Cabinet meeting cancelled to respect Pope's death
A Government cabinet meeting in Cork to mark the city’s year as European capital of culture has been cancelled out of respect for the Pope’s death, it emerged today.
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern confirmed the meeting set up to join in with the spirit of culture and celebration the south west had been put off.
Mr Ahern said all public buildings would be flying flags at half mast, and he called for full participation in church services in honour of the pontiff.
A national delegation led by President Mary McAleese will attend the Pope’s funeral, but there are no plans to hold a national day of mourning, Mr Ahern revealed.
“We won’t have a national day of mourning as such but between now and the day of the funeral we will fully participate,” he said.
The Taoiseach said he was honoured to have met Pope John Paul II at the elevation of Cardinal Desmond Connell.
“As soon as he was told who I was he asked about Ireland and how things were in Ireland and how it was in Ireland,” Mr Ahern said.
“I think today that we can at least know if his health had have been better in 2005 we were one of two locations in the world that were pencilled in.”
Pope John Paul II visited Ireland in 1979 only one year into his pontificate and last year had agreed in principle to return.
Mr Ahern said the Pope should be remembered for the way he worked to bring all of the churches of the world together.
“The statements which he made are heartening for the church. It must have been very heartening for him to know that all of the churches and all of the faiths were so moved by his efforts to bring them all in,” the Taoiseach said.
“I think the reason he did that was that he wanted to show that faith and religion and involvement in spiritual development was something that was as relevant to this generation as it was to the past.”
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