Pope Francis had to note the many protests that followed along his parade route in Dublin. Outside Dublin Castle a group held a banner that read, “We Will Never Forget,”’ and chanted “Keep our children safe.”

The international press lauded the election of an openly gay son of an Indian immigrant as a sign of how progressive our tiny little island had become.

The fact that the government handed ownership of a new $330 million state hospital to a religious order has led to a national debate over the continued involvement of the Catholic Church in Ireland’s health care system.

For the first time since the partition of Ireland, Unionists are not in a majority in Stormont, where Northern Ireland’s parliament meets.

"The church is in a different space," says Archbishop Martin. "We must be more invitational, using a ministry of presence, gently explaining the message of the church and inviting people in."

The call to liberalize Ireland’s abortion laws has created significant political pressure.

The assembly will be examining what is widely referred to as the Eighth Amendment, which gives effect to Ireland’s ban on abortion.

Once over money and territory, violence in the country has taken a more destructive turn.

The Archbishop of Dublin taking to the national airwaves to address “Grindr, which is a gay dating site,” managed to jolt the listening public in Ireland.