"The sisters are leaving and it will be a huge wrench for them and for people in the community," said Mary Crawford, former school principal of St Joseph's, Spanish Point.

The witnesses “were ordinary people who lived in a very ordinary little village” and included “men, women and children ranging in age from four-year-old John Curry (who spoke no Irish) to Bridget Trench in her seventies (who spoke no English).”

Archbishop Rino Fisichella gave the keynote address at the Co Mayo shrine for the Feast of the Assumption.

“We had people contacting us from all over the world and today at Knock was no different. I must have met everyone in the basilica after Mass and many travelled for hours.”

An Teaghlach Naofa is a prayer network founded to pray for the protection of the sanctity of marriage, the family and human life.

“I ask why our society in many areas is uncaring," Archbishop Diarmuid Martin.

St Joseph is a model for all fathers and educators.

“Family and home go together.”