Bishop condemns attack which damaged well-known Catholic church.

"Let it not be said of us that we were stingy or miserly in showing mercy to others in this Year of Mercy."

Hundreds expected to cross the threshold of mercy on Sunday in St Patrick's Basilica at the launch of the 2016 pilgrimage season.

It is “important for us to see some of these psychological dysfunctions in society as the manifestation of, perhaps, an underlying spiritual dysfunction”.

Fr Tony O’Riordan invited to Rome to receive the special mandate in person from Pope Francis during an Ash Wednesday ceremony in St Peter's Basilica.

Bishops refer to 1916 centenary commemorations and the coming general election in Christmas messages.

I have an “obligation to the people who work with me and to the truth to clarify these things” church leader explains.

"We have tried to institutionalise God’s mercy and many of those in our institutions have experienced them as anything but merciful” - Archbishop Martin.