When was the last time you saw a priest portrayed positively on television or in the cinema? The question from a friend of mine struck a chord with me. And, after a few minutes, I had to admit I couldn’t think of a recent example. It got me thinking about the fact that when I…
Michael Kelly
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.
Anti-Catholicism shouldn’t be allowed to be the last acceptable prejudice
“Catholics need to become better at standing up for themselves”, writes Michael Kelly There has been much to criticise in the Catholic Church recently. And Catholics have not been shy about naming the serious wrongs that have been done in the name of the Church or by people within the Church. The Church has also…
Fixating on the past while ignoring the present
“It is vital that the past is excavated and that past abuses are exposed and those who were abused listened to”, writes Michael Kelly This week saw yet another damning report on the failure to protect vulnerable Irish children. Amongst the findings was the fact that children were left in foster homes despite credible evidence…
Problems facing the world mustn’t make us pessimistic
“There has never been a greater need for mutual understanding and cooperation”, writes Michael Kelly Sadly we’re becoming all-too-used to that sinking feeling of waking up in the morning to turn on the radio to news of yet another terrorist atrocity in towns and cities that are known to us. That feeling is all-the-more heart-wrenching…
A missionary nuncio coming to a missionary land
“People speak of a fresh and increasing enthusiasm for youth ministry”, writes Michael Kelly A Nigerian priest once told me that there were so many Irish priests in his homeland when he was growing up he just assumed that Jesus was Irish. For him – and most other Catholics in Nigeria – the spread of…
Why let truth and facts get in the way of a good story?
“You’d want to be a fool not to be aware of the powerful forces that are at work”, writes Michael Kelly Hardly a week goes by without more venom and innuendo against Catholics and their faith in the mainstream media. Now, here’s where certain commentators try to accuse Catholics of media-bashing. But, that’s often little…
Abortion poll to overshadow Pope’s visit
Fine Gael to push ahead on referendum The visit of Pope Francis for the World Meeting of Families is set to be overshadowed by the Government’s likely push for a referendum on abortion next year, senior Church sources have indicated to The Irish Catholic. Social Protection Minister Leo Varadkar – the man tipped by many…
The long shadow of a potential referendum
The “Taoiseach…has just moved heaven and earth to try to reduce the constitutional protection now enjoyed by the unborn”, writes Michael Kelly The Government has given strong indications that it will hold a referendum on abortion next year. Truth be told, we’ve known for some time that politicians are minded to hold a referendum that…
Rumours of the Church’s demise have been greatly exaggerated
“We’ve become so used to Catholicism being the dominant culture, it no longer is”, writes Michael Kelly We’ve been talking about crisis in the Church in Ireland for so long it runs the risk of becoming a vicious circle of negativity. Paradoxically, the need to face up to the piercing urgency of Church reform and…
‘You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown’
The Pope’s representative Archbishop Charles Brown left Ireland this week to take up his new posting in Albania. Soon, a replacement will be appointed and a new archbishop will come to present his credentials to President Michael D. Higgins and act as a visible sign of unity between the Church in Ireland and the Holy…