NYT WORLD: Biden Overcome After Seeing Priest Who Gave Last Rites to Son Beau
By Katie Rogers
Section: World
Source: New York Times
Published Date: April 14, 2023 at 03:00AM
Mr. Biden became emotional after seeing the priest, Friar Frank O’Grady, who was given a last-minute security approval for the meeting at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock, a sacred shrine for Roman Catholics, who have reported seeing apparitions of the Virgin Mary and other holy figures there.
A White House official who confirmed the meeting called it “spontaneous,” in that Friar O’Grady’s presence in Knock was not known to officials who spent weeks poring over the details of the trip. According to the Irish Independent, Mr. Biden had one reply when he was told by Friar Richard Gibbons, the Knock Parish priest, that Friar O’Grady was living in Knock and working as a chaplain: “I gotta meet him, I gotta meet him.”
Joe Biden travelled to the west of Ireland to make a public address at a cathedral in Ballina, Co Mayo on Friday evening, the town where some of his ancestors hail from to conclude his state trip.
Prior to that, the US president toured the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock, also in Co Mayo.
Mr Biden broke down in tears on the final day after an emotional unplanned meeting with a priest who gave the last rites to his son.
The Parish priest of Knock, Fr Richard Gibbons, said the chaplain who performed the last rites sacrament on Mr Biden’s son, Beau, now works at the Knock shrine in Co Mayo where the president paid a visit on Friday, 14 April.
By Katie Rogers
Section: World
Source: New York Times
Published Date: April 14, 2023 at 03:00AM
President Biden was in tears after the surprise meeting with the priest, Friar Frank O’Grady, who was given a last-minute security approval to meet with the president.
President Biden, who spent most of this week exploring his family lineage in Ireland, broke down in tears on Friday after an impromptu meeting with a person from his more recent past: the priest who had administered last rites to his son, Beau Biden, who died of brain cancer in 2015.Mr. Biden became emotional after seeing the priest, Friar Frank O’Grady, who was given a last-minute security approval for the meeting at the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock, a sacred shrine for Roman Catholics, who have reported seeing apparitions of the Virgin Mary and other holy figures there.
A White House official who confirmed the meeting called it “spontaneous,” in that Friar O’Grady’s presence in Knock was not known to officials who spent weeks poring over the details of the trip. According to the Irish Independent, Mr. Biden had one reply when he was told by Friar Richard Gibbons, the Knock Parish priest, that Friar O’Grady was living in Knock and working as a chaplain: “I gotta meet him, I gotta meet him.”
Read More at: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/14/world/europe/biden-beau-priest-ireland.html
Watch again: Biden speaks from his ancestral home of Ballina to conclude Ireland tripJoe Biden travelled to the west of Ireland to make a public address at a cathedral in Ballina, Co Mayo on Friday evening, the town where some of his ancestors hail from to conclude his state trip.
Prior to that, the US president toured the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock, also in Co Mayo.
Mr Biden broke down in tears on the final day after an emotional unplanned meeting with a priest who gave the last rites to his son.
The Parish priest of Knock, Fr Richard Gibbons, said the chaplain who performed the last rites sacrament on Mr Biden’s son, Beau, now works at the Knock shrine in Co Mayo where the president paid a visit on Friday, 14 April.
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