Brace yourself as the world's leaders make a holy show of themselves at the Pope's funeral
Who is that person the mighty are coming to
bury in Rome
tomorrow? Is it for the man who
preached against burning fossil fuels
that the great and the good are flying in their intercontinental jets to pay their last respects? Are the would-be colonisers and land-grabbers gathering to praise
the peace-lover who Zoom-called Catholics under siege in Gaza at 7pm every night
? What part of a man who chose to live more humbly than his predecessors will be reflected in the pomp and circumstance of his funeral?
WH Auden wrote in the poem he entitled In Memory of WB Yeats that 'the words of a dead man are modified in the guts of the living'.
Pope Francis
tried to guard against such modification by requesting that he be laid to rest in just one coffin instead of the traditional three papal coffins made of elm, cypress and lead, and that he be buried with dignity 'like any Christian'. But he could not prevent his death from turning into a spectacle of the sort of privilege and hypocrisy he deprecated. Nor could he stop his spirit being banished before he is even buried.
Journalists have swooped en masse upon the Eternal City to record every swing of a thurible, every state ruler's facial expression at tomorrow's funeral. They will not be disappointed for there will be VIPs galore willing, in the immortal words of Verona Murphy, to 'make a holy show' of themselves, literally.
Topping the list of elites will be the twice-divorced and thrice-married sexual assailant
Donald Trump
, who wants to conquer Greenland, Gaza and Canada; is ordering mass deportations from the US; and is attempting to crush universities, the judiciary and truth in the news. Rather than suggesting he stay away, the Holy See's gatekeepers will accord him and his entourage a red-carpet welcome. The last time this hawker of his own-branded bible famously sat in a church, he
demanded an apology from the Episcopalian bishop Mariann Budde
for pleading from the pulpit that mercy be shown to immigrants, gays, lesbians and transgender people. Trump need not brace himself for any mouthy woman bishop tomorrow.
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Whole battalions of dignitaries from countries with booming weapons industries will assemble in St Peter's Square, watched over by the Swiss Guards and the gendarmerie of Vatican City. Fighter jets will patrol the sky. Anti-drone weapons will be at the ready. Up to 170 foreign delegations are expected. Ireland, alone, is to be represented by President Michael D Higgins and Sabina along with the Taoiseach and the Tánaiste. How many starving children could be fed for the price of that security bill?
What these days in Rome demonstrate is that, no matter who becomes the Pope, the institution will outlive and out-rule him
Don't expect any civic leaders who actually practise what Francis preached to be given top-priority seats. Will Trump, Macron, Merz and Starmer shove down the line to make space for Mary Robinson and Greta Thunberg, dogged campaigners to save this planet that the Pope called 'our common home'? Will the Red Crescent or Unrwa or Médecins Sans Frontières, who risk and sometimes give their lives to save others, fill the front rows? And what of the migrants in camps like Lampedusa, the Italian island he chose for the first visit of his papacy 'to reawaken our consciences and recall our responsibilities'? Will the princes of the Church bow to them?
The devout among the globe's 1.4 billion Catholics and those cradle Catholics and non-Catholics who have been inspired by Francis's message of humanity are entitled to share in a fitting farewell to him, but the funeral dignity he wished for already looks in jeopardy. There has been no time to declutter the Vatican's ostentatious wealth before the obsequies for a man who derided consumerism as a 'plague' and a 'cancer'. The stallholders will, as usual, make hay flogging their souvenir holy water fonts, keyrings and canvas bags. The tour guides will guide. The hotels will burst at the seams. The restaurant queues will be out the door.
The sightseers were unavoidable on Wednesday as they lofted their smartphones to scavenge pictures of the dead pope in his open coffin during the procession to St Peter's Basilica. Why on earth would anybody want such a macabre picture other than as proof of the brag that 'I was there'?
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Pope Francis's death silences a voice for the voiceless
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Since his death on Easter Monday the posthumous eulogies to Francis have incessantly mentioned his commitment to 'equality', but the procession of cardinals that preceded his remains for his removal to the basilica affirmed that the Church's concept of equality does not apply equally. There is no starker reminder to the female of the species of our lesser standing than a pope's funeral. Other than the head-to-toe-clad nuns on the sidelines and a thin sprinkling of women among the dignitaries – EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni, to name two – the men-only club will be out in force. Even Francis 'the reformer' could not assail that bastion.
The perniciousness of that discrimination and how it propagates unconscious bias beyond the church has been evident in the speculation about which man will succeed him, and the occasional lament that there has never been an Irish pope. Lads, may I point out that there has never been a woman pope, or cardinal, or bishop or priest? Ireland accounts for just 0.06 per cent of the world's 8.2 billion people. Females account for half of them.
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When Pope Francis met abuse survivors in Ireland: 'He drew a picture of a toilet. Anything that goes into that is caca'
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What these days in Rome demonstrate is that, no matter who becomes the Pope, the institution will outlive and out-rule him. Pope Francis began working on his autobiography, Hope, in 2019 with the intention that it would not be published until after his death. He changed his mind and brought its publication forward when he saw how the world's ruling ethics were rapidly going to hell in a handcart. True to its name, the book gives its reader some hope; exactly what is needed in our time of wars, pestilence, climate damage, atrocious poverty and Maga madness.
The biggest loss the world has to mourn this weekend is not that of the titular head of an organised religion but that of a voice of decency. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, may you rest in peace.
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Irish Independent
an hour ago
- Irish Independent
Letters: Railway's starring Swiss role can offer Ireland some much-needed inspiration
What struck me most of all was the amazing engineering feats regarding transport infrastructure there. The number of tunnels is unbelievable. You can drive from one valley to the next, not by going over the mountain but by going through it, and this is repeated time and again. The railways are on another level, literally. We travelled on the Jungfraubahn, which tunnels its way through the mountains to the summit 3,454 metres above sea level. The station at the summit is actually in the mountain. On another day we were driving and were informed by our GPS that a particular road was closed because of weather conditions. No problem. We just drove to a railhead, drove the car on to a train, stayed in the car, travelled about 10km in a tunnel and drove off at the other end. Fantastic. Alas, like all good things the holiday came to an end. Arriving at Dublin Airport we waited in the open in cool weather for a bus to crawl through the city to our destination. We have a main line railway that is about 6km from Dublin Airport and a Luas line (Broombridge) about 7km from same. Bearing in mind the Swiss built the Jungfraubahn over 100 years ago, is there any chance that our politicians could build the badly needed rail link? I hold my breath in anticipation. Brendan Langley, Ranelagh, Dublin 6 Less talking and more action on Gaza, please Madam — The Government needs to stop merely condemning the genocide that is happening in Gaza and take decisive action. Planes carrying arms to Israel should not be allowed to land in Ireland or fly through Irish airspace. Draconian sanctions involving a unilateral ban on the import of all Israeli products should be activated immediately, even if this means breaking ranks with a sleepwalking Europe. War crimes are happening in plain sight on a daily basis and the Irish Government is greatly shamed by its passive approach to this ever deteriorating situation. The Government is not listening to its people on this issue. Colman Collins, Galway Trump is helping to render Gaza a hell Madam — Home is where the heart is, and throughout its history the United States of America has been a home from home for the Irish and many other nationalities. But now I think this sentimental idea about the US is changing. Donald Trump and his government may extol the praises of the US through songs such as God bless America, my home sweet home, but that same government is, through its continuing support for the state of Israel, depriving the men, women and children of Gaza and the West Bank of their home sweet home — indeed, it is helping to make it a hell on earth. This is a great disappointment to those of us who have admired the US in the past. On his accession to office for the second time, the author of How to Get Rich and Think Big and Kick Ass: In business and life said Gaza could be the Riviera of the East, thus disclosing his mercenary way of thinking and his scant regard for the plight of others. Trump has the power to stop the war, first by ending the supply of arms to the Israelis. But he will not do that. Whither democracy when the great democratic institutions, the United Nations, the European Union, the international courts, have failed to impose their influence and authority on this interminable political catastrophe? Palestine should be home to Palestinians. Instead, it is a no man's land. This is disgraceful. Anthony McDonagh, Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan Why no coverage of Hamas terrorism? Madam — This country now has an obsession with Gaza to the point of mania. We are being inundated with accounts and stories about the Gaza Strip. 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These people go out to work every day and pay their taxes to the state, raise their families and contribute voluntarily to better the communities in which they live. The Irish helped to build America by serving in its military and building railways, motorways and skyscrapers over many decades. This would never happen under presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Clinton, Bush or Biden, who knew the value of the Irish men and women who helped to build America to become the world leader it is today. Tom Towey, Cloonacool, Co Sligo Put a bell on your bike to keep all safe Madam — It is wonderful to see the new greenways along our rivers and canals. As more and more people are using them, a public awareness campaign to encourage cyclists and pedestrians to 'be sound' to each other is being considered by Dublin City Council. Possibly a 'be heard' campaign would be more appropriate. The growth in cycling is great, but I would implore bicycle owners to have a bell fitted to their machines. 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And then there's the abhorrent example set by the State, which yearly licenses the capture of thousands of our native hares for coursing. What kind of message does that send out to the public about the value we place on wildlife conservation? During the Covid lockdown, many of us rediscovered the attractions of nature. We connected with a world that lay, largely unheeded, all around us. Some of us may need reminding that, in the words of the Joni Mitchell song, 'You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone'. John Fitzgerald, Callan, Co Kilkenny Here is a confession: I don't like Guinness Madam — I was intrigued to read Leslie Ann Horgan's recent editor's letter in Life Magazine (June 1), in which she recounted having her first pint of Guinness at the age of 24 — her very first alcoholic drink. As a 70-year-old Irishman, I thought I might offer a contrasting tale: I have never had a pint of Guinness. 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RTÉ News
3 hours ago
- RTÉ News
Protesters rally against immigration agents for second day in Los Angeles
Federal agents in Los Angeles faced off against demonstrators for a second day in a row following immigration raids a day earlier, prompting a senior White House official to call the protests a "violent insurrection". The security agents were in a tense confrontation with protesters in the Paramount area in southeast Los Angeles, where some demonstrators displayed Mexican flags and others covered their mouths with respiratory masks. Live video footage showed dozens of green-uniformed security personnel with gas masks lined up on a road strewn with overturned shopping carts as small canisters exploded into gas clouds. "Now they know that they cannot go to anywhere in this country where our people are, and try to kidnap our workers, our people -- they cannot do that without an organized and fierce resistance," said protester Ron Gochez, 44. Kristi Noem, the head of the Department of Homeland Security, said on X: "A message to the LA rioters: you will not stop us or slow us down." Mr Trump's border czar Tom Homan said on Fox News that the National Guard would be deployed in Los Angeles yesterday evening. A first round of protests kicked off on Friday night after Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents conducted enforcement operations in the city and arrested at least 44 people on alleged immigration violations. The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that "1,000 rioters surrounded a federal law enforcement building and assaulted ICE law enforcement officers, slashed tires, defaced buildings, and taxpayer funded property". Reuters was unable to verify DHS's accounts. Angelica Salas, executive director of immigrants rights organisation Chirla, said lawyers had not had access to those detained, which she called "very worrying". Stephen Miller, an immigration hardliner and the White House deputy chief of staff, wrote on X that Friday's demonstrations were "an insurrection against the laws and sovereignty of the United States." He described the day's protests as a "violent insurrection." The protests pit Democratic-run Los Angeles, where census data suggests a significant portion of the population is Hispanic and foreign-born, against Mr Trump's Republican White House, which has made cracking down on immigration a hallmark of his second term. Mr Trump has pledged to deport record numbers of people in the country illegally and lock down the US-Mexico border, with the White House setting a goal for ICE to arrest at least 3,000 migrants per day. But the sweeping immigration crackdown has also caught up people legally residing in the country, including some with permanent residence, and has led to legal challenges. In a statement on Saturday about the protests in Paramount, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office said: "It appeared that federal law enforcement officers were in the area, and that members of the public were gathering to protest." Salas of Chirla said protesters gathered after an ICE contingent appeared to be using parking lots near a Paramount Home Depot store as a base. ICE, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Los Angeles Police Department did not respond to a request for comment on the protests or potential immigration sweeps. Political division over Friday's sweep Television news footage on Friday showed unmarked vehicles resembling military transport and vans loaded with uniformed federal agents streaming through Los Angeles streets as part of the immigration enforcement operation. Raids occurred around Home Depots, where street vendors and day laborers were picked up, as well as at a garment factory and a warehouse, Salas of Chirla said. The Democratic mayor of Los Angeles, Karen Bass, in a statement condemned the immigration raids. "I am deeply angered by what has taken place," Ms Bass said. "These tactics sow terror in our communities and disrupt basic principles of safety in our city. We will not stand for this." The LAPD did not take part in the immigration enforcement. It was deployed to quell civil unrest after crowds protesting the deportation raids spray-painted anti-ICE slogans on the walls of a federal court building and gathered outside a nearby jail where some of the detainees were reportedly being held. In a statement, DHS criticized Democratic politicians including Mayor Bass, saying their anti-ICE rhetoric was contributing to violence against immigration agents. "From comparisons to the modern-day Nazi gestapo to glorifying rioters, the violent rhetoric of these sanctuary politicians is beyond the pale. This violence against ICE must end," said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin.
The Irish Sun
6 hours ago
- The Irish Sun
Diddy would be released in DAYS after Trump pardon but a ‘free ride' out of jail will not help his future, lawyer warns
SEAN 'Diddy' Combs would be a free man within days if Donald Trump decides to pardon him but it would not bode well for his future, a lawyer has warned. Trump surprised reporters by commenting on 5 Sean "Diddy" Combs with Donald Trump and Melania Trump before he became President of the US Credit: Getty 5 US President Donald Trump speaks in the Roosevelt Room of the White House in Washington, DC Credit: AFP 5 A sketch of Sean 'Diddy' Combs during his sex trafficking trial in New York on June 4, 2025 Credit: Reuters Asked if he would consider pardoning him, Trump said, "Nobody's asked. But I know people are thinking about it. I think some people have been very close to asking." He said he felt the former music mogul used to like him "a lot" but wasn't his biggest fan after he went into politics. Despite this, Trump said, "I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don't like me, it wouldn't have any impact on me." Sean Combs The U.S. Sun spoke to Los Angeles-based trial attorney He said, "The pardoning power is one of the ultimate powers of the President. It's virtually unchecked, and he can do it. 'He doesn't even have to wait for the conviction. He can do it at any time after somebody's charged, even after the crime occurs. "So the second that President Trump determines that he's gonna pardon him [Diddy]. It happens immediately. Most read in Celebrity QUICK RELEASE "They basically sign the pardon, it would be sent to Diddy, and assuming he accepted, which obviously he would, then that's that." Lovell said if he had already been convicted there would be an administrative process through the Federal Bureau of Prisons to arrange his release and transportation but it wouldn't be long before he was out. Diddy 'gave hotel guard $100k in paper bag to bury Cassie beating video' "There may be a few hours, maybe one or two days sometimes that they can take time just because of the bureaucracy," he said. Combs, 55, is currently on trial in New York after pleading not guilty to five counts of sex trafficking, racketeering conspiracy, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He is facing up to life in prison if convicted. The jury has heard from several witnesses in the case so far, including Combs' ex-girlfriend, Diddy locked eyes with us as he entered the courtroom - inside the trial of the decade By Israel S-Rodriguez, Senior News Reporter at The U.S. Sun: The federal sex trafficking trial of Sean 'Diddy' Combs began with jury selection on May 5. Combs is standing trial at the Southern District of New York Courthouse in Lower Manhattan - an intimidating federal courthouse where the cases of Ghislaine Maxwell, Donald Trump, and Bernard Madoff, among others, were tried. Once a powerful founder of a music and business empire, Combs has been reduced to a defendant, inmate 37452-054, stripped of his mogul status, and now standing trial on five federal charges with the full wrath of the United States government against him. When I attended Day 3 of jury selection at the federal courthouse on May 7, the buzz around the start of the trial was palpable. Hours before the courthouse opened its doors, more than a dozen reporters and members of the public stood in line in hopes of securing a seat in the gallery for the high-profile trial. As you walk through the glass door entrance of the Daniel Patrick Moynihan Courthouse, you are met by bulletproof vest-clad court officers. All visitors must separate their electronic devices from their personal belongings, which are passed through a metal detector. Visitors walk through a metal detector before a court officer hands them a poker chip. The courthouse uses a poker chip system to sort the number of electronic devices visitors are in possession of. Electronic devices, such as Bluetooth-powered headphones, voice recorders, laptops, cellphones, and smart watches, are confiscated before you're allowed to enter the courthouse's main hallway. As about a half-dozen reporters and I waited in the gallery for jury selection, we witnessed how Combs entered the courtroom shackle-free. Combs entered with his hands pressed together, greeted his defense team before he examined the gallery, and locked eyes with reporters and potential jurors. The 55-year-old disgraced Bad Boy Records executive was attentive and engaged with his counsel as they grilled dozens of potential jurors. As jury selection wrapped up for the day, Combs embraced each of his female defense attorneys before he mouthed "thank you" to a handful of supporters in the gallery. I attended trial again as opening statements got underway on May 12 and the world media waited anxiously outside the federal courthouse before the sun rose in Lower Manhattan. A line stretched down the block from the federal courthouse as some members of the media and from the public camped out overnight to try to obtain a coveted seat inside the gallery. At least three overflow rooms were made available for reporters and the public, who are eager to witness the prosecutions case against the music mogul. At least half a dozen members of Combs' family arrived at the courthouse as spectators filed in single order to enter the federal building to turn over all their electronic devices. Combs' trial is being held on the 26th floor in Judge Arun Subramanian's courtroom and is expected to last for eight weeks. We'll bring it all to you on The U.S. Sun. He said it wouldn't make sense for Trump to pardon him halfway into the prosecution's case when the jury hasn't yet heard all of the facts, adding that it would be "premature" to act now. "I was very surprised that Trump is considering pardoning Diddy, especially in light of the fact the trial is ongoing now,' he said. "We are hearing witness after witness after witness testify to some horrible things. 'It would be a slap in the face to the witnesses, to the victims, to a lot of people to just pardon him, you know. People will think he got a free ride and beat the system." Attorney Tre Lovell on a possible pardon for Diddy "It would seem that he would want to wait until the trial is over, and if there's not a conviction then there's no need for him to get involved.' He went on to say, "There's one thing that Americans stand for … it's accountability, and if he were pardoned in light of what's been happening, these allegations and this testimony, there would be a sense of loss and lack of accountability. "And so I don't know how that would sit with most Americans with respect to President Trump." But Lovell said he doesn't think anybody would be surprised if Trump pardoned Diddy. "He's pardoned a lot of people that people take umbrage [with]. And he's not worried about a re-election, so I don't really think it would affect him. "He may have some more detractors, but I don't think he really cares, and his conduct thus far shows he's going to do what he wants to do." Lovell feels if Diddy is acquitted it would be a sense of victory and it would be easier to acclimate to society because he will have been vindicated in court. However, if he's convicted and pardoned by Trump it would have more of a negative impact on him. "It'll be a little tougher because people will think he got a free ride and beat the system," he said. But regardless, Lovell feels "Diddy's reputation has been irreparably harmed" and he will never be the billionaire music mogul he was once admired by millions. It comes after... Cassie Ventura Ventura testified Combs Celebrities like Prince, Mike Myers, and Bill Gates have been mentioned throughout the trial Kid Cudi testified about how his Trump has pardoned several high-profile inmates in recent months, including reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley three years after they were convicted of bank fraud and tax evasion. Combs' federal trial has been ongoing for more than three weeks and there are more witnesses set to testify. More and more damning accusations have emerged about the alleged violence he inflicted behind closed doors. The singer, 38, alleged Ventura, who said she did not want to engage in the sex acts, told the court her music career took a backseat due to the toll the orgies took on her day, testifying how she needed days at a time to recover. Prosecutors also released photos of the injuries Ventura allegedly suffered from Combs' years-long abuse, including a gash on her forehead that had become a permanent scar. Combs has remained mostly stone-faced in court as his lawyers insist he is innocent. The prosecution's case is slated to rest the week of June 9. If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call RAINN (Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network) at 800-656-HOPE (4673). Diddy's charges explained by a lawyer Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani explained the set of charges Diddy is facing to The U.S. Sun: "Diddy is facing three charges, or three sets of charges. "The first is racketeering, which you typically see with organized crime enterprises - so the mob, cartels, street gangs -but we're seeing it a lot more in sex trafficking cases. "And you don't need an organization like the mob, as long as it's an enterprise, which is something that consists of two or more people, and they engage in two or more RICO predicate acts, that's enough for racketeering. "Racketeering is a powerful charge because it allows the government to bring in all sorts of evidence of criminal activity, as well as all sorts of people, into that racketeering conspiracy. "And anyone who's a co-conspirator, they're on the hook for any criminal acts committed in furtherance of the conspiracy. "The most serious charge, though, is sex trafficking. "What separates sex trafficking from normal sex? Adults, of course, can consent to any type of sex, no matter how freaky it is. But sex trafficking has one of three elements: force, fraud, or coercion. "And the government is saying that Diddy used force to force these men and women to participate in these freak-offs, and he coerced them by drugging them. "The least serious charge is the prostitution, sometimes called the Man Act, and that's engaging in prostitution using some sort of interstate commerce across state lines. That obviously is unlawful. "Typically, you don't see federal cases for prostitution only, which is why it's the least serious of the crimes." 5 Sean "Diddy" Combs attends the 2018 Fox Network Upfront at Wollman Rink, Central Park Credit: Getty 5 President Donald Trump has spoken of the possibility of pardoning Diddy who is on trial in New York Credit: AFP
