CELTIC CONNECTIONS

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Host: Kathy Sinnott In recent weeks there has been an upsurge of jihadist attacks in France. Eighty-four people were murdered in Nice on Bastille Day, July 14th - and more recently, a priest was murdered while celebrating Mass in Normandy northern France. Kathy examines what has been happening in France, the government's response and the Church's role in finding a way forward. Kathy's guest is Benedicte Sage-Fuller, a French Catholic commentator and law lecturer.

Host: Kathy Sinnott with Fr. Pius Mary Noonan OSB Ignatian retreats incorporate the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola. Countless retreatants through the centuries have experienced transformation in their lives through practising the Spiritual Exercises. Kathy's guest is Benedictine Monk Fr. Pius Mary Noonan OSB from St. Joseph's Abbey, Flavigny, France. Fr. Noonan and his community direct retreats across Britain and Ireland. This week Celtic Connections visits Fr. Noonan at Ard's Franciscan Friary, Donegal, Ireland, where he directs an Ignatian retreat.

Host Kathy Sinnott with Fr. Mark Byrne Ireland has been well known for its missionaries who brought the Gospel to the four corners of the world. Today Ireland has itself become mission territory. In recent years a new wave of mission has been coming to Ireland. The Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT), based in the US, have two priests in Ireland. Kathy's guest is SOLT priest Fr. Mark Byrne based in the parish of St. Bridget's, Lettermacaward in Donegal.

Host: Kathy Sinnott with guest Dr. Patrick Kenny Description: The story of Fr. Willie Doyle SJ, eyewitness of the Battle of the Somme, the bloodiest battle of World War I. On the centennial of the Battle of the Somme, Kathy's guest is Dr. Patrick Kenny from the website and blog www.fatherdoyle.com

Host Kathy Sinnott with guests Claire McCullough and Bernadette Smyth Part 1. Since the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union the fallout has been unprecedented, not only in the United Kingdom but around the world. Reflecting on the post referendum fallout, Kathy examines the European Union's record on values important to Catholics such as life, family and religious freedom. Kathy's guest is Claire McCullough a founder and director of Good Counsel Network. GCN assists migrant women in London who find themselves in crisis pregnancies. Claire McCullough has voiced concerns about the EU and Britain over christian values. Part 2. The All Ireland Rally for Life takes place in Belfast on July 2nd. It is organised by Northern Irelands largest Pro-life group, Precious Life. Kathy's guest is Precious Life director Bernadette Smyth.

Host: Kathy Sinnott with guest John Waters One of the cornerstones of democracy is a free and independent press. Those who publish newspapers and produce broadcast news services hold privileged positions in our democracy. Positions that presume trust to carry out their responsibilities respecting values of truth, balance and accuracy. But what happens when those who hold privileged positions in the media abuse those very positions? When those charged to hold to account others, do not hold to account those in the press itself. When newspapers and broadcasters use the very privilege afforded them as a tool to push particular ideological ends? John Waters is one of Ireland's best known veteran journalists. He has worked for the Irish Times, the Irish Daily Mail and the Sunday Independent among others. In this weeks show John Waters reflects on what he observes as corruption in the Irish media in a talk entitled "Ireland and the End of Debate".

Host: Kathy Sinnott with guests Anthony Hofler and Dr. Stephen Critchlow Part 1. In a referendum scheduled next week the United Kingdom will decide on whether to remain or leave the European Union. The result will have major implications for the future of the United Kingdom and the rest of Europe. Public debate has largely focused on economic and immigration issues, but what about Catholic values of faith, life and religious liberty? To understand what the European Union and the referendum is all about, Kathy talks to solicitor and Catholic commentator Anthony Hofler. On the run up to the vote, Hofler has been speaking in parishes around England on the issue. Part 2. Depression and mental illness is a serious issue taking an alarming toll on sufferers as well as their family and friends. Kathy's guest Dr. Stephen Critchlow is a psychiatrist with years of experience counselling those who suffer mental illness. Dr. Critchlow also brings his christian faith to bear on the subject. He says that studies show that practice of religious faith can greatly benefit those who suffer mental illness.

Host: Kathy Sinnott with Eve Parnell and Joseph Grimberg Part 1. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Battle of the Somme, one of the bloodiest battles in human history. The Somme took place in Northern France during World War I. This year also marks the centenary of the Easter Rising, an armed insurrection in Dublin against British rule in Ireland. In memorial of these historic events Irish artist Eve Parnell has created an exhibition entitled Souls of the Slain. Celtic Connections visits the exhibition with Eve Parnell in Stormount Parliament in Belfast to discuss her work and the message of peace that lies behind it. Part 2 Joseph Grimberg, co-founder of the apostolate Signs of Contradiction, talks to Kathy about the value of suffering. Joseph has a debilitating condition called Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. Kathy talks to Joseph about his sense of mission and about the graces God reveals through suffering.

Host Kathy Sinnott with Fr. Mark Byrne SOLT Description: Ireland has been well known for its missionaries who brought the Gospel to the four corners of the world. Today Ireland has itself become mission territory. In recent years a new wave of mission has been coming to Ireland. The Society of Our Lady of the Most Holy Trinity (SOLT), based in the US, have two priests in Ireland. Kathy's guest is SOLT priest Fr. Mark Byrne based in the parish of St. Bridget's, Lettermacaward in Donegal. Originally from Dublin, Fr Mark spent twenty three years in the US were he received his formation as a priest. Fr. Mark reflects on his personal sense of mission to his native Ireland.

Kathy Sinnott with guests Dr. Brian T Kelly and Sr. Deborah de Rosia Part 1. Third level Catholic education is being renewed in Britain and Ireland through Newman College Ireland and the School of the Annunciation in Britain. Colleges that would be described by the Newman Guide as faithfully Catholic have been growing in number in the United States. To learn lessons about what it means to be a faithfully Catholic college Kathy talks to her brother Dr. Brian T Kelly, Academic Dean of Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, California. Part 2. New Dawn is the largest Catholic conference in Britain. It takes place every August at the National Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham in England. This Pentecost season Kathy's guest Sr. Deborah de Rosia, a keynote speaker at New Dawn, examines the role of the Holy Spirit in evangelisation. Sr. Deborah de Rosia is a lay sister from the Eternal Light Community in Trinidad and Tobago.

Host: Kathy Sinnott with guests Frances Hogan and Sr. Briege McKenna Part 1. In this year of Mercy Ireland's Frances Hogan has a message about the true meaning of mercy. According to Frances we must be merciful as our Heavenly Father is merciful. Frances Hogan is a scripture scholar, lay evangelist and host of EWTN's series The Gospel of Luke. Part 2 Sr. Briege McKenna is another voice who has a special word for the Year of Mercy - and It's about deepening our life of prayer. Sr. Briege McKenna is known world-wide for her ministry to priests and is author of the best selling book, Miracles Do Happen.

Kathy Sinnott with guests Bernadette Smyth, Archbishop Bernard Longley and William A. Thomas. Part 1. Last week local elections were held across the United Kingdom. In Northern Ireland the life issue has been prominent in the mind of the electorate. So how did pro-life parties fare in the final analysis? Kathy's guest is Bernadette Smyth director of Precious Life, Northern Ireland's largest pro-life group. Part 2. This Saturday Birmingham, England will host this years national March for Life. Celtic Connections talks to Archbishop Bernard Longley of Birmingham for an update on the life issue in Great Britain. Part 3. An important emphasis during the Year of Mercy has been a renewed focus on the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Kathy and her guest theologian William A. Thomas take a fresh look at the sacrament in a brief guide to how to make a good confession. William A. Thomas is a member of the Pontifical Academy of Mary.

Host Kathy Sinnott with guests Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, Paschal Uche and Frances Hogan Part 1 Great Britain has been called the abortion capital of Europe. Since the British 1967 Abortion Act over 7 million babies have been killed through abortion. May 14thmarks Britain's annual March for Life held this year in Birmingham. Celtic Connections talks to Isabel Vaughan-Spruce and Paschal Uche, team members of March for Life UK. Part 2 Frances Hogan is one of Ireland's modern day prophetic voices. Frances is a lay missionary and hosts scriptural series for EWTN. As keynote speaker at this years Dublin Devine Mercy Conference she spoke on the theme of mercy. For Frances the mercy of God needs to be understood in the context of forgiveness and justice.

Part 1. A visit to an Irish Catholic school that puts faith front and centre. Assumption Grammar School in Ballynahinch has a faith development programme that involves students, teachers and parents. The Sacramental life, Marian Consecration, recitation of the rosary and bible study are all part of life at the school. Head of Religious Education Máire Daly says that key to the success of the faith development programme centres on Christ's real presence in the Blessed Sacrament. Kathy's guests are Máire Daly head of RE and students Emer Gargan and Catherine Braniff. Part 2 One of the BBC's senior political correspondents for Northern Ireland Martina Purdy stunned her colleagues when she announced that she was leaving her prestigious career at the BBC to become a nun. This became headlines around the country because, as a political correspondent for two decades, Martina reported to the world the historic events that brought peace to Northern Ireland. Sr. Martina tells her story to the St. Joseph's Young Priests Society Provincial Congress in Armagh. Her reflection is entitled "Mercy and Compassion".

Part 1. When Saint John Paul II visited Great Britain in 1982 he inspired great hopes for christian unity between Catholic's and Anglican's around the world. Sadly hopes dimmed when the Anglican Communion later announced a series of developments including the appointment of women priests and bishops. Celtic Connections examines hopes for unity today with former Anglican vicar and now Catholic priest Fr. Matthew Pittam. Fr. Pittam is a priest of the Personal Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham and a columnist for the Catholic Herald. Part 2. A memorial to Irish religious Sister Clare Theresa Crockett of the Servant Sisters of the Home of the Mother. Sr. Clare sadly died at 33 in the recent earthquake in Ecuador. In this tribute we hear Sr. Clare speak about her vocation. Also two religious sisters from her community, Sr. Karen McMahon and Sr. Ruth O'Callaghan, speak of the charism of the Servant Sisters of The Home of the Mother which centres on the Holy Eucharist. Sr Clare was the voice of the puppet character Lucy from the popular TV series "Hi Lucy" aired on EWTN.

Part 1. Northern Ireland is one of the last places in Western Europe to have restrictive laws on abortion. This is in contrast to the rest of the United Kingdom were abortion is virtually on demand. In recent weeks enormous pressure has been brought to bear to liberalise abortion in Northern Ireland. Recently a disturbing story came to light concerning an aborted baby found in a dustbin in Belfast. To discuss the implications of this case, Kathy's guests are Bernadette Smyth, founder and director of Precious Life Northern Ireland and Liam Gibson, development officer for the Society for the Protection of Unborn Children. Part 2 One hundred and fifty years ago this year, Blessed Pope Pius IX presented an original icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help to the Redemptorists. This month a new icon, blessed by Pope Francis, is visiting 26 cathedrals around Ireland. Kathy's guest is Irish Redemptorist Fr. Seamus Enright, chair of the 150th jubilee celebrations.

Mary Doogan and Connie Wood were senior midwives in a British National Health hospital in Glasgow Scotland. Collectively known as the Scottish Midwives their case involved the protection of the right of conscience regarding the issue of abortion. This case would test the right of conscience in the British courts. In 2014 the case went all the way to the British Supreme Court in London. For the first time and exclusively to Celtic Connections Mary Doogan and Connie Wood tell their story, a story that has serious implications for the protection of the right of conscience in Great Britain.

A special Celtic Connections program celebrating Mother Angelica's relationship with Britain and Ireland. Kathy's guests are, from Ireland, singer songwriter and long time friend of Mother Angelica, Dana. From London, author, journalist and EWTN host Joanna Bogle.

Part 1. In Holy Family Hospital, Warsaw Poland, a baby was left to die screaming and unattended by medical staff. The baby had survived an abortion and was abandoned to die. One of the medical staff, deeply distressed by the incident, brought it to the attention of Polish pro-life group SOS, The Protection of Life of Unborn Children Foundation. SOS brought it to the attention of the press and the government. As a result there has been a groundswell movement in Poland to ban abortion altogether. Kathy's guest is SOS member Anna Wiejak. Part 2. In an examination of the meaning of Holy Saturday Kathy talks to renowned London poet and bard, Sarah de Nordwall. Part 3. The Association of Catholic Teachers is an outreach to teachers in Ireland to help communicate the faith to primary school children. Kathy's guest is Clare Clifford, chairperson of the Association of Catholic Teachers.