Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Sheen helps Dublin church hit by arson

HOLLYWOOD legend Martin Sheen has vowed to help rebuild a Dublin church where he once attended Mass. 

The West Wing star was shocked to learn that St Catherine's Church in the city had gone up in flames since his visit.

Sheen prayed at the Meath Street building in 2010 and spoke to the local priests and meet with parishioners.

While attending the screening of his new movie Stella Days, the Apocalypse Now actor was informed that St Catherine's was now in need of massive funding to rebuild after a suspected arson attack last month.

The 71-year-old said he was stunned. "Oh no, that's so terrible. Did that really happen to the place I visited? No that's horrible," he said.

The actor added that he would do anything at all to help the parish there. "Dear God I'm just so sorry to hear that. I would absolutely lend my support to them," he said.

The rebuilding of the church is set to cost around €4m and parish priest Fr Niall Coghlan recently told the Herald that it may be "months or years before it may open again", admitting that "people are very upset about their church".

A 48-year-old man appeared in Dublin District Court charged with arson following the fire.

Sheen was in Dublin for the premiere of his new movie Stella Days which travels back to 1950s Ireland to a small town cinema in Tipperary.