Special mass at Pro-Cathederal for pontiff

The Taoiseach Bertie Ahern this evening attended a special Mass in Dublin's Pro Cathedral to pray for Pope John Paul II.

Mr Ahern and the Minister for Education Mary Hanafin joined hundreds of Mass-goers who packed the cathedral to hear the Archbishop of Dublin Diarmiud Martin celebrate the Mass.

Cardinal Desmond Connell and Apostolic Nuncio Giuseppe Lazzarotto were also in attendance to pray for the ailing pontiff.

People continued to arrive long after the Mass had begun, crowding into the packed cathedral to hear the Archbishop share his memories of the Pope and John Paul II's impact on the world.

Dr Martin said the Pope was "patiently facing that great moment of human fragility: his own death. And he is facing it with extraordinary spiritual strength, deep faith in God and dignity."

"Now physically weak, yet in full consciousness and in all serenity, he is offering his heart and his soul totally to the Lord," he added.

"Pope John Paul, as successor of Peter, is truly a rock, a rock who even in his suffering continues to strengthen the faith of his brethren, and touches the hearts many, even those who did not share his Christian faith.

"For over twenty six years, in speeches and homilies and significant Church documents, Pope John Paul II taught and interpreted for us the significance of the truth and the love of Jesus. His Pontificate is marked from its inception by an enormous dynamism and clear sightedness.

"Just think of his apostolic journeys, of his role in the fall of communism. He spoke at a time when it was almost political heresy to challenge the status quo so categorically.

"Despite his clear political insights, Pope John Paul II is not a politician. He is above all a pastor, a priest and a Bishop."

The Archdeacon of Dublin, the Venerable David Pierpoint,  represented the Church of Ireland at the special Mass. He was also representing the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Revd Dr John Neill, who is presently out of the country. The Archdeacon said: "I would like to assure our Christian neighbors that our prayers are with the Pope at this sad and difficult time.

"The primate of Ireland, Archbishop Sean Brady, earlier asked Catholics to pray for the ailing 84-year-old Pope. In a statement issued this morning Dr Brady said: "Having heard the sad news of the deterioration of the state of the Holy Father's health, I ask Catholics to continue to pray fervently for Pope John Paul II.

"I know that throughout Ireland today, people will be remembering the Holy Father in their prayers."

In front of a 300,000-strong crowd outside Drogheda, Co Louth, he called on the people of Ireland to end all violence and return to "the ways of peace". During his three-day visit, he also went to Clonmacnois, Galway, Limerick and the Marian Shrine in Knock, Co Mayo.

Pope John Paul II visited Ireland in September and October 1979. Ireland was the third pilgrimage of his pontificate.