Video:Ojos de cielo sung by Caterina Socci

This song starts after 21 seconds and is performed by Catherine Socci who is the daughter of Antonio Socci a prominent Italian supporter of Medjugorje and author on the apparitions. Catherine is seriously ill and in a coma. She is a student of architecture and is due to graduate having completed a thesis during the summer. Please pray for her recovery.

Video: Hitler plan to assassinate Pope Pius XII and the King of Italy

The Vatican newspaper LOsservatore Romano has reported that Hitler had intentions to assassinate Pius XII as a revenge against the Italians who arrested his ally Benito Mussolini.

According to the reconstruction of the events, the plot was being planned at the Reichs General Headquarters in Berlin at the end of July 1943.

The Vatican newspaper says Hitler wanted to teach Italy a lesson by deporting or killing the King of Italy and the pope.

But the head of the German intelligence service at the time, admiral Wilhelm Canaris, decided to boycott the operation.

He told an Italian general who spread the word in Rome that the Nazis wanted to kill the pope. After that, the plan was abandoned.

Three years later, admiral Canaris was executed for participating in Operation Walkyria, the failed plot to assassinate Hitler. (Rome Reports)

Italian TV Channel SKY TG24 Video of Abruzzo Earthquake Damage-6/4/09

Italy: Video of Earthquake scene in Central Italy around L'Aquila in the Apennines (6/4/09)

More than 100 people are believed dead and as many as 50,000 are left homeless after an earthquake hit L'Aquila and other towns in central Italy. About 1,500 people were injured and many people are still missing as rescuers search desperately for survivors trapped beneath rubble. The 6.3-magnitude quake struck at 0330 (0130 GMT) close to L'Aquila

Tectonic Summary

The April 6th 2009 earthquake in Central Italy occurred as a result of normal faulting on a NW-SE oriented structure in the central Apennines, a mountain belt that runs from the Gulf of Taranto in the south to the southern edge of the Po basin in northern Italy. Geologically, the Apennines are largely an accretionary wedge formed as a consequence of subduction. This region is tectonically and geologically complex, involving both subduction of the Adria micro-plate beneath the Apennines from east to west, continental collision between the Eurasia and Africa plates building the Alpine mountain belt further to the north and the opening of the Tyrrhenian basin to the west. The evolution of this system has caused the expression of all different tectonic styles acting at the same time in a broad region surrounding Italy and the central Mediterranean. The April 6th, 2009 earthquake is related to normal faulting and the east-west extensional tectonics that dominate along the entire Apennine belt, primarily a response to the Tyrrhenian basin opening faster than the compression between the Eurasian and African plates.(USGS)

A collection of superb Irish tries over the last number of years

The exhumed body of Padre Pio to attract 750,000 pilgrims

The exhumed body of Padre Pio has attracted thousands of pilgrims after going on display in the southern Italian town of SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO 40 years after his death. His remains rest in a regal glass-and-marble coffin in the Santa Maria delle Grazie Church. He had the stigmata, the wounds of Jesus's crucifixion on his hands and feet. He was canonized by Pope John Paul in 2002.

15,000 devotees attended a Mass said by Cardinal Jose Saraiva Martins, head of the Vatican department that oversees the Catholic Church's saint-making process, before the body went on display.

750,000 people have made reservations to see the body between now and December.

Details of some of Padre Pio's miracles can be viewed here at Padre Pio's Miracles

Rugby Union-Poor Irish team defeats Italy 16-11

This was another lack lustre performance by Ireland. It was compounded by poor passing. The line out was beset by problems. In the scrums Ireland performed reasonably well. Nevertheless the Italians were superb at the break down. Geordan Murphy made several errors whilst Simon Easterby was sin binned for a professional foul.

It took vintage performances from scrum-half Eoin Reddan and out-half Ronan O'Gara to avert disaster. Reddan oozed class. O'Gara is now back to his brilliant best as evidenced by a superb chip over the Italian defence for Girvan Dempsey's try. He contributed 11 points of Irelands total. (3 pens and 1 conversion)

O'Sullivan is quite simply too conservative as a coach. He is risk averse. His selection today should have included Bernard Jackman, Tony Buckley, Jamie Heaslip,Rob Kearney and Tommy Bowe from the start. He is obviously under pressure as the IRFU guillotine hangs over his head. Nevertheless he should have gone for broke. In fairness he did introduce Kearney and Jackman in the course of the game. It is time to reconstruct the Irish team and prepare for the 2011 World Cup. It is also time for the IRFU to take International Sevens Rugby seriously.

France and England have now gone down this route. England may have surprisingly lost today against Wales but nevertheless this short term pain is necessary for long term success.
Most of the current Irish team will have retired by 2011.
Fortune favours the brave. Ask Warren Gatland. Today he chose a Welsh team largely composed of Ospreys players and confounded the pundits. Undoubtedly Shaun Edwards played a major role in the Welsh success also.

Next weekend Ireland faces a newly reconstructed French team. The omens are not good.