It's the social media sensation that presidents, taosigh, astronauts, sportstars and even grannies couldn't resist, says Kelly O'Brien

The head of the Redemptorist order in Limerick has publicly backed his colleague, Fr Tony Flannery, whose liberal views have run foul of the Vatican.

Dissent in the Catholic Church, especially from members of the clergy, invariably elicits a mailed fist reaction from the Vatican. The move to silence Fr Tony Flannery, founder of the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP) in Ireland, is but the latest example of a ruthless and outdated policy of muzzling those who speak out.

THE ancient art of bell- ringing, which goes back 700 years in Limerick, still fills the Sunday morning air.

MORE than 200 people, including about 50 priests, were present in St John’s Cathedral yesterday when Bishop Donal Murray announced his resignation.