46-year-old Fr Brendan Coffey is the sixth Abbot of the Benedictine monastic community and succeeds Abbot Mark Patrick Hederman.

Glenstal Abbot warns that “The Catholic Church, for the pantomime which the press is keen to promote, is the Wicked Stepmother of every fairy tale."

Irish Church’s reform groups highlight need for baptised to get involved in the debates going on at the synod.