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.

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.

The sick, elderly and bereaved in the diocese of Cork are suffering as there are not enough priests to cater for their spiritual needs.

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.

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”.

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.

It isn’t often you hear the head of the Catholic Church put dialogue before dogma but, then Pope Francis is no ordinary pontiff.

Pope Francis smiles during a news conference aboard the papal flight from Brazil to Rome yesterday.

Pope Francis has said he will not judge priests for their sexual orientation. “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” he asked.

Pope Francis has cleared Pope John Paul II for sainthood, approving a miracle attributed to his intercession and setting up a dual canonisation along with another beloved pope, John XXIII.

Pope Francis has cleared John Paul II for sainthood, approving a miracle attributed to his intercession.

THE four-day visit to Ireland by US President John Fitzgerald Kennedy in Jun 1963 is seen as a turning point in the country’s modern history, writes Ray Ryan

Pope Francis is a footie fan.

A lavishly-jewelled cross and a ring once owned by Pope Paul VI are heading to auction on eBay.

NORMALLY anyone using the National Archives is looking for specific information, but when the State Papers are released to journalists each year, it is a different matter. Most do not know what they are looking for; they just plough through the files looking for anything of likely interest.

POPE Benedict has moved two of his predecessors, Pius XII and John XXIII, closer to sainthood.

Pope Benedict XVI praised the the Second World War-era Pope, Pius XII, as a great pontiff but stopped short of endorsing his case for beatification, according to a transcript released today by the Vatican.

REV GERARD GARRETT (Irish Examiner letters, May 18) is wrong when he says that “Crimen Sollicitationis (is) a Vatican document dealing principally with solicitation by priests in the course of confession.”

IT IS understandable that Patrick Geaney and Mark Ryan (Irish Examiner, letters, May 11), because of the wording of its title, both jumped to the conclusion that Crimen Sollicitationis was sent to all the bishops.

CATHOLICS were not encouraged to read the bible in this country, apparently because the hierarchy could not trust them to interpret it properly. It was symptomatic of a rather cavalier attitude towards education.

Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, considered a top contender to be the next Pope, made his final stump speech before being sequestered in the Sistine Chapel today, lashing out at the trends he said were taking root in the Roman Catholic Church.

THE first message a new Pope sends to the world is encoded in the name he chooses.

WAITING hours for a brief goodbye, pilgrims young and old prayed, sang hymns and shaded themselves from the sun with umbrellas as they queued yesterday to see Pope John Paul’s crimson-robed body at St Peter’s Basilica.

The College of Cardinals met for a second day of talks today to prepare for the conclave to elect a successor to Pope John Paul as tens of thousands of mourners streamed past the late pontiff’s crimson-robed body as it lay in state in St Peter’s Basilica.

WHEN Cardinal Karol Wojtyla was made Pope, the Catholic world collectively gasped in astonishment.

The report alleging Catholic bishops were ordered to cover up sexual abuse under pain of excommunication questions the assertions of the Church on its attitude to this problem.

By TP O’Mahony WHEN the cardinals of the Catholic Church gather in conclave to elect the next Pope, what will they use as their papal template?

The body of Pope John XXIII, in a crystal and bronze coffin, was displayed in St Peter’s Square today as thousands paid tribute to one of the most beloved pontiffs in modern times.