Around the world

Italy: Pope Francis greets the crowd outside the Ardeatine Caves Memorial in Rome November 2, the Feast of All Souls. The site honours 335 Italian citizens who were killed there by the Nazis in 1944.

Around the world

Uganda: Refugees from South Sudan are seen in the Palabek Refugee Camp in northern Uganda. Salesian missionaries have opened five chapels in the camp and minister to the refugees who have fled violence in their homeland.

A local scholar of Medieval Ireland

60 at Roscrea: Celebrating the Roscrea Conference at Mt St Joseph Abbey, 1987-2017 edited by George Cunningham (The Roscrea People; 300 copies numbered and signed; nos 1-150 h/b, €40, and 150 Card covers, nos 151-300, €20;  p/p  €5 within Ireland.) Terry Barry   Ireland is truly lucky for a small island to have so many excellent local…

Around the world

US: Novices of the Servants of the Lord and the Virgin of Matara are seen at Holy Comforter St Cyprian Church in Washington prior to the start of their profession of vows. National Vocations Awareness Week is November 5-11.

Family News and Events

Bracelet can tell if a woman is pregnant Traditional home pregnancy tests could soon be a thing of the past, with scientists announcing a new smartwatch system that alerts women when they have conceived. Swiss researchers, presenting research in Texas at the annual congress of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, said that conception leads…

Fortune favours the Prices in X-Factor win

Two young buskers from Blessington in Wicklow are the “talk of the town” after getting through to this week’s X-Factor audition. The talented musicians, Sean (17) and Conor (15) Price, impressed judges with their version of ‘All Along the Watchtower’ by Bob Dylan, which was a fusion of the rock classic and modern pop-rap. Their…