Our thoughts and our prayers are with the workers and their families who have been made redundant as a result of the decision of the Board of Management of Irish Fertilizer Industries to cease activity in its plants at Cobh, Arklow and Belfast.

Tomorrow, October 16, marks the 24th anniversary of the election of Pope John Paul to the papacy. The white smoke from the Sistine Chapel indicating the election of Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, archbishop of Krakow, to the papacy.

I wish to express my disappointment at today’s announcement that, once again,the power-sharing Executive and the Northern Ireland Assembly are being suspended.I share the regret of many people in Northern Ireland at the loss of devolved government.

On the occasion of a Seminar organised by the Irish Catholic on “The Church and the Modern World of Europe – Challenges and Opportunities” at Holy Cross College, Clonliffe, Dublin 3 Dr Joseph Duffy, Chairman of the Bishops’ Committee on European Affairs, released a statement from the Irish Bishops’ Conference on the Treaty of Nice.

The Irish Bishops’ Conference has designated Sunday 13 October as the Day for Life 2002, and the issue being addressed this year is Euthanasia.

On Monday 23rd September the Bishop of Limerick, Dr Donal Murray launched a new diocesan website which contains the history of each parish in the Diocese of Limerick.

This morning (Sunday 6 October 2002) in Rome, Pope John II will canonise Blessed Josemaría Escrivá, the founder of Opus Dei. Some 900 Irish people will be present.

On Saturday, 5 October 2002, the National Centre for Liturgy will host a public concert by Liam Lawton and Lorica in Maynooth College, Chapel.

Statement by the Diocese of Derry Re: Recent media coverage of the involvement of deceased priest of the Derry Diocese in the 1972 Claudy bombing

Saint Patrick’s College Maynooth Confers Honorary Degrees on distinguished members of the Church of Ireland, Presbyterian Church and Methodist Church.