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.
Time and again we see from the pages of the Bible that a time of crisis is also a time of opportunity. Whether in the story of the Israelites or in the New Testament, God sets before his people a choice when it comes to every crisis: to adapt and grow, or to perish. Human…
For the first time in 12 weeks, members of the faithful have gathered in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican to receive the Pope’s apostolic blessing. Officers of the Italian military police the Carabinieri worked with Vatican health officials to check pilgrims before admitting them to the square. As has been his tradition during the…
Saying America needs “more prayer, not less,” President Donald Trump has declared house of worship “essential” and directed the country’s governors “to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now, this weekend.” “The people are demanding to go to church and their synagogue, to go to…
He was an evangelist who steadied the ship after the turmoil following Vatican II, the Papal Nuncio exclusively tells Michael Kelly A hundred years ago this week, Karol Wojtyla was born in the small Polish town of Wadowice. Some 58 years later he would be catapulted on to the world stage as the 263rd Successor…
“I thought my first cappuccino after 54 days was amazing, but being at Mass after 10 weeks was even better,” a Roman friend said this week. Churches in the eternal city were re-opened for public Masses this week after a long Lent. “It finally felt like Easter,” my friend wrote. Italy has been devastated by coronavirus.…
The postulator and the commission involved in investigating the life of Pope John Paul II for his sainthood cause found no evidence that the Pontiff knowingly neglected or covered up abuse scandals, the postulator said. Msgr Slawomir Oder, the promoter of the cause, told reporters in Rome during an online meeting that he and investigators…
In preparation for Monday’s resumption of public liturgies in Italy and a morning Mass with Pope Francis at the tomb of St John Paul II, Vatican workers cleaned and sanitised the inside of St. Peter’s Basilica on Friday. Vatican workers also will sanitise the other basilicas in Rome: St John Lateran, St Mary Major and…
Like many people, I am acutely feeling the absence of Sunday Mass. Parishes are doing their best, and there is a wealth of creativity in many of the Masses that are being streamed online. But it isn’t the same – not really. I am blessed where I live that churches remain open as places of…
Archbishop Eamon Martin has said he believes that people are growing closer to God during the coronavirus pandemic. In his Sunday homily, the Primate of All-Ireland also said that parishes were working on roadmaps to return to public Masses as soon as it is safe to do so. Archbishop Eamon said that he is “sure…
The Vatican has given approval to the Religious Sisters of Charity to gift the State lands valued at some €200 million. The move is likely to prove controversial since the land will house the new National Maternity Hospital where unborn babies will be aborted. Moral theologians have previously raised alarm bells about the nuns’ plans…