Pope Francis came and he went. In terms of the past sins visited on the Irish population by the Catholic Church, not a lot of difference was made.

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 last month and he called on the pontiff to resign.

The An Post Chain Reaction celebrated their second stage win in as many days at the Rás yesterday on a savage day that saw the field split to pieces.

The trial this week of a Vatican computer analyst over his alleged role in an embarrassing scandal of stolen confidential papal documents is offering a chance for an insider glimpse at the Holy See’s security workings.

A Vatican scandal will get an unusually public airing next week when the butler who served the Pope’s meals and helped him dress goes on trial for leaking Benedict’s private papers in the hope of cleaning up what he saw as “evil and corruption everywhere in the Church”.

The Vatican has defended its transfer of a top official to Washington after he exposed alleged corruption in the awarding of Holy See contracts.

Despite defeats on three odds-on favourites, Fran Berry took the riding honours at Fairyhouse last night, recording a double on Bold Thady Quill and Sean Og Coulston in the handicap action.