Royal Australian Air Force 37 Squadron Executive Officer and pilot Jacob Ralph is used to prime ministers, government officials and world leaders on his planes, but has now flown the holiest of cargos—Pope Francis.
Last month the RAAF’s 37 Squadron and 3 Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron flew a special mission to take the Holy Father to remote areas of Papua New Guinea as part of his Apostolic Visitation to Southeast Asia and Oceania.
Squadron Leader Ralph led a team of 26 pilots, maintainers, doctors and medical staff to fly the Pope, alongside 40 members of the Papal delegation, on two C-130J military aircrafts.
From Port Moresby Airport, the pope, with his wheelchair, Popemobile and team were in the RAAF’s care for a two-hour transit to Vanimo, near the border of Indonesia.
In that time the C-130J might’ve briefly took on a new name—the flying Francis.
“We all had a joke saying, ‘If anything happens or goes wrong, there’ll be some divine intervention on our side,’” Squadron Leader Ralph told The Catholic Weekly.
“I experienced firsthand how much of an effort he’s making to really connect to the isolated communities, the crowds that came to see him blew me away by the efforts people will go to be in the presence of His Holiness.”
The Squadron Leader presented the Pope with a commemorative plaque made from the aircraft’s frame material, engraved with the RAAF motto, Per Ardua Ad Astra—”through struggle, to the stars.”
His Holiness returned the favour by gifting each crew member one of his commemorative papal coins from the trip.
“He really wanted to give us all a few minutes to talk to him one on one and tell him a bit about our lives and backgrounds, which he was really interested in,” Squadron Leader Ralph told The Catholic Weekly.
“A few people got things blessed by him, I told him about my family, showed him pictures of my wife and children.”
Jacob also took the rare opportunity to snag a selfie.
“He was very, very down to earth and approachable on the aircraft for a person in his position.”
The pope and crew enjoyed a meal of Airforce pasta rations, which would have rivalled the fare in any Roman trattoria.
The C-130J is a loud military aircraft—and not the most comfortable for a man of Pope Francis’ age and health—but was chosen as the ideal mobile hospital, should any complications have occurred.
The aircraft needed to support the Pope’s wheelchair without a lift and have the range to fly back to an Australian hospital if needed.
It was also capable of landing on remote, unsealed runways, including at night.
“Vanimo is so isolated and there’s very little medical care in that location,” the Squadron Leader said.
Though not Catholic himself, Squadron Leader Ralph said since the trip he has gained a new appreciation for Pope Francis and the Catholic faith.
“I’ve certainly taken more of an interest in the Catholic church since then, just doing a little bit of research and background and all that kind of stuff,” he said.
“The messaging that he’s bringing is overwhelmingly positive and having a very profound effect on people.”
In his 20-year career so far with the RAAF, Squadron Leader Ralph said this was his most high-profile mission and a highly rewarding one.
“It’s been a great trip for me, a highlight of my time and I’m just very honoured. That’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience I’ll always remember.”