WHEN 17 year-old Clifton Marmid from Broome was invited to have lunch with the Pope, he jumped at the opportunity.
And after returning from World Youth Day in Toronto, Canada last month, he is still glowing from the experience.
Clifton said the invitation to lunch came out of the blue.
‘One of the priests in Toronto rang the youth co-ordinator in Broome, James MacDonald,’ he said.
‘He asked if there was a young person here interested in having lunch with the Pope.’
Clifton said he didn’t hesitate to accept. ‘I thought it would be a great experience.’
Clifton joined 13 young people from selected countries for the lunch on July 26.
‘There was one person from China, three from Toronto, one from Kenya, Spain, Peru and a couple of young people from the United States,’ he said.
‘A girl from Tahiti and I represented the Oceania region.’
A boat took the 14 young people to Strawberry Island, which served as the Pope’s private retreat during World Youth Day.
Strawberry Island is located in Lake Simcoe about 100 km north of Toronto.
‘We got there about one o’clock and were searched by security guards,’ said Clifton.
‘I first saw the Pope sitting on the porch after our search and my knees started to feel weak, I was so nervous,’ confessed Clifton.
‘We all stood in a line so we could kiss his hand.’
Clifton said all the other young people were telling him how nervous they all felt in meeting the Holy Father for the first time.
‘I was the youngest of the group,’ he said.
‘Mostly everyone was in their 20s.’
The young people and the Pope filed into the dining room where they had lunch.
‘The Pope was smaller than I thought,’ said Clifton, who stands 180 cm.
‘Lunch was pretty simple. We had a little salad, some pasta and chocolate cake for desert.
‘If we wanted to ask the Pope a question, we only had to ask it.
‘He went around the group first and we introduced ourselves and told him where we were from.
‘Many of the young people asked him to pray for their country and their people.’
Clifton said he described Broome to the Pope as a popular tourist attraction.
‘I said it was a great place. I told him about the beach, how good it is.’
The Pope spoke English to everyone at the table except a few.
‘There was a girl from Spain who couldn’t speak any English and he spoke to her in Spanish,’ said Clifton.
After lunch, the young people sang songs including Happy Birthday for a girl whose birthday coincided with the Pope’s. Then each of the young people gave the Pope a gift.
‘I gave him a couple of tapping sticks that we use for Aboriginal Masses here,’ said Clifton.
‘I explained that they were a musical instrument that the Aboriginal people use.’
Clifton described the experience as remarkable.
‘It is a highlight in my life so far,’ he said.
‘I was a little tired when I first stepped into the room with the Pope, but I was so excited and felt so uplifted.
‘I’m definitely the only one in Broome who has had lunch with the Pope.’
Clifton said a lot of people had come up to him when he got home and asked which hand the Pope shook.
‘They all wanted to shake my right hand,’ he laughed.
Clifton is in Year 12 at St Mary’s College, Broome and after studying hospitality and tourism, plans to become an apprentice chef when he graduates.
