Pope receives Malaysia’s first resident ambassador to the Vatican

KUALA LUMPUR - Tan Sri Bernard Dompok, the country’s first resident ambassador to the Holy See, had an official audience with Pope Francis in the Vatican yesterday.

The 66-year-old Sabahan from Penampang formally presented his credentials during the meeting and was given a copy of two papal documents penned by Pope Francis after he took office in 2013: the Evangelii Gaudium (Latin for The Joy of the Gospel) and Laudato si' (mediaeval Italian for Praise Be to You), Wisma Putra said in a statement today.

The first has been described as the “manifesto of Francis” contains his reform ideas for the Catholic Church in the modern world while the Laudato si’ is the pope’s second document to the people of the world to unite and take global action against irresponsible development and materialism.

Dompok’s wife and grandchildren were also at the audience and were introduced to the pope.

A short video clip of the meeting taken by Rome Reports, an independent news agency based in the Vatican that reports on papal matters, showed Pope Francis caressing the head of Dompok’s toddler-age grandchild who was unnamed.

Muslim-majority Malaysia established diplomatic ties with the Holy See on July 27, 2011 and Dompok, a former federal minister, has been credited with playing a key role.