Rev King gave Pope Francis “The Papers of Martin Luther King, Jr: Advocate of the Social Gospel, September 1948-1963”, as she received an international prize recognizing women involved in non-violence and peace initiatives.

She is the youngest daughter of Martin Luther King Jr and Coretta Scott King and the CEO of the King Centre, seeking to prevent violence through her parents’ legacy.

She tweeted to say she was ‘Truly honoured & humbled”.

In St Peter’s Basilica on my way to private meeting with the #PopeFrancis @Pontifex. Truly honored & humbled pic.twitter.com/9LQHGz3Xb3

— Be A King (@BerniceKing) 12 March 2018

According Vatican News, Gabriela Lio, a Baptist pastor said: “In the present racist and xenophobic climate, awarding Bernice King puts the spotlight on the legacy of Martin Luther King’s non-violence, by recovering the courage of a faith that welcomes, encounters, and dialogues.”

Bernice King told Italian press: “The words that the pope recalled of my father, those which resonate in his heart, of peace, non-violence, respect for the dignity of every human being, the centrality of what is human, is truly crucial today.”

Next month will be the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr’s death.

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Mary McAleese said her brother only revealed the abuse at the age of 49.

She said the physical abuse happened throughout his seven years at St Colman’s College in Newry, where Finnegan – who died in 2002 – taught for 20 years.

Mrs McAleese said: “My baby brother, the youngest of nine children was seriously, physically, sadistically abused by Malachy Finnegan.”

She said her mother only found out three weeks ago.

Four of the former president’s five brothers attended St Colman’s.

She choked back tears as she talked about the impact on her family.

“My wonderful, beautiful and as you can imagine the youngest of the family so incredibly loved by all of us, to think that he suffered and never felt that he could tell anyone,” she told RTE.

Opportunities to take action were missed, she said.

Mrs McAleese added: “It was known and as he pointed out so many people had to have known, so many people who could have done something about it.

“We know the very first complaints about Malachy Finnegan go back to the 1970s, not the 1990s at all which means there is a body of information known to people who could have done something about it but, didn’t.”

Finnegan, who taught at St Colman’s from 1967 to 1976 has been linked to a catalogue of physical and emotional abuse against pupils.

Earlier this month Bishop of Dromore John McAreavey resigned after it emerged he had decided to celebrate…

The US actress’ attendance at the Westminster Abbey service marks a major milestone for Harry’s bride-to-be, as it the first time she has taken part in an official event with the Queen.

Celebrated across the Commonwealth, the day is an opportunity for each of the institution’s 53 member states to highlight the positive values of the family of nations.

In her Commonwealth Day message, which is printed in the event’s order of service, the Queen praised the “Commonwealth connection” that allows people from different nations to bond and celebrate “diversity”.

London will soon host a gathering of leaders from the family of nations and the Queen, who is head of the Commonwealth, also paid tribute to the biennial event as an example of how consensus can “help to create a future that is fairer, more secure, more prosperous and sustainable”.

With the UK leaving the European Union the importance of the Commonwealth may increase according to some commentators.

Members of the royal family arrived ahead of the Queen including the Prince of Wales, Duchess of Cornwall, Duke of York and Princess Royal as did the Prime Minister Theresa May

Screams and shouts from the public greeted Meghan and Harry when they arrived and the American actress looked stylish in a dress and coat by Amanda Wakeley and hat by Stephen Jones.

The Duchess of…

Bishop Wallace Parke Benn told the Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse the Rev Roy Cotton was restricted from public ministry to avoid contact with children but it was “difficult” to enforce.

Fiona Scolding QC, the lead lawyer for the Anglican strand of the inquiry, is examining how the Church of England handled allegations of sexual misconduct stretching back to the 1950s, first focusing on the Diocese of Chichester.

She questioned the former Bishop of Lewes at the public hearing in London on Monday over paedophile priests Roy Cotton, his friend Colin Pritchard, Gordon Rideout, Jonathan Graves and Robert Coles – who all operated in the Diocese.

Ms Golding described the sanctions imposed on them as a “stern telling off” rather than anything more substantial.

Bishop Benn, who served from 1997 to 2012, said he had “inherited” a paedophile ring when he took his role in East Sussex and that “hindsight was a blessed thing” when questioned before chairman Alexis Jay and her panel.

The inquiry heard Cotton was convicted in 1954 but did not admit this to the Diocese until 2001. He died in 2006 before facing justice for more crimes.

Bishop Benn knew of Cotton’s arrest in November 1997 but not the specifics of the allegations, he said.

He told the inquiry he took steps to restrict Cotton’s contact with children while he was working…