Papal visit

Pope Francis arrives to attend the Festival of Families at Croke Park. Photograph: Getty Images Fintan O’Toole: This visit feels too much like a ceremonial procession

Francis cannot escape reality that he heads an institution struggling to confess its sins

Different times: Pope Francis arrives at the Phoenix Park for Mass on Sunday. Photograph: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin Miriam Lord: Good show, but papal pulling power wanes

Hugely anticipated visit of Pope Francis to Ireland did not attract the expected numbers

Pope Francis, flanked by Vatican spokesperson Greg Burke, listens to a journalist’s question during a press conference aboard of the flight to Rome at the end of his two-day visit to Ireland. Photograph: Gregorio Borgia/AP Photo/Pool Pope’s sincere words of grief were moving, but not enough

Analysis: He should instruct that relevant abuse documents be handed to authorities

A child during the World Meeting of Families closing Mass in the Phoenix Park. Photograph: Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters Miriam Lord: Pope begs for forgiveness but years of inaction beg the question: why should we?

All smiles and plundering flowers, it was magnificent – for those who wanted to be there

A changed Ireland: Pope Francis listening to the speech of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Photograph: EPA/Vatican Press Office Clever speech to pope sets out new covenant for Leo Varadkar

The mastery of the Taoiseach’s address to Pope Francis was the balance he struck, being both gracious and grave, honest but never confrontational

Pope Francis before mass at the papal cross in Dublin’s Phoenix Park: Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times The Irish Times view on pope’s visit: Welcome words, but action needed

Church will have to demonstrate it is truly serious about rooting out abuse and tackling culture that allowed it develop

Pope Francis at the celebration for 2018 Festival of Families, at Croke Park, Dublin. Media coverage of clerical abuse and the publicity leading up to the visit impacted those abused as children. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill Papal visit to Ireland prompted increase in abuse allegations

Trend of decline reversed as claims rose by six to 20 in 2017, Dublin Archdiocese says

Catholic primate Archbishop Eamon Martin said the World Meeting of Families was “the tale of two congresses: there’s what happened on the ground, and then there’s what happened in the media” Some Catholic clergy scapegoating media for papal disappointments

Rite & Reason: Bishop says there was ‘consistent negative coverage in the media in the final weeks of preparation’

Pope Francis: organisers of the World Meeting of Families have removed his inclusive language on the family and LGBTI+ pictures from their pamphlets, and deleted references to gay families by a bishop in the catechesis. Photograph: Angelo Carconi Zappone asked that no public money be used for papal event

Minister objected to Catholic families event getting cash after removal of LGBT material

Pope Francis shaking hands with Br Kevin Crowley at the Capuchin Day Centre on Bow Street in Dublin, as part of his visit to Ireland last month. Photograph: Maxwell Photography/PA Wire Christianity must forge a new alliance with deprived and marginalised people

Rite & Reason: Pope Francis’s visit to the Capuchin Centre was him doing what he does best

Pope Francis is not really interested in institutionalism but, rather, in authentic love for all people. Photograph: Reuters A Church of Ireland perspective on the pope’s visit

Pope’s strength of Christian character provided opportunity for a renewal among Christians generally

Pope Francis: Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin (centre) says the people of Dublin responded with generosity and enthusiasm to his visit. Photograph: Vatican Media/via Reuters Pope’s visit not the end of church in Ireland, says archbishop

Many commentators missing what the church is, claims Diarmuid Martin

I had not been to Knock for decades. After the pope’s visit, I planned to mooch around the village to see what memories it would stir up. I never expected it to be emotional. Photograph: Ciro Fusco/Getty Images I miss comforting certainties of Catholic faith I grew up with

Revisiting Knock wrenched me back to a more innocent age

Pope Francis during his visit to Dublin last Saturday. The group expected a half an hour maximum, but the pope heard them out for an hour and a half. Photograph: Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters Inside the extraordinary meeting between Pope Francis and abuse survivors

‘It was robust’ – eight survivors of clerical abuse met the pope at papal nuncio’s home

Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano speaks during an anti-abortion youth Mass at the Verizon Center in Washington in 2015. File photograph: Gregory A Shemitz/Reuters The man who took on the pope: The story behind the Viganò letter

Letter exposes deep ideological clashes in the church with former Vatican ambassador to the US siding with conservatives

Pope Francis waves as he arrives to deliver a speech to the faithful, prior to the Angelus prayer, on August 19, 2018 at St. Peter's square in the Vatican. (Photo by Filippo MONTEFORTE / AFP)FILIPPO MONTEFORTE/AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis must clean up the Vatican

Viganò’s document reveals a corrupt Roman old guard who must be sidelined

Pope Francis: Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano claimed the pope had covered up abuse cases involving a former Archbishop of Washington and now former cardinal Theodore McCarrick. Photograph: Andrew Medichini/AP The civil war in the Catholic Church breaks into the open

Pope should respond to accusations of a cover-up made by former Vatican diplomat

Pope Francis arrives at his General Weekly Audience in St Peter’s Square, Vatican City, Vatican on Wednesday. Photograph: Getty Images Pope blames low number of Irish vocations on clerical sexual abuse scandals

Speaking at his general audience in the Vatican, pontiff says meeting surviors left ‘profound mark’

Pope Francis bids farewell to Archbishop Diarmuid Martin as he prepares to leave on Sunday after his visit to Ireland. Photograph: Maxwell Photography via Getty Images In his own words: Pope Francis’s address to Irish bishops

‘The upheavals of recent years have tested the traditionally strong faith of the Irish people’

Pope Francis addresses an audience including senior politicians and members of the clergy at Dublin Castle last weekend. Photograph: Vatican Media/Reuters In his own words – speech by Pope Francis at Dublin Castle

This was the pope’s first speech on his arrival in Ireland on Saturday, August 25th, 2018

A gust of wind catches Pope Francis’s cassock as he addresses crowds at Knock Shrine in Co Mayo at the weekend. Photograph: Charles McQuillan/Getty Images In his own words – Pope Francis speaks at Knock Shrine

‘None of us can fail to be moved by the stories of young people who suffered abuse’

Pope Francis: 'We ask forgiveness for cases of abuse in Ireland'

In his own words: What the pontiff told congregation at Mass in Phoenix Park

Bed sheets with the names of hundreds of dead children draped on the gates of a mass burial site at Tuam, Co Galway. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire Tuam survivors network accuses Zappone of ‘publicity stunt’

Coroner is the responsible office-holder; Bon Secours order holds obligations – network

DUP leader Arlene Foster has defended her decision not to meet Pope Francis in Dublin or to send a party representative in her place. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wire. Arlene Foster defends decision not to meet Pope Francis

DUP leader, who was on family trip, says she could not pass personal invite to a colleague

Four out of five respondents to the poll say the visit of Pope Francis has not changed their view of the Catholic Church. Photograph: Ciro Fusco /EPA Pope in Ireland: Most think he did not go far enough on abuse issue

Opinion poll shows just one in three think pope’s comments sufficient

Pope Francis shakes hands with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar as he prepares to leave after his visit to Ireland, on Sunday. Photograph: Maxwells via Getty Images Opinion poll shows Irish favour a more liberal, less dogmatic, Catholic Church

Large majorities want end to rigid teaching on celibacy, women priests, contraception, same-sex marriage

Pope Francis in Phoenix Park in Dublin: made a point of repeatedly asking for forgiveness for the wrongs perpetrated by those who abused their position of trust in the Catholic Church. Photograph: Ben Stansall/AFP Pope’s visit a vital boost for persecuted Catholics

Next to abuse survivors the faithful are most hurt by revelations of abuse and corruption

Pope Francis: It will require courage and creativity to ensure there is a legacy to last week’s events and they are not a one-off fireworks display. Photograph: Vatican Media Catholic Church can build post-papal-visit legacy

Rite&Reason: Parishes are shifting as communal force and should be bedrock of lay-led identity

Pope Francis, flanked by Vatican spokesperson Greg Burke, listens to a journalist’s question during a press conference aboard of the flight to Rome at the end of his two-day visit to Ireland. Photograph: Gregorio Borgia/AP Photo/Pool Pope’s sincere words of grief were moving, but not enough

Analysis: He should instruct that relevant abuse documents be handed to authorities

Philomena Lee: “I do pray within my heart that something good will come out of this. It was so awful.” Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons / The Irish Times Philomena Lee says pope must act on his promise to survivors

Woman whose story inspired the film ‘Philomena’ met the pontiff in 2014

Messages left on the railings at the site of a former Magdalene laundry on Dublin’s Sean McDermott street. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire Charities report sharp rise in abuse victims seeking help

One in Four says pope’s visit triggered large increase in calls from new clients

US abuse expert Anne Barrett Doyle and Mark Vincent Healy, who was sexually abused by two priests in Dublin. File photograph: Dara Mac Donaill US website adds seven names of Irish clergy to ‘abuse-tracker’ database

Irish data laws preventing full accountability for church sexual abuse, says victim group

Some of the items left behind after the papal mass and which can be reclaimed from Garda lost property. Photograph: Garda Facebook page Phoenix Park reopens to public after massive post-papal mass clean-up

More than 200 litter pickers worked through the night to clear all public routes, says OPW

An aerial view of the crowd at Phoenix Park in Dublin as Pope Francis attended the closing Mass at the World Meeting of Families. Photograph: Liam McBurney-Pool/Getty Images. Organiser ‘guesstimates’ turnout of 200,000 for papal Mass

Medical director at Phoenix Park field hospital said attendance was some 130,000

Pope Francis arrives in the Papal Skoda at the Presidential Residence during his visit in Dublin. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters. Pope’s Skoda car given to Mater Dei homeless hub in Drumcondra

Staff will use car to help homeless families move to long term accommodation

Pope Francis shakes hands with Minister for Children Katherine Zappone at Áras an Uachtaráin in Dublin. Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA Wire. Church should ‘willingly’ contribute to Tuam reparations, Zappone says

Minister asked Pope Francis to ‘demonstrate remorse’ for treatment of woman, children with swift action

Pope Francis accepted the resignation of Theodore McCarrick (pictured) as cardinal last month, after a US church investigation determined that an accusation he had sexually abused a minor was credible. File photograph: Max Rossi/Reuters. ‘I won’t say a word about it’: Pope silent on abuse claim letter

Archbishop says Francis knew of sexual misconduct allegations against Theodore McCarrick

A changed Ireland: Pope Francis listening to the speech of Taoiseach Leo Varadkar. Photograph: EPA/Vatican Press Office Clever speech to pope sets out new covenant for Leo Varadkar

The mastery of the Taoiseach’s address to Pope Francis was the balance he struck, being both gracious and grave, honest but never confrontational

Different times: Pope Francis arrives at the Phoenix Park for Mass on Sunday. Photograph: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin Miriam Lord: Good show, but papal pulling power wanes

Hugely anticipated visit of Pope Francis to Ireland did not attract the expected numbers

Pope Francis lights a candle as he visits the Knock shrine on Sunday. Photograph: Ciro Fusco/Pool photo via AP An early start for the faithful who make it to Knock shrine on time

Despite the rain, thousands turn out to greet the pope at the Marian Shrine

Pope Francis during the Mass at the Phoenix Park. Photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin Pope to study memo on Tuam mother-and-baby home

Estimate puts attendance at Phoenix Park Mass at 130,000, far less than expected

A former top Vatican official has accused Pope Francis of having known of allegations of sex abuse by a prominent US cardinal for five years before accepting his resignation. Photograph: PA Former top Vatican official calls on Pope to resign over abuse crisis

Pope dismissive on flight from Ireland to Rome of claims by Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigano

A child during the World Meeting of Families closing Mass in the Phoenix Park. Photograph: Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters Miriam Lord: Pope begs for forgiveness but years of inaction beg the question: why should we?

All smiles and plundering flowers, it was magnificent – for those who wanted to be there

Pope Francis before mass at the papal cross in Dublin’s Phoenix Park: Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times The Irish Times view on pope’s visit: Welcome words, but action needed

Church will have to demonstrate it is truly serious about rooting out abuse and tackling culture that allowed it develop

Pope Francis waves from the steps of his Aer Lingus jet during a farewell ceremony upon his departure at Dublin Airport in Dublin on Sunday evening. Photograph: Paul Faith/AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis asks for forgiveness for abuses and exploitation

Before leaving Ireland, Pope tells bishops they must address clerical abuse with honesty, courage

The Stand4Truth protest at the Garden of Remembrance in Dublin which was held at the same time as the Papal Mass at Phoenix Park. Photograph: PA Thousands turn out for protest over clerical abuse

Stand For Truth rally at Garden of Remembrance began at same time as the papal Mass

Alison Nevin as she managed to get a selfie on stage with Pope Francis on Saturday night at Croke Park in Dublin, during the Festival of Families event, as part of his visit to Ireland. Photograph: PA Wire Girl’s social media ‘hopping’ after securing selfie with Pope Francis

Alison Nevin took snap when at Croke PArk as representative of Traveller community

Pope Francis arrives at the Phoenix Park to celebrate mass. Photograph: Will Oliver/EPA Emotional day for some who brave rain to see Pope Francis at Phoenix Park

Patrick Freyne: Boy (14) forces his family to travel from Kerry to park for ‘historic’ day

Pope Francis attends the closing Mass at the World Meeting of Families at Phoenix Park in Dublin. Photograph: PA Papal Mass: Pope asks for forgiveness for abuses and exploitation

Pontiff tells single mothers separated from children that to seek them is ‘not a mortal sin’

Pope Francis. Photograph: Max Rossi/Reuters Where’s the evidence? A scientist’s struggle with religion

Science and religion make strange bedfellows. One big clash is the central issue of faith

Pope Francis lights a candle as he visits Knock Shrine during his apostolic trip to Ireland on Sunday. Photograph: Ciro Fusco/Pool photo via AP Pope Francis lauded at Knock for raising ‘open wound’ of sex abuse

‘None of us can fail to be moved by the stories of young people who suffered abuse’

Audrey Elliott with the Mayo football jersey signed by Pope Francis at Ireland West Airport, Knock, Co Mayo, which she hopes will lift the Mayo ‘curse’ so the team can win an All-Ireland title. Photograph: Cate McCurry/PA ‘Hopefully the curse has been lifted’: Pope Francis signs Mayo football jersey

Delight among crowd of over 40,000 as pope tours Knock shrine and acknowledged ‘open wound’ of abuse

Clerical abuse survivor Marie Collins, a former member of the Pontifical Commission for Protection of Minors, met Pope Francis on Saturday along with other surviours of clerical abuse. Photograph: AFP Pope tells survivors that those who cover up abuse are ‘caca’

Pontiff used the Spanish word in a meeting with survivors of clerical sex abuse

Pope Francis waves as he leaves after attending the Festival of Families at Croke Park during his visit to Dublin on Saturday. Photograph: Reuters From fake news to hopes of faith news at Croke Park

Patrick Freyne: Pope Francis receives families, gets selfie with a child and gives a speech with a mother-in-law joke

Pope Francis addresses the Festival of Families at Croke Park, Dublin. Photograph: WMOF 2018/Maxwell/AFP/Getty Images Pope in Ireland: Francis speaks of Church’s failure to tackle clerical abuse ‘scandal’

Pontiff addresses crowd of 82,000 at Croke Park at the end of the first day of his visit

His Holiness Pope John Paul II departs Ireland on an Aer Lingus plane at Shannon Airport following his papal visit in 1979.Photograph: Dermot O’Shea/The Irish Times Flashback to 1979: Remembering when Pope John Paul II came to Ireland

‘Not even on Christmas Day have I seen roads so empty; it was as if the city has been cleared due to a nuclear threat’

Pope Francis shakes hands with Katherine Zappone, Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, at a reception at Áras an Uachtaráin in Dublin. Photograph: Will Oliver/EPA Miriam Lord: Zappone puts Tuam scandal to the fore during pontiff’s visit to Ireland

Minister addresses him in the language of her forebears and Francis replies in English

Pope Francis arrives to attend the Festival of Families at Croke Park. Photograph: Getty Images Fintan O’Toole: This visit feels too much like a ceremonial procession

Francis cannot escape reality that he heads an institution struggling to confess its sins

A view from City Hall, Dame Street, Dublin, during the Pope’s drive through the city centre on Saturday afternoon. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times Thousands line Dublin city streets to catch glimpse of Pope Francis

Many commented on the speed at which motorcade travelled through the city centre

Colm O Gorman, Director Amnesty International Ireland, and an abuse survivor at Dublin Castle during the visit of Pope Francis. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/ The Irish Times Pope’s speech ‘an incredible missed opportunity’ says abuse survivor

Colm O’Gorman said it is ‘mind boggling to me that to ask a pope to tell the damn truth is a radical thing to suggest’

Broadcaster and entrepreneur Norah Casey said the calibre of women who organised at the ‘Women Leaders Who are Shaping the World’ event. Photograph: Collins Joanne O’Riordan says papal visit a chance to learn from mistakes

Student notes importance of facing challenges, says visit offers opportunity to do that

Pope Francis receiving a bouquet of flowers from a daughter of Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney at Dublin airport. Photograph: EPA Former taoisigh react to Pope Francis comments at Dublin Castle

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said he would have appreciated ‘a greater focus on the actions that should follow’

Pope Francis is greeted on arrival at Dublin Castle by the Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar. Photograph: Julien Behal Taoiseach tells Pope Francis there must be zero tolerance for those who abuse

Varadkar refers to ‘people kept in dark corners, behind closed doors’ whose cries for help went unheard

Pope Francis said he was ‘very conscious’ of the circumstances of ‘our most vulnerable brothers and sisters’. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times Failure to address ‘repugnant crimes’ of clerical abuse shames church, pope says

Failure has ‘rightly given rise to outrage and remains a source of pain and shame’

Pope Francis planted a tree during his visit to Áras an Uachtaráin, watched by President Michael D Higgins and his wife Sabina. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times Syrian family of asylum seekers meet Pope Francis at Áras an Uachtaráin

President Higgins spoke to pope about hurt caused by child sex abuse perpetrated by some within the Catholic Church

The word ‘truth is projected on the GPO in Dublin as part of a protest ahead of the visit by Pope Francis. Photograph: Reuters/Hannah McKay Papal visit to Ireland: protest over clerical child sexual abuse

Former resident at Nazareth House calls on pope to do something for the survivors

Preparations are made at the Phoenix Park in Dublin ahead of Pope Francis’s visit to Ireland. Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA Wire Pope Francis is expected to draw crowds of more than 600,000

Pontiff has no plans to announce measures to address clerical abuse during Ireland visit

Ciara Reid: ‘I’d like to be part of history’. Why I’m going to see the pope: Four people explain the draw of the papal visit

‘In January my faith was shattered when our daughter was diagnosed with leukemia’

Pope Francis has shifted the mood music in the Catholic Church away from a rigid hierarchical conformism to a more collegial atmosphere of debate and creative thinking. Photograph: Filippo Monteforte/AFP/Getty Who is Pope Francis: Radical reformer or ineffectual figurehead?

His reform attempts have stalled and the abuse issue threatens to engulf his papacy

the Vatican confirmed that the pope “does not and has never received a salary”. Photograph: Stefan Wermuth - WPA Pool/Getty Images Pontifacts: All the papal questions you never thought to ask

Where can you buy his socks? Which predecessor once put a dead body on trial?

The pope’s children: JP Saunders, John Paul Fitzgerald and Sean Paul Cafferty. Photograph: Cyril Byrne A generation of John Pauls: growing up the pope’s namesake

One in 10 Irish boys born in 1980 was named after the former pontiff. We catch up with some

Cardinal Donald Wuerl, archbishop of Washington. He called the abuse of children “a terrible tragedy”, as though it was a calamity no one could have foreseen or stopped. Photograph: EPA/Ettore Ferrari The pope’s visit: some numbers you’ll be sickened to hear

The church’s playbook for dealing with abuse in Pennsylvania is horribly familiar

Cardinal Paul Cullen, one of the chief architects of modern Irish Catholicism, was an indefatigable reformer of the governance and practice of Irish Catholicism. Photograph: Hulton Archive/Getty Images Diarmaid Ferriter: Irish Catholicism is rooted in class prejudice

The Catholic Church’s historical mix of charity and snobbery gave rise to cruelty

Pope Francis. ‘It is very easy to see Catholic social teaching on the family and economy as idealistic, but there are people all around the world putting it into practice in their business and family lives.’ Photograph: Andrew Medichini/AP Breda O’Brien: Pope Francis is promoting a radical economic vision

Catholic social teaching seeks to change a world where profit is pursued at any cost

The Irish Times view on the papal visit: a country transformed

The Ireland Pope Francis arrives in this morning is very different to that visited by Pope John Paul in 1979

Flags on sale on a street stall marking the visit of Pope Francis in Dublin EPA/WILL OLIVER Confronting abuse ‘not the major subject’ of Pope’s visit

Vatican spokesman says Pope Francis will address ‘cultural problem’ of abuse during Irish visit

T-shirts of Pope Francis on sale in Dublin, ahead of this weekend’s visit to Ireland by Pope Francis. Photograph: Aaron Chown/PA Wire No-one is buying Pope memorabilia, says Dublin stall holder

‘In 1979, we were selling six or seven flags at a time, now I’m barely selling one or two’

Pope Francis waves as he arrives for his weekly general audience at the Vatican this week. Photograph: Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images Pope in Ireland: plenty of rooms at the inn, hoteliers say

Prices remain typical of any weekend in Dublin, say hotel owners

Preparations are made at Phoenix Park in Dublin ahead of Pope Francis’s visit. Photograph: Danny Lawson/PA Wire Pope’s visit: Pilgrims in Dublin and Mayo may be hit by downpours

Band of rain should clear before Phoenix Park Mass begins on Sunday

Peter Saunders, left, and Peter Isely of the protest group, Ending Clergy Abuse, attend a news conference ahead of the two-day visit by Pope Francis. Photograph: Reuters/ Hannah McKay Victims’ group calls on pope to name clerical sex abusers

End Clergy Abuse group wants zero tolerance of sex abuse under church law

Norah Casey chaired the discussion on domestic violence during the World Meeting of Families at the RDS, Dublin. Photograph: Gareth Chaney Collins Domestic abuse victims told their ‘reward would be in heaven’

World Meeting of Families heard clergy were complicit in blaming victims for abuse

Cross in the Phoenix Park in Dublin where Pope Francis will say Mass on Sunday. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins Pope in Ireland: field hospital to be ‘best staffed emergency department in the country’

Medical director recognises ‘concern’ with plans but says there’s now a ‘complete change’

Assistant Garda Commissioner Pat Leahy at the Papal Cross in the Phoenix Park in Dublin where Pope Francis will celebrate a Mass for some 500,000 people on Sunday. Photograph: Garrett White/Collins Papal Mass: Organisers say prepare for ‘a lot of walking’

About 700 gardaí to be based in Phoenix Park on Sunday with many items banned from site

The Papal Cross in the Phoenix Park in Dublin where some 500,000 people are to attend a Mass celebrated by Pope Francis on Sunday as part of the World Meeting of Families. Photograph: Garrett White/Collins. Papal visit: Being young and Catholic can feel like ‘swimming against the tide’

Pope Francis is coming to a different Ireland with number of followers aged 15-34

Abuse survivor Marie Collins takes part in a panel meeting on the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults at the Pastoral Congress at the World Meeting of Families in Dublin, Ireland August 24th, 2018. Photograph: Clodagh Kilcoyne/Reuters Catholic Church fear ‘domino effect’ if abuse scandal properly investigated, says survivor

Abuse victims ‘don’t need a letter from the pope to know this is a reality’, says survivor Marie Collins

Pope Francis arrives in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on March 21st, 2018. Photograph: Andrew Medichini/AP Papal visit: Concerns raised over Dublin road closure plans

Residents and firms express fears over effect of traffic restrictions

No homeless family will have to move outside Dublin during the Pope’s visit, the chief executive of Dublin City Council has said. File photograph: Cyril Byrne Pope in Ireland: Homeless families ‘will not have to leave Dublin’

Council chief says spaces are reserved outside capital during papal visit ‘just in case’

Noel Jennings, fire and security duty officer at Ireland West Airport Knock, pulling weeds beside the statue of Msgr Horan in preparation for the visit of Pope Francis. Photograph: Keith Heneghan Knock Airport is well used to VIPs. Pope Francis is just another one

Knock Airport is now a thriving regional hub, and business is the holy grail

Michelle McBride, a primary school teacher, said there is increased demands on teachers to teach religious skills that children in previous years came to school knowing. Photograph: Michael MacSweeney/Provision ‘Children’s religious knowledge has deteriorated ’

Teacher Michelle McBride has seen big changes over the past 16 years

Items on display at the World Meeting of Families at the RDS. Photograph: Dave Meehan/ The Irish Times Beware the self-centred women, would-be husbands told

Books about choosing a spouse ‘extremely popular’ at World Meetings of Families exhibit

Pope Francis will visit the Republic this weekend for the World Meeting of Families. Protecting institutions over victims ‘not unique to Catholicism’

Imam at the Islamic Centre of Ireland says Christians should be proud of Pope Francis

Historian Catherine Corless said she would attend a vigil in Tuam which will take place at the same time as the papal Mass on Sunday. File photograph: Reuters Catherine Corless turns down invitation to event with Pope Francis

Historian says she will ‘stand with the babies’

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said he was raised a Catholic but no longer practices. File Photograph: Cyril Byrne Varadkar ‘disagrees’ with church wording on gay people

Taoiseach said many Catholics fell excluded and hurt by terminology

Pope Francis was born in December 1936 in Argentina. File photograph: Luca Zennaro/Reuters Pope’s visit to Ireland: everything you need to know

Why is he visiting? Where will he stay? and more questions answered

The glacial pace of divestment progress prompted Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin last year to criticise elements of the church for “dragging their feet” over the issue. Our Catholic education system is out of step with modern society

School population has changed since last papal visit but most of the system is the same

Olive Foley, widow of rugby coach Anthony Foley told the World Meeting of Families her husband ‘would be very proud and very happy’ that all those he ‘soldiered with’ were joined together ‘as one great family’. Photograph: Collins Anthony Foley’s widow talks of support from ‘family of sport’ in darkest hours

Ronan O’Gara tells congress ‘Axel’ made Munster dressingroom ‘special’

Journalist Ursula Halligan spoke before the performance of the ‘Rainbow Choir’, made up of LGBTI singers who gathered outside the World Meeting of Families at the RDS on Thursday, to sing in protest at the exclusion of LGBTI people and their families from the event. Photograph: Dave Meehan Exclusion of LGBTI people from WMoF ‘wrong and anti-Christian’

Former TV reporter Ursula Halligan calls on Church to ditch language on gay people

Fr James Martin speaking at the World Meeting of Families in the RDS, Dublin. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins LGBT people made to feel like ‘lepers’ by Catholic Church

World Meeting of Families hears LGBT Catholics have been ‘deeply wounded’

Somebody’s Child mural covered up in Temple Bar. Photograph: Mannix Flynn Netting covering Somebody’s Child mural was installed on purpose, says Flynn

Material covering updated mural torn down overnight following Twitter call to action

Independent TD Mattie McGrath: ‘Just go away and let the people that want to enjoy the pope, enjoy him’. Photograph: Eric Luke / The Irish Times Mattie McGrath tells Mary McAleese ‘to get off the stage’

Independent TD says former President is ‘spoiling’ Pope’s visit through criticisms

Met Éireann is reporting rain for Sunday during the Pope’s mass in the Phoenix Park. Pope in Ireland: It looks like it may lash rain during the Phoenix Park mass

No rain for Pope’s parade in Dublin on Saturday, says Met Éireann

DUP Leader Arlene Foster has declined an invitation to meet the pope at Dublin Castle. She will not be sending a representative and has not explained why. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire Foster has blown an important opportunity by not meeting the pope

DUP leader’s weak position has robbed her of a chance to reach out to nationalists

Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, speaking during the World Meeting of Families, at the RDS Ballsbridge, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill / The Irish Times Papal visit: Potential future pope employs folksy charm amid Catholicism and consumerism

Filipino cardinal warms up crowd for Pope Francis

A papal visit to the North would have resulted in demonstrations from evangelical Protestants. Photograph: Reuters Catholics crestfallen that pope not visiting Northern Ireland

Thousands of devout faithful set to make cross-Border trip for papal Mass in Dublin

Fr Seán Donohoe, left, and Conor Hickey of Crosscare during a panel discussion on homelessness at the World Meeting of Families at the RDS in Dublin. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire Homeless crisis has reached ‘huge proportions’ – Crosscare

World Meeting of Families told ‘enormous’ shortage of available housing has led to crisis