Peter Murray wonders why, in an eclectic collection of writers’ responses to works on show at the National Gallery the majority of contributors chose pieces that allowed them avoid eye-to-eye contact with the subject.

Irish authors have taken pieces in the National Gallery as inspiration for prose and poetry, writes Peter Murray

Alessandro Brustenghi is a young Italian Franciscan friar whose beautiful, emotionally charged tenor voice has been attracting sell-out audiences to concerts throughout Europe. His album, The Voice of Assisi quickly rose to No 1 in the UK Classical Album Charts.

Pope Francis has said he wants a missionary church with a modern spirit that gives hope to the poor, young and elderly, speaking as key meetings began on church reform.