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.
“Easter glory fills the sky” were the words of the hymns proclaimed at many livestreamed Masses on Sunday. We’ve heard it again and again down the years and the rousing words gladden the heart. But, it’s a very different Easter this year and there is no mistaking the fact that the joy of the resurrection…
Róise McGagh Archbishop Eamon Martin, Primate of All-Ireland has issued a hopeful message for the people of Ireland after the announcement of extended coronavirus restrictions until May 5. In his Easter message the archbishop shared a memory of his mother, “leaving a basin of water out in the back yard on a bright Easter…
Róise McGagh Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan walked through an empty Waterford City yesterday morning carrying a large cross over his shoulder in commemoration of Good Friday. He invited people to take out their own cross, crucifix or light a candle and spend some time in silent prayer. “Some people stopped some knelt, there is something about…
Pope Francis has urged Catholics in lockdown due to Covid-19 to be creative in their celebration of Easter this year. He also said the crisis is a moment to reflect on our common humanity and described Pope Paul VI’s 1967 encyclical Humanae Vitae as “prophetic”. He also called on the Church to be “freed in…
Cardinal George Pell has been released from prison after 405 days behind bars after the seven judges of the High Court of Australia unanimously overturned the original December 2018 jury verdict that found him guilty on five counts of molesting two 13-year-old choirboys in 1996. The court’s decision, read Tuesday, concluded there was “a significant…
I was honoured to have been asked by RTÉ on Friday to offer the commentary and English language translation for the Pope’s Extraordinary Moment of Prayer in Rome. It was a powerful and moving ceremony. Few who watched it will ever forget the image of the solitary figure of the elderly Pontiff dressed in white making…
Independent Senator Rónán Mullen has been successfully re-elected to the Seanad, topping the poll in the National University of Ireland panel. Mr Mullen – a fearless defender of the unborn in the Oireachtas – was deemed to be elected on the first count having secured the largest number of first preference votes. He won 9,642…
The northern bishops say they are “saddened and dismayed” by what they describe as “extreme” new regulations from the British government legalising widespread access to abortion for the first time in the region. “Their implementation will facilitate one of the most liberal abortion regimes anywhere in the world,” the prelates said in a statement March…
The Book of Exodus in the Hebrew Bible tells the story of the enslavement of the Israelites in ancient Egypt, their liberation from captivity at the hands of the Lord, their wandering in the desert and the revelation of the Promised Land. Theologically, it is the story of God’s abiding and eternal presence with his…
Despite the fact that 79% of those who responded to a public consultation opposed the changes, the British government today published regulations regarding the provision of abortion in the region that will come into effect next week. In 2019, abortion was decriminalised in the region over the heads of locally-elected politicians by British MPs in…