Religion is often covered in the media through a political prism that distorts it, according to the Catholic Archbishop of Tuam.

Dr Michael Neary was speaking at Mass in Westport last Saturday night, which would normally have heralded the annual climb of Croagh Patrick on the last Sunday of July, “Reek Sunday”.

“It is not uncommon to find the coverage of religion per se and religious affairs generally viewed through a political prism and treated in political terms,” he said.

“The great organs of news and information in society are, it seems, being managed to serve distorted and sometimes questionable ends, which are calculated to deprive us of our critical faculties.  Forces are endeavouring to reshape our values, fears and dreams in ways that are quite literally opposed to the joy of the Gospel”.