We need your help now
Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.
You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.
If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
US MARKETS CLOSED sharply lower today on fears that the world is heading towards another recession.
Concerns about a double-dip recession led to investors selling off stocks, while commodities also saw a rout.
Investors’ worries were compounded by weak data coming out of China today, says Reuters.
The Dow Jones industrial average hemorrhaged as much as 527 points, the second consecutive rout since the Federal Reserve announced a change in strategy for fighting the economic slowdown.
At the close of trading, the Dow was down 391.01 points, or 3.51 per cent, at 10,733.83. The Standard & Poor’s 500 index fell 37.18, or 3.19 per cent, to 1,129.58. The Nasdaq composite fell 82.52, or 3.3 per cent, to 2,455.67.
Nineteen stocks fell for every one that rose as investors fled.
Traders sought the safety of Treasury bonds instead of the usual havens of oil and metal.
Gold, which has been seen as a type of security blanket lately, also dropped nearly 4 per cent. The Wall Street Journal said that the fall happened as investors looked to raise cash they had lost elsewhere.
Oil equities also sunk with Exxon Mobil, Chevron and Marathon Oil all down.
-Additional reporting by the AP
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Don’t go to mass which is my choice but I reckon pope Francis is a legend
I agree a great man.
But I suspect he won’t be pope for too long, all that institutional wealth is at risk with his behaviour.
Anybody who red thumbed me is a jerk.
I lost all faith in religion , but I believe he is a good man .
You calling me a jerk, Gary?
That’s right. Remember John Paul 1st.
I only remember from John Paul lI. Or maybe a pope before him that died after a month?
I want the most red thumps
Can I go to the palace for breakfast
I’m not into religion but he seems like a decent bloke. Its this decency that will scare the Hell out of those so called Christians within the church, he’s far too much like Jesus for them.
- This reminds me of the joke about the Pope & the tramp, – a reporter saw the pope blessing a tramp, who was drinking a pint of milk.
The tramp put down the bottle & stared at the Pope, eyes glazed over with tears.
The reporter approached the tramp & asked him what the Pope said,
The tramp replied ;- ” put down that pint of milk & f**k off out of here…!! ”
(with the appropriate hand gestures)
A good man. Arrived too late.
The simple actions of one man cannot wipe away the greatest crimes committed against humanity by the RCC. Child rape , slavery and abuse internationally . Most of their victims will never see justice nor their clerical abusers receive punishment . The church still protects the names of paedo clerics .
The chap refuses to stay in the papal apartments, seems like an all round decent guy, not that religious at all but his morales / principles alone are enough to respect the man. Long may it be the way. He’s exactly what the Catholic church need.
Dozens of homeless are camped out, yet only four are chosen. A little too selective for me. PR.
Why is it always the liberated women with double-barrelled names with an axe to grind?
Ah go on Ritchie, say my name…… Now WWJD, Jesus would have fed the lot of them. No axe, just a Christian observation. Isn’t just grand to be liberated and free thinking.
How many homeless people do you have breakfast with?
Do it on a regular basis here, it’s called “In from the cold”. Dinner, bed for night, breakfast and a packed lunch. It’s put on through the churches and I volunteer.
Hat’s off to the man. A real Christian..
Now that is my kind of pope!!! Lovely gesture. Respect!!!
Those who live in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones… How many of ye who are giving out have had a homeless person in your home for breakfast? Ha! Thought not.
This Pope is a great man.
Maeve, you doing anything this weekend?
What can I say, Mitch Connor likes how you are put together!
Oh my god… Mitch,I’m free right now xxxx
The pope could find the cure for cancer, eliminate world hunger and bring world peace and the same old cynics would say it’s a PR stunt. The man seems to want to lead by example, so credit to him
So if, Anto, he wants to lead by example, why not open up the Vatican and let the homeless sleep there instead of in the square outside.
Haha the iront here anto is that he has control of the wealth that COULD end world hunger, could fund research for a cancer cure and head of a church that has caused wars, but yet this will never happen
enough with the Catholic bashing, what have you done for your fellow man you miserable sod
Far more than most catholics i know. !!!!!
I’m not very religious nor do I attend mass but I do like this pope… he seems a decent sort of bloke unlike the last few we had…
Was the Dog Fed?
Fed to the three lads, Jim.
Class act mister pope!!!
Mmmm papal pancakes
That’s not god, it’s a waffle that got stuck to the ceiling!
If he ever loses his job as Pope, I’d hire him as head of PR in an instant. Can’t really think of any real improvements he has made to the church policy, but he has done absolute wonders with their image.
Lots of people disliked my comment, nobody disagreed and gave an example. Sounds about right.
There was an atheist mass (sorry, Atheist Sunday Assembly) in Temple Bar at the weekend. How much did they raise for charity?
I know my parish raised over €12,000 for the St Vincent De Paul last week alone.
@Richie If the recent CRC scandal taught us anything is that there is a difference between selling charity and doing charity. The CRC no doubt did actual charitable things with the funds they raised, but they also excessively profited off the top of that. Is the RCC in the business of selling charity or actually doing charity? Who knows, as charities go they are easy one of the least transparent ones out there, though the amount assets they hold certainly suggests one over the other.
In any case this isn’t an answer to my question, the church was involved in charity before the new pope took office, therefore nothing as changed.
How do you lose your job as Pope?
Your congregation did more than the pope then, who gave four guys a bit of grub. And you haven’t got it plastered all over the news..
John Horan, obviously I’m not a Catholic or Christian, but fair play to this guy. Btw how many times you did give breakfast to homeless people?
John, Greg Burke is the Vatican’s PR man.
watch the borgias that will give you an idea of how a pope can be removed.
This man is a legend
They facilitated the rape of young children all over the world, then covered it up and are still covering it up under this ‘Saint’ so many people have been taken in by. A lash of sausages flogged to a few winos doesn’t really make up for that. Hand over the money that he owes the survivors of the institutions and laundries and maybe then he can have some respect.
Respect? Like the respect you show in your post to the men you condemn as winos without knowing a thing about them?
Shame on you.
Bloody hell Maurice, that post is wrong in so many ways……
Nicely done lad
^ meant for Alan O’Connor
@ Maurice – disgrace.
@justin
Give me one ? If you can I’m sure Maurice will take it back.
“A lash of sausages flogged to a few winos”?
How so Justin , everything he said is true , or do you have evidence to the contrary .
I presume you won’t be putting up a tree this year.
You focus on the wino comment but ignore the truth about child rape Alan. What does that say about you !
justin are you saying the church didn’t cover up child rape . Your post speaks volumes .
It says that I didn’t like the association the comment made between homelessness and alcoholism. If you think it says anything else then you need psychiatric help.
Big deal. 4 homeless people for 1 breakfast, that the well paid servants of the ridiculously opulent basilica in Rome rustled up. Meanwhile in soup kitchens around the world millions of homeless people are been fed on a shoe string budget as the out of touch with reality men in robes of Rome count their money, make up ridiculous rules and duck and dive when it comes to facing up to their crimes against innocent kids. Now, kneel down before him and kiss his gold ring like a good flock.
I disagree with you. Every journey starts with a single step. And they let the dog have breakfast too.
I presume you’re aware of the tireless and thankless work done by both religious and non-religious charities across the world.
Also, I assume you’re aware of the tireless work the bloke did helping disadvantaged people for most of his career.
That he continues this when he’ in one of the most high-profile positions in the world it’s not exactly surprising that it gets coverage.
Haven’t seen any pope who seemed to be living a particularly opulent lifestyle. In fact, all the recent popes seemed to embrace pretty simple lifestyles. It’s not like they own the art works or famous treasures in the Vatican. Before officially taking on the role, the Pope-elect’s private property is donated to the Church, transferred to another relative, used to endow a foundation or placed in trust. He can also choose to retain controlling ownership and use his will to specify what should happen to everything when he dies. When John Paul II died in 2005 he left no possessions.
FOUR. That’s it. Seriously? The man in charge of the greatest wealth on the planet is to be lauded for giving FOUR people breakfast. Blooming heck but sorry, no applause here
u took the words put of my mouth – pure PR from one of the wealthiest organizations on the palnet – and the people are taken in by it
this guy could have taught Edward Bernays [ the father of modern propaganda ] a few tricks.
Agreed
@Anne
Can i ask where you found such information to back up your claim that the church has the greatest amount of wealth ever? I am not poking fun or attempting to antagonise, i merely am interested in these things and any new sources which can be shared would be of great appreciation. Many thanks
@ Alan
A good start would be their Assets Alan. It’s usually a good indication of someone’s wealth. Ah the ol collection at mass every Sunday. The greatest charity known to man. Dig deeper and I bet you’d find some top- ups being thrown around there.
Nice little PR charade.
Not really. He’s got a record of working with the poor for the best part of his career.
Yes really – that’s why he’s in that position. Not because they wanted him as pope, but because they needed some good PR. I acknowledge that he himself is a good guy – but he’s a puppet.
Doesn’t seem too much like a puppet to me!
That’s because you’re a simpleton, Maria.
Particularly insightful comments, Gobblor. I’m sure Maria and I appreciate them.
“Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me….
now GET OUT!”
And after breakfast he kicked the back out on to the street?
I dunno. What do you do with the homeless people you invite to breakfast on your birthday?
Few games of call of duty?
I think you all missed the point here.What I want to know is how Vatican City can keep it’s homeless problem down to just 4 men and a dog???
Nice one, Pope Frankie!
It’s more then his sinister looking predecessor ever did. More interested in poring over obscure academic works than righting the wrongs of the Church. Lest we forget, the keep-fit Pope (JPII) was little better.
You can’t have one without the other: feed the poor, of course, but why bother if there’s no higher purpose?
By equal measure, there’s no point in intellectuals locking themselves in ivory towers either if great swathes outside are dying.
Francis complements Benedict. There is no great rupture that the secular media yearn for so badly.
I wasn’t suggesting any great schism Richie, but I do know who I prefer :)
this PR campaign is up there with the videos on youtube for Anchorman 2.
to all the red thumbs. Youtube is a video sharing website set up by former Paypal workers. Anchorman 2 like the 1st film parodies the life of Bryan Dobson off of RTE News.
Peace out.
What a truly astounding feat of generosity to share you breakfast table with your fellow man ! I’m sure the men in question were delighted to be invited by someone so high and mighty to dine with them . I bet their Not as delighted as the Vatican is to get publicity for it though. Look at me , look at me I ‘m the pope and I ‘m so great ! tell everyone I’ve had breakfast with homeless people on my birthday.They will all surely think I’m a great guy ( suckers ).
Hook line and sinker , just like Obama
Like it needs to be pointed out, Pope Francis has a well established history of helping the poor. Unlike Obama who didn’t really have much of a history at all.
Like it needs to be pointed out, Pope Francis has a well established history of helping the poor. ”
–
he stood idly by in Argentina while the poor and others were butchered
When I see child raping priests in prison , Madeleine survivors compensated by the church and not the state , sadistic nuns held to account , women be allowed to become priests , abuse victims compensated and the clergy living modest lifestyles not living in luxury , then I might have some respect for the man and his cult . Until then it’s nothing more than a pr stunt . And all of you red thumbing Christians , it’s the likes of you that allowed this vile organisation get away with what it has done down through the yrs .
So how does he help the poor, Alan, by taking a few guys off the street, feeding them up and sending them out again to their sleeping bags and cardboard?
He, organisations he’s worked with and followers of his faith who do incredible work for disadvantaged people do a little more than feeding them up and sending them out again to their sleeping bags and cardboard.
Yep, no Christmas tirkey for John the cult hatter.
So what happened those four guys after their slap up breakfast, Alan? Do we know? And do we know what he personally does? We know what great work organisations do. They go out there in the night with soup and sandwiches and sleeping bags, they don’t make grand, empty gestures
Fair enough Grainne but one person cannot reasonably to fix all the problems of the world by himself.
His role in this is leading by example in the hope that everyone will do a little which will make a big difference.
Christ himself cured lepers but didn’t eradicate leprosy, he cured the lame but people still limp.
What Francis did causes me to look at my attitude to the homeless & disadvantaged & l am not ashamed to admit that I could do a lot more. Bro Kevin Crowley does huge work in Dublin feeding the hungry & there are people like him all over Ireland. St Vincent dePaul are in every village in Ireland & are collecting at the moment.
If we all did a little then problems like homelessness could be done away with overnight & Francis by highlighting the issue has done well.
Everybody falling for the Vatican propaganda machine
Is that the tatooed guy from boyzone ?
PR stunt.
For all the people that are pro Pope PR here,if you believe this is more than a PR stunt,let me ask you this.How many of you pious,carte blanche Christians,will be inviting the homeless into your home this Christmas ??? I mean the birth day of your saviour would be the perfect time to emulate his holiness.
I propose that all Christians should be required to celebrate Christmas at midnight mass,so you get a chance to meet the homeless person who will be staying without until Stephen’s day.How better to emulate,the Pope and Christ himself,
No need to thank me,I’m just here to help.
True, I won’t be inviting a homeless man into my house.
But that’s because the Pope’s a better man than I am.
Is he a better man than you too?
Actually no,he’s not a better man than me but then I’m not a carte blanche Christian!!!
Ru.. Do you mean an “a la carte” Christian as opposed to “carte blanche” Christian??
Spending your time complaining about the religious and not doing anything yourself. Does that mean you are emulating Dawkins?
@ Sinead : Nope,I most definitely meant “carte blanche Christian.”
@ Kevin : I couldn’t tell you,as I am only vaguely familiar with Dawkins work.As hard as it will be for you to understand,but I don’t need a man,a book or a belief as my moral compass.That is entirely down to me.
As for “complaining about the religious” what sort of anti theist would I be if I didn’t ???
Access all area Christians??
Ha ha…I appreciate your honesty on the last part
He didn’t invite him into his house. He invited them into the Vatican, and got someone else to cook them breakfast. And I bet someone else washed up too, while the lads went back to their sleeping bags.
Nope “carte blanche” defined in it’s simplest terms “the freedom to act as one wishes” which makes “carte blanche Christian” an oxymoron,and when you get right down to it,that is what Christianity is.
The first part of my comment was also honest.Although,obviously I am aware of Richard Dawkins and what he is about but I have never read The God Delusion (the atheist bible LOL) which I’m assuming that was what your Dawkins reference was in relation to.
How many who give out about the wealth of the Church will be having a homeless person for Christmas dinner?Easier to light a candle than to curse the darkness. Any change has to start with me!
So Ru Ni Digs, you’re a better man than he is then? He had some homeless people around for breakie on his birthday. What have you done to top that?
I wish I had you’re Intelligence.
@ James : I don’t need to publicize or take pictures of the things I do.I don’t need validation for doing them.
@ George :I’m not usually a grammar nazi but when you are making snide smartarse comments about people’s intelligence, please try and find what out the difference between “your” and “you’re.”It would make your comment far less ironic ;-)
The surroundings in the picture are mind boggling. How many billions is the Vatican worth? I’m not sure what the pope represents anymore. Here we have a couple of homeless people invited in for breakfast! After breakfast , what happened then ?
Go on red thumber show your face and let’s have a proper discussion on why you think what I said is wrong!
I don’t know, what do you do after you invite homeless people in for a meal?
Paddy, when I live in a vast mansion and have servants to cook for me and do the washing up, I’ll invite the entire neighbourhood in. And ring the newspapers to tell them how great I am.
“This view that women are somehow inferior to men is not restricted to one religion or belief. Women are prevented from playing a full and equal role in many faiths. Nor, tragically, does its influence stop at the walls of the church, mosque, synagogue or temple. This discrimination, unjustifiably attributed to a Higher Authority, has provided a reason or excuse for the deprivation of women’s equal rights across the world for centuries. At its most repugnant, the belief that women must be subjugated to the wishes of men excuses slavery, violence, forced prostitution, genital mutilation and national laws that omit rape as a crime. But it also costs many millions of girls and women control over their own bodies and lives, and continues to deny them fair access to education, health, employment and influence within their own communities…. The truth is that male religious leaders have had — and still have — an option to interpret holy teachings either to exalt or subjugate women. They have, for their own selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter.” JIMMY CARTER, Losing My Religion for Equality.
http://rhrealitycheck.org/article/2013/12/11/the-peoples-pope-if-by-people-you-dont-mean-women/
A Papal song and dance man a complete PR merchant
The pope is the 2nd or 3rd largest landowner in the world after the queen. He controls trillions in wealth, and people like him cos he gave a few homeless guys a couple of sandwiches?
How’s the rage against God going?
This is just to look good for the catholics and take away the spotlight for all thats gone on wrong in Ireland -smart move …
Sorry now, you’re suggesting that the head of the catholic church has continued doing the good deeds he’s been doing for homeless and poverty stricken since his early days as a priest is all to distract some people (who?) from the widely know and utterly unconscionable behaviour of the Church in Ireland previously?
That’s more than a little unlikely.
I reckon he is actually a good bloke, but I also know how clever the Catholic church is and they are losing so many followers so they decide to bring in a reformist, a nice guy, a people’s man, the German didn’t really work after the popular John Paul……….I respect people religions and beliefs but I agree with this “Pope Francis is not just the spiritual leader of one of the world’s major religions: He’s also the head of what’s probably the wealthiest institution in the entire world. The Catholic Church’s global spending matches the annual revenues of the planet’s largest firms, and its assets—huge amounts of real estate, St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Vatican City, some of the world’s greatest art—surely exceed those of any corporation by an order of magnitude.* ” Nobody even knows how rich it is but plenty “guestimates” going into trillions of $$.
St Patrick’s Cathedral???
Lucky the photographer was there too. #publicitystunt
Finally the catholic church is getting a shake up! I am not a religious person but I’ll say this ‘Long my he reign”!
I see you took your red thumb back!
Ok I expect the HIGHEST amount now of red thumbs..but he is SO SO SO GOOD!!
A real PURE PR man! The catholic church is so desperate to loose control as THANK GOD they do and so they put out the best PR man they could find. After Pope Benedict, which I have huge respect for, they had to put out a REAL good PR and people Pope. And they did!
Never forget the Vatican is one of the biggest and dirtiest Cooperation out there and they need the power back. And it frightens me HOW many people are turning around and starting to join the sheep flock again…
Well everybody has the right to decide what they think they need….but be aware!
As all that will turn all very dark – from the first moment I DID NOT trust him and we will see more of the Church!!!
Now keep the red thumbs rolling in ;-)
What is the point of a PR gesture like this, why does he not do something to make sure they do not remain homeless, a good brekkie, some photos, then back on the street doesn’t work.
Eamon
That is up to us.
All any leader like Francis can do is give example & lead from the front. If we want the problem solved then let’s get out there & solve it.
It’s just as well Christ didn’t feed the 5,000 today or we would have people here saying “what about the following day?” or “what about the 50,000 down the road?”
One man on his own, even if he is Pope, is very limited in what he can do. But everyone doing a little could transform everything.
What a great Victory for Il Papa to Reach Out to these homeless #ostentatiouskindnessissuspect
I like Pope Francis and all, but isn’t this exactly the kind of behaviour that senior religious figures are supposed to get up to?
It’s pretty amazing that a Pope helping the needy is global news. Just goes to show how far off track organised religion has got.
Well done by pope Francis. However, would a truly humble man really want publicity for his good deed?
Good man Paddy. Take a wild guess?
Did he discuss the talking snake with them?
What I can’t figure out is why the conclave went for this guy. He’s not the theological type clearly and , of course, he’s a Jesuit. Maybe the church is changing at the higher level. Important to remember that he’s in his seventies though and the next guy could be another herr direktor.
Sounds more and more like he is the people’s pope–
It is very distressing to read the comments from people that have such anger towards christians. Yes, the catholic church has many serious, unacceptable faults but this should not stop you from reaching out and opening your hearts to God and Christ. The primary objective of the church should be helping and guiding the poor of spirit.
Our logical minds spend so much time dis-proving God, his existence and his love for us, if that time was spent on strengthening our relationship with him what a different world we would live in. I suggest spending time researching the messages given to st. Faustina, garabandal, our lady of aitka and maria divine mercy. There you will hear from your Father and note that evil infiltrated the Catholic Church a long time ago. I truely feel sorry for those that proudly and boastfully declare the are atheists. Without realising it they are missing out on true fulfilment , how sad it is and how hurful for your Creator.
Grace it is yourself you should feel sorry for if you give credence to an organisation that has facilitated and covered up child rape and slavery internationally . We were fooled once. !
WE WILL NEVER. ! EVER BE F @€KING FOOLED AGAIN !
have your say