VATICAN CITY – Pope Francis made an emotional appeal for global peace during his traditional "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) Easter blessing, urging people to remember victims of the "blind and brutal violence" in recent terrorist attacks, such as last week's Brussels bombings that killed dozens of people.
Throughout, he emphasized a key theme of his pontificate: mercy.
BOSTON – Former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, in the news lately for backing Donald Trump's bid for the Republican presidential nomination in New Hampshire, will lend his support Tuesday to Weymouth's Patrick O'Connor in his campaign for the state Senate.
O'Connor, a town councilor in the South Shore city, faces Stephen Gill of Marshfield in an April 12 special election Republican primary, with the winner going up against either Joan Meschino of Hull or Paul Gannon of Hingham, both Democrats, in a May 10 special election to fill the seat long held by Robert Hedlund. Hedlund resigned following his election in November as mayor of Weymouth.
