Mayo priest Fr Peter Hughes from Ballinrobe was in shock when his friend 'Bob' walked into the conclave in the Vatican and emerged as Pope Leo XIV.

Fr Peter, who has served for some decades around Lima in Peru, has known Chicago-born Fr Robert Prevost for several years and both have been to the fore in various aspects of community activities in Peru down the years.

The Mayo priest is internationally recognised as a leader and campaigner for all matters relating to the natural environment in South America and especially in the Amazon Basin region.

READ: New Pope Leo XIV has already visited Ireland and he could return as pontiff

Speaking in an interview with BBC Radio 4 last week from the outskirts of Lima last week, Fr Peter recalled the huge surprise he got when 'Bob' was elected Pope.

Big surprise

“UP until two days ago, he was a fellow missionary and a good friend. The news was a big surprise and came as a shock. When the white smoke came and we were all waiting for the person that had been elected to come out on the balcony, he was the last person that I thought was going to come out there.

“And there he came out and his new name, Leo XIV. I was trying to get my head around it, you know. A friend but a Peruvian too, we are all part of this place that we work in, and he is now the Pope!

“He is a person that is totally committed to the Gospel. He is calm, compassionate and has a great feeling for people, particularly the poor.

“He is a man who is serious about listening to the cry and the pain of the earth, the destruction that is going on and also the cry of the poor. These are not two distinct sort of crises. It is the one overall message for the time that we live in, of this moment in human history,” reflected Fr Hughes.

READ: Multi million euro boost for high-flying Mayo airport