Notice of Mass for bin Laden a ‘hoax’

A NOTICE of a Mass to be celebrated in memory of Osama bin Laden this week in a Dublin Catholic church has been described as a hoax.

The Church of the Assumption in Howth, Co Dublin, published a parish newsletter yesterday carrying the notice regarding the Mass for the founder and spiritual figurehead of the al-Qaida terror network.

A list of Mass intentions for May 8 to 14 in the newsletter stated that Mass at 10am on Thursday would be for “Osama Bin Laden (Recently Deceased)”.

The newsletter was also posted on the church’s official website, where it was photographed and then posted on Twitter.

The parish newsletter advertising the Mass for bin Laden on the church’s website was taken down yesterday afternoon.

It is believed that members of the parish were angry over the posting.

Parish priest, Monsignor Brendan Houlihan, referred media queries to the press office of the Archdiocese of Dublin and made no further comment on the matter.

A spokesperson for the archdiocese said a mistake had been made in publishing the notice.

“It was either a hoax or a prank, I am not sure which, but there is no Mass for Osama bin Laden on Thursday,” the spokesperson stressed.

The spokesperson said the notice was ‘clearly’ listed in error.

It is understood that the church will be investigating how the notice came to be published in the newsletter.

News about the cancelled Mass spread very quickly on Twitter, with most followers highly amused at what some were describing as the best prank of the year.

Meanwhile, US President Barack Obama said bin Laden must have had “some sort of support network” inside Pakistan, adding that the matter must be investigated.

His words come as the US demanded access to three widows of bin Laden, held by Pakistani authorities since last week’s US raid.