Michael Kelly is an award-winning writer and broadcaster specialising in religious and social affairs. Born and raised in Northern Ireland, he attended the Pontifical University St Patrick’s College, Maynooth where he obtained degrees in philosophy and theology and the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome where he studied social institutional communications. From 2002-2005 he was an Editor in the Central Information Service of Vatican Radio. In this role, he travelled with Pope St John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI on overseas trips. In 2005, he returned to Dublin to take up the position of Deputy Editor with The Irish Catholic newspaper, succeeding as Editor in 2012. He is a regular contributor to programmes on RTÉ, BBC, UTV, CNN and Al Jazeera. He also have extensive experience offering media training and coaching in the voluntary sector. Mr Kelly is a weekly columnist with Ireland’s largest-selling secular newspaper the Irish Independent and has been published in The Irish Times, the Irish Examiner, The Irish News, The Guardian, Our Sunday Visitor, Catholic World Report, the National Catholic Reporter and the National Catholic Register. He writes from Ireland for Catholic News Service of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops. Micheal finished his stint as Editor of The Irish Catholic in January 2024 and has taken up the position of Director of Public Affairs for Aid to the Church in Need Ireland.
The Government has indicated an unwillingness to relax the ban on public Masses after a meeting between Church leaders and Taoiseach Micheál Martin. However, both sides said that the important role of faith was acknowledged and that dialogue would continue. The move will disappoint many priests and parishioners who have been working hard to ensure…
Francis is willing to risk confusion for the sake of inclusion, writes Michael Kelly The Pope’s backing for legislation for civil unions for gay couples is a big deal. It’s also a significant shift away from the policy of his immediate predecessors who warned Catholics that opposing such unions was an obligation. It’s important to…
Before Covid-19, about a third of Irish people reported that they attended a religious ceremony at least once a week. Some 100,000 people went to Mass every single day before the pandemic restrictions were imposed. When we entered level three, all public worship was banned – the only country in Europe to do so (Wales…
The Argentine Pontiff has in the past supported the inclusion of gay couples in civil unions, but saying as Pope puts him at odds with the hitherto official Vatican line writes Michael Kelly Pope Francis is making the headlines with reports that he has used an interview for a new documentary film to offer his support for…
Among the new restrictions announced by Taoiseach Micheál Martin this week was a limit of ten people at a funeral in the Republic. In the North, funerals are limited to 25. The restriction to ten people at a funeral was cruel and – mercifully – quickly changed. At the same time that only ten people…
Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has hit out against those organising anti-mask protests and warned that any restrictions on the right to public worship must be minimal. Speaking this evening (Thursday) at an online gathering of the Dublin Council of Churches, Dr Martin praised the tireless commitment of those – particularly frontline workers – responding…
In the Discworld novel Eric by Terry Pratchett, as the Wizard Rincewind and teenaged demonologist Eric Thursley escape Pandemonium, they notice that the individual cobbles on the ‘Road to Hell’ have good intentions written on them. These included “for the good of the kids”, “I meant it for the best” and “we are equal opportunities…
Junno Arocho Esteves Thousands sang and applauded as Italian teenager Carlo Acutis was beatified in a town dear to him and to many Christians around the world: Assisi. During Saturday’s beatification Mass, Italian Cardinal Agostino Vallini, the papal legate for the Basilicas of St Francis and St Mary of the Angels in Assisi, read Pope…
In the search for a cheap headline, truth is the first casualty – that’s why good journalism matters, writes Michael Kelly The well-known Dominican preacher Fr Timothy Radcliffe OP wrote recently about his increasing disenchantment with the mainstream press. “The media is relentless in attacking the Church,” he writes. “Every day there is verbal abuse,…
The four archbishops have requested a meeting with Taoiseach Micheál Martin in a bid to life the ban on people attending Mass under Level III coronavirus restrictions. Countries with much more stringent guidelines currently in place have not banned public worship and the Republic remains the only place in Europe where Catholics cannot attend Mass…