Statistics show that one in 10 baby boys born in 1980, were named John Paul after the historic visit.

The world-famous Harlem Gospel Choir, which has perfomed alongside Bono and sang for popes and the UN General Assembly, is to perform at Cork Opera House.

The Vatican has confirmed what most people in Ireland already know: Pope Francis is to visit here in August.

In 1935 Joseph Stalin is said to have asked contemptuously: “how many divisions has the pope?” The question was answered emphatically by John Paul II long after the Soviet dictator’s death when the Berlin Wall came crashing down and Eastern Europe emerged from behind the Iron Curtain.

In 1935 Joseph Stalin is said to have asked contemptuously: “how many divisions has the pope?” The question was answered emphatically by John Paul II long after the Soviet dictator’s death when the Berlin Wall came crashing down and Eastern Europe emerged from behind the Iron Curtain.

THE Vatican confirmed, yesterday afternoon, that Pope Francis plans to visit Ireland in August of next year. Francis will bridge a gap of nearly 40 years. 

The 1970's were a time of highs and lows for workers at the Marina. As models like the Capri and Escort kept Ford as a brand leader, the global economy and industrial strife had adverse effects.

In recent decades, popes have reinforced centralised control of the Catholic Church by influencing who gets promoted in each country, writes TP O’Mahony

Four powerful cardinals have already gone public with their doubts about the current pope, while some have virtually accused him of heresy, writes TP O’Mahony

AS the 1932 Eucharistic Congress, held to mark the 1,500th anniversary of St Patrick’s arrival on this island, fades from living memory, that celebration can only be judged as an historical event.

A prominent US canon lawyer has said he suspects “there is a great deal more” to the story of what is happening in the Maynooth seminary.

Pope Francis has paid a sombre and largely silent visit to the Nazi death camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau, becoming the third consecutive pontiff to make the pilgrimage to the place where Adolf Hitler’s forces killed more than a million people.

There is no evidence or basis to suggest Pope John Paul II had improper relations with a married woman, according to Poland’s national library.

IT may have come as something of a shock to more conservative Catholics to learn that Pope (now Saint) John Paul II had an intense friendship with an attractive married woman for more than 30 years.

Pope Francis has opened his visit to the United States with a call for action to combat climate change.

Pope Francis is, or rather was, well known as a football man and, in particular, as a committed supporter of the San Lorenzo club in his native Argentina, so it rather came as a shock when he recently confessed that he had never seen his fellow countryman Lionel Messi in action.

The Pope has urged Bosnia’s Muslims, Orthodox Christians and Catholics to put the “barbarity” of war behind them and work together for a peaceful future as he made a one-day visit to Sarajevo.

Cuban president Raul Castro arrived at the Vatican yesterday to thank Pope Francis for his role in brokering the rapprochement between Havana and Washington.

The Pope has broken from his predecessors in seeking a more collegial approach to Church, governance, but the jury is still out on his ability to bring true reform, writes TP O’Mahony.

Though they are seen as refreshingly honest to some people, the Pope’s opinions on women and procreation are irresponsible, writes TP O’Mahony

For a man who had battled all his life, it was fitting that his last fight was the toughest and, perhaps, the most heroic.

Donald Caird

Pope Francis has beatified Pope Paul VI and declared that God is not afraid of new things as he concluded a remarkable meeting of bishops on family issues.

Pope Francis has beatified Pope Paul VI and declared that God is not afraid of new things as he concluded a remarkable meeting of bishops debating family issues.

Almost a year on from her spat with Miley Cyrus, Sinead O’Connor still has plenty to say about how the music business treats women, writes Ed Power.

Now that Pope Francis has canonised his Predecessors John Paul II and John XXIII it’s confirmed they have passed through the pearly gates.

The Archbishop of Dublin has described the newly canonised popes John XXIII and John Paul II as men “who in their day to day ordinary lives try heroically to live the Christian life”.

Pope Francis proclaimed his predecessors John XXIII and John Paul II saints in front of more than 500,000 pilgrims, hailing both as courageous men who withstood the tragedies of the 20th century.

In a letter by B Cotton (April 24), which addressed the recent article in the Irish Examiner (April 17) about ‘Catholics for Choice‘, your correspondent states that ”as a practicing Catholic... contraception is banned, because sex was made by God to bring children into the world and not for self-gratification”.

Caroline Flack hosts Viral Tap, on ITV2 at 10pm. A brand new topical comedy show which searches for the week's best online clips and viral videos.

Hillsborough’s youngest victim would have been “very proud” of his cousin, the Liverpool and England captain Steven Gerrard, the inquest into the disaster heard today.

John Cornwell

Call her the miracle lady on the hill — one with a brain aneurysm whose healing was declared a miracle, clearing the way for the late John Paul II to become a saint.

Pope Francis, marking Palm Sunday in a packed St Peter’s Square, ignored his prepared homily and spoke entirely off-the-cuff in a remarkable departure from practice.

Pope Francis has marked Palm Sunday in a packed St Peter’s Square, ignoring his prepared homily and speaking entirely off the cuff.

The Vatican is turning to social media to reach out to the millions of pilgrims expected to attend the first double canonisation of popes in the history of the Catholic Church.

Poles are divided between praise and condemnation of John Paul II’s secretary for publishing the late pope’s personal notes — against his last will and testament.

ITALY:

THE brisk sales of copies of Time magazine, with Pope Francis on the cover as Person of the Year, is yet another indicator of the growing popularity of the pontiff from Argentina. Yet none of this can disguise the fact the Church over which he presides is, in the words of Hans Kung, “gravely ill”.

Pope Francis announced today that he would travel to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan on May 24-26, his first visit to the Holy Land.

HOW great is the gap between the official teaching of the Catholic Church, especially in the sphere of sexuality, and the actual practice and behaviour of Catholics? Thanks to an initiative by Pope Francis, we are about to find out.

Popes John XXIII and John Paul II will be declared saints at a ceremony on Apr 27 that might see two living popes honouring two dead ones.

Pope Francis today effectively demoted a highly conservative Italian cardinal who led the Vatican’s department on clergy.