SOURCE :- THE AGE NEWS
Rome: Keith Pitt stood quietly among the faithful at St Peter’s Square on Easter Sunday, watching history unfold. Just metres from where Pope Francis gave what would become his final public blessing, Australia’s ambassador-designate to the Holy See was bearing witness to a profoundly sacred moment – one he would soon realise marked the end of an era.
“I was absolutely blessed to be there,” Pitt tells this masthead, reflecting on that extraordinary day. “Even in his final hours, he was down amongst the people. That just indicates what sort of person he was.”
Australia’s ambassador-designate to the Holy See, Keith Pitt, visits the Vatican on Wednesday.Credit: Flavio Brancaleone
Only four weeks into his new post, Pitt has found himself at the centre of a global moment of mourning and transition. The death of Francis, a figure whose papacy reshaped the modern Catholic Church, has plunged the Vatican into a mourning period and will bring world leaders – from Donald Trump to Emmanuel Macron and Volodymyr Zelensky (and Australia’s Governor-General Sam Mostyn) – to Rome for a historic funeral.
“It’s very sad,” Pitt, 55, said, speaking from the Australian embassy a stone’s throw from the Vatican. “But there’s always the opportunity for renewal.”
Though he has not formally presented his diplomatic credentials – an honour usually extended in person by the Pope – Pitt is already fulfilling his duties. “We’ve provided a copy of credentials, which gives us some leeway to begin activity,” he says. “The formal presentation hasn’t occurred due to His Holiness’s health, but I’ll be attending the funeral on Saturday as part of Australia’s official delegation.”
That delegation, which includes bipartisan political representation of former deputy prime minister and Nationals MP Michael McCormack and Trade Minister Don Farrell, speaks to the global and cross-party regard for Pope Francis’s legacy.
Pitt, a former federal minister and long-time MP for Hinkler, grew up a world away from the grandeur of Vatican City, in Bundaberg, Queensland. Yet his roots in the Catholic Church run deep.
“We were the kids without shoes during the week who’d put them on just for church,” he said, recalling his childhood Sundays at St Mary’s, a humble timber church in the heart of Bundaberg. “St Mary’s was where we did all the sacraments. It was the centre of our faith community – until it burned down.”
That early connection to the church, instilled by his Irish Catholic mother, has continued through his own family.
“All of our children were baptised in the church and educated in Catholic schools back home,” he said. “That background gives you perspective – it stays with you.”
Still, Pitt – an electrician by trade – is self-effacing about his religious devotion. “I’m a pretty poor Catholic,” he admits with a laugh. But there is no doubt he takes the role seriously.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese hand-picked Pitt for the role, an announcement in February that took many by surprise, including the man himself.
“It’s an incredible privilege to do this role, particularly for someone from regional Queensland,” he said. “It’s a big decision for any family – our children are staying in Australia, two at university, one just graduated. We’ve got elderly parents back home. But I’m honoured.”
Inside the embassy, reminders of his predecessors loom large – none more so than the late Tim Fischer, the former deputy prime minister and revered former ambassador to the Holy See.
Former ambassador to the Holy See Tim Fischer with his akubra hat when he was an MP in 1996.Credit: Andrew Meares
“The first thing I saw when I arrived was Tim’s Akubra, signed and on display with a sprig of wattle,” Pitt said. “I spoke to Judy, Tim’s widow, before I left. She was excited for us. I know I’m following in the footsteps of giants – and I’ll do my best.”
Beyond the ceremonial, Pitt sees the post as a vital strategic link – especially in the Pacific, where Australia is seeking to reinforce partnerships.
“In those areas, it is the church that helps make quiet Pacific voices louder,” he said. “We want to make sure Australia’s interests are put forward – and heard.”
He also hopes to deepen engagement on Indigenous reconciliation, youth exchanges and peace-building through Vatican channels. “The Holy See is reaching out – and so are we.”
For Pitt, diplomacy here isn’t just about policy. It’s about presence.
“It’s about showing up with humility,” he said. “Representing your country. And being present in moments that matter.”
