Pope Francis has declined to approve the ordination of married men to address the priest shortage in the Amazon, sidestepping a fraught issue that has dominated debate in the Catholic Church and even involved retired Pope Benedict XVI.

One In Four has said it may never know what happened to people it had to "turn away" last year when it closed its waiting list because it could not cope with demand from victims of sexual abuse.

Pope Francis has declined to accept the resignation of French Cardinal Philippe Barbarin as archbishop of Lyon after he was convicted of failing to report a known predator priest to police, the Vatican said.

40 Years after the visit of Pope John Paul II to Ireland, Pat Fitzpatrick looks back at that era and asks men who share the Pope’s name what they think of the big changes during their lifetime

Pope Francis said he has decided to open up the Vatican archives on Second World War-era pontiff Pius XII, who has been accused by Jews of staying silent on the Holocaust.

The declaration by Pope Francis, describing paedophilia as one of the “vilest” of crimes, is the clearest indication yet that he may be prepared finally to tackle the issue of child sex abuse within the Catholic Church.

A call by Pope Francis for clerical paedophiles to turn themselves in has been described as a “non-runner” by the head of an agency for child sexual abuse survivors.

Pope Francis has vowed that the Catholic Church will "never again" cover up clergy sex abuse and demanded that priests who have raped and molested children turn themselves in.

Leo Varadkar’s speech on Saturday was a powerful affirmation of what a modern Ireland must look like, says Fergus Finlay.

What everyone really wanted though was for Francis to arrive, and when he did, a roar went up as a giant TV screen showed him stepping on board the Pope Mobile.

It is estimated that around 200,000 people turned out at the Phoenix Park yesterday for the Papal Mass.

The Pope is to study a report into the Tuam mother and baby home given to him on his Irish visit.

The toxic issue of clerical child sexual abuse, unavoidably, dominated Pope Francis’ short visit to Ireland.

A large crowd has gathered for a silent vigil in Co Galway to coincide with the Papal mass in Dublin.

Catholics in Northern Ireland were left disappointed when the details of the Pope’s visit revealed he was not going to travel north.

Francis flew to the west of Ireland to visit the holy shrine of Knock.

Francis said the crimes committed by members of the church had left an ‘open wound’.

A manager at the shrine explains the meaning behind the pilgrimage site.

Pope Francis has warned people of the threat social media poses to relationships.

The last time a pope was in Ireland, Vincent Gamble, 77, was helping out as a steward in the Phoenix Park while his wife, Teresa, 75, was at home expecting the couple's fifth child, a little girl who was born a week later.

Things are far from perfect in Ireland when it comes to issues of child protection, but we have made a lot of strides in the right direction, writes Daniel McConnell.

Latest: The Taoiseach has said Pope Francis must follow up his words with actions.

Czech carmaker Škoda has unveiled a specially commissioned stained-glass car to celebrate the Pope’s visit to Ireland.

The Taoiseach has called on the church to introduce mandatory reporting for child sexual abuse.

With less than a week to go to the papal visit, one of the leaders of the Catholic Church in Ireland has defended the Pope’s record of dealing with clerical child abuse, saying Francis is up against the might of the Vatican.

The steady separation of Church and State is good for both, the Agriculture Minister has said ahead of the Pope’s visit to Ireland.

She also told Brendan O'Connor that she made a formal complaint to the Pope about being banned from speaking in the Vatican in March.

Attitudes to and the influence of the Catholic Church in Ireland have changed over the decades, partly as a consequence of transgressions to which the Vatican has turned a blind eye, and as a result of social trends that priests have been powerless to stop.

Some people see Pope Francis as a “global religious star”, Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said when discussing the pontiff’s pastoral visit to Ireland next month.

Former President Mary McAleese said she cannot go to the World Meeting of Families when the Pope visits Ireland in August, as it does not include LGBTI people.

Pope Francis has called the practice of having an abortion after pre-natal tests have discovered possible birth defects a version of Nazi attempts to create a pure race by eliminating the weakest.

Archbishop Diarmuid Martin, has said that the visit of Pope Francis to Ireland will cost around €20m, he will visit all manner of holy places and will even visit the Capuchin Day Centre for homeless people.

More than 30,000 people have registered for the Pastoral Congress, one of the main elements of the Catholic Church’s World Meeting of Families (WMoF) being held in Dublin in August just before the visit of Pope Francis.

The Government is likely to spend €1.2m on a communications system for the Pope's visit to Ireland.

It is reported Pope Francis will visit the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin during his visit to Ireland this year.

The special envoy sent to Chile by the Pope to investigate allegations of a sex abuse cover-up is in hospital after taking ill in the country.

There is speculation that Pope Francis could visit Mountjoy Prison in Dublin when he comes to Ireland this year.

Pope Francis has spoken out about violence against women in Latin America describing the violence as "a plague".

The Pope has travelled deep into the Amazonian rainforest to demand an end to the relentless exploitation of its timber, gas and gold resources and the recognition of its indigenous peoples as the primary custodians to determine the future of "our common home".

Pope Francis has begged for forgiveness during a visit to Chile over the "irreparable damage" done to children who were raped and molested by priests in the country.

Pope Francis has advised against making the pursuit of money, a career or success the basis for one's whole life.

Pope Francis' visit to Dublin next year will cost approximately €20m, according to the Archbishop of Dublin.

Pope Francis has called for the status quo of Jerusalem to be respected and for "wisdom and prudence" to prevail to avoid further conflict.

Pope Francis has met Burma's civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and told her the country's future depends on respecting the rights of "each ethnic group".

Pope Francis took a small step towards improved Vatican-Russian relations when he chatted with Russian cosmonauts and praised their understanding of love during a telephone call with the International Space Station.

A request is being made for Pope Francis to come to Co Cork when he visits Ireland next August, with the racecourse in Mallow likely the best venue to host him.