Cathal Barry
US Vice President Joe Biden made an unscheduled visit to a well-known Dublin Church to attend Mass during his recent visit to Ireland, The Irish Catholic can report.
It is understood that Mr Biden was accompanied by members of the secret service as he attended Sunday morning Mass at St Peter’s Church, Phibsborough, before returning to the US last week.
The politician spent some time after the Mass chatting with parishioners as well as Fr Eamon Devlin, the provincial of the Vincentian Order, who celebrated the Mass.
Mr Biden was in Ireland for a six-day official visit that included stop-offs at his ancestral homes.
This follows another impromptu visit by the devout Catholic to Shannon airport’s chapel for Mass late last year.
On that occasion Mr Biden had Air Force Two touchdown in Shannon Airport for a stopover en route to Washington after visiting Ukraine.
The Vice President had requested a Mass be held in the airport chapel on December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, a holy day of obligation.