popes, a Pole, a German and an Argentinian. My wife and I got to know Pope Francis long before he became pope in 2013. This friendship endured and this made it enormously helpful in understanding him well and reporting him accurately.

Gerard recalled being asked to take up his current role as Vatican correspondent for the Jesuit-edited magazine America following a meeting with the editor when he came to Rome for the Conclave of 2013.

"I predicted to him that the Argentinian cardinal, Jorge Bergoglio, who wasn't that well known, would be the next pope. After my prediction came true, he invited me to join the magazine as the Vatican correspondent," he said.

Gerard O'Connell has lived in Rome for 60 years and for the past 40 years has covered all the major events at the Vatican.

He said: "I began my reporting career in 1985 when I was asked to report on the Synod of Bishops held 20 years after the second Vatican Council," he said.

Among his early assignments in the Vatican were for the UK Catholic publication The Tablet and the National Catholic Reporter. The couple have had a number of books published based on their experiences covering the Vatican, one of which was made into a film.

Of his work, Gerard says: "I have discovered this is truly a challenging and fascinating task. One which requires not only a depth of understanding of the faith, but also language skills, and involves gaining the trust of key Vatican officials and sources."