The Catholic faith is important to Larry Donnelly and he hopes to pass it on to his son, writes Ruadhán Jones If you live in Ireland and follow American politics, you will likely know Larry Donnelly. With his distinctive Boston accent, he has become a household name due to appearances on Irish radio and television…
A new initiative aims to bring the Holy Land to life in the heart of the Old City of Jerusalem, writes Michael Kelly The followers of St Francis of Assisi – Franciscans – first arrived in the Holy Land in the year 1217, inspired by the presence of the holy places associated with the earthly…
Brandon Scott investigates the cryptic connection between an Irish village and the Church of Scientology As the inhabitants of Ballivor Co. Meath come to terms with the news that the village is to be the site of a Narconon drug rehabilitation centre, a subsidiary of the Church of Scientology, questions continue to linger over the…
Christmas music is the golden thread running through John Rutter’s life, he tells Ruadhán Jones If you haven’t heard of John Rutter CBE, you are still likely to have heard something by him. The 76-year-old English composer is arguably the best-known English creator of Christmas carols alive today. Speaking to The Irish Catholic, he explained…
Yes, for some people it looks as though it might be an austere, even a lonely and isolating Christmas. I’m not a fan of some of these State-imposed restrictions occasioned by what seems to me an over-interpretation of health measures; but, as realists say nowadays, it is what it is. And you can never beat…
The RTÉ star tells Chai Brady about Christmas, ‘wonderful’ religious and why a contemplative order would not be up her street Christmas is a busy time for much-loved RTÉ broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan but that’s exactly how she prefers it. Coming from a Heuston station-like household, total silence is “a bit odd”. Four daughters and four…
The View When I was a little girl, all the best stories began with “Once upon a time…” It was a magical opening because I always wondered, “Where is this book taking me? When is it happening?” In the days before television (I am very old!) books were the medium through which I was transported…
Catholic comedian Jeremy McLellan tells Ruadhán Jones about the importance of insults, making Catholics laugh and more Every religion loves a good conversion story, American comedian Jeremy McLellan tells me towards the end of our talk. While he wasn’t referring to himself, his own conversion experience is an interesting one. Born to a strict Presbyterian…
The Sunday Gospel Have we forgotten why we celebrate Christmas? A friend told me she got a card wishing her a very merry ‘Winter Festival’? Could you beat that! People tell me they have to search in shops for cards that portray the nativity but there is no shortage of fir trees, snow, red robins…
Church leaders in the Holy Land are pleading for action to stop what they describe as a “systematic attempt to drive the Christian community out of Jerusalem and other parts of the Holy Land”. In a pre-Christmas plea, the leaders – representing all the main Christian traditions in the Holy Land – call on local…
Ruadhán Jones
Michael Kelly
Mary Kenny
Chai Brady
Nuala O’Loan