DAILY CATHOLIC     MONDAY     August 24, 1998     vol. 9, no. 165

NEWS & VIEWS
from a CATHOLIC perspective

To print out entire text of Today's issue, go to SECTION ONE and SECTION TWO

MEMORIALS ACROSS IRELAND FOR OMAGH VICTIMS

          Memorial services for the victims of the Omagh bomb were held throughout Ireland on Saturday afternoon, August 22. All around the country people observed a minute of silence at 3:10 PM-- exactly one week after the time when the bomb went off.

          Twenty eight people were killed in the blast. More than seventy people are still hospitalized with injuries sustained in the explosion. Responsibility for the bombing was claimed by the Republican dissident group which calls itself the Real Irish Republican Army.

          The Taoiseach (prime minister) of the Irish Republic, Bertie Ahern, appealed to his people to make an all-out effort to attend memorial services. The British Government announced that the Irish President, Mary McAleese, and Ahern are to be invited to join Queen Elizabeth and British Prime Minister Tony Blair at a service for the victims of the blast. The date and venue will be decided after consultation with the victims' relatives.

          Pope John Paul sent a message to Archbishop Sean Brady before the ecumenical church service in Omagh. The Pontiff said he shared the shock and dismay of all people of goodwill at the violence committed against the people of Omagh and Northern Ireland.

          The Pope said he was confident that the desire for peace so clearly manifested by the people of Northern Ireland would go on to blossom in all-embracing initiatives among all sectors of the community.

          He added: "I make my own your prayer for all those with responsibility for peace in Northern Ireland that they may persevere, with God's help, in the task and duty that history has laid on them."


Articles provided through Catholic World News Service.
CWN is not affiliated with the Daily CATHOLIC but provides this service via e-mail to the Daily CATHOLIC Monday through Friday.

August 24, 1998       volume 9, no. 165
NEWS & VIEWS

DAILY CATHOLIC

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