DUBLIN — Published by Ignatius Press in January 2025, The Rock from Which You Were Hewn: Lives and Legacy of Holy Irish Men and Women, edited by Patrick Kenny and Carmelite Father John Hogan, is a collection of more than 40 biographies of modern Irish men and women — some with active causes for canonization and others known for their strong reputations for sanctity.

Among those whose inspiring lives are featured are Msgr. Hugh O’Flaherty, Jesuit Father Willie Doyle, Father Edward Flanagan, Frank Duff, Sister Clare Crockett, Venerable Patrick Peyton, Venerable Matt Talbot, Venerable Edel Quinn, Blessed John Sullivan and Blessed Columba Marmion.

Kenny and Father Hogan spoke with the Register about the book’s origins, the unique spirituality of Irish saints, and why Ireland has had so few canonizations in recent centuries.

 

Why did you decide on this project?

The idea for the book originated from Pope Benedict’s “Letter to the Church in Ireland” (2010), in which he wrote:

As you take up the challenges of this hour, I ask you to remember ‘the rock from which you were hewn’ (Isaiah 51:1). Reflect upon the generous, often heroic, contributions made by past generations of Irish men and women to the Church and to humanity as a whole, and let this provide the impetus for honest self-examination and a committed program of ecclesial and individual renewal.

Ireland has long been known as the “Land of Saints and Scholars,” with a rich tradition of revered saints from the first millennium. While these figures were undoubtedly inspiring, they can perhaps feel somewhat distant to us due to the vastly different world they inhabited. However, Ireland has also been home to many more recent holy individuals, who are just as inspiring as their ancient counterparts. Despite this, very few have been officially recognized as saints.

In fact, over the past 800 years, there have been only two Irish canonizations — St. Oliver Plunkett and St. Charles of Mount Argus. And in the case of St. Charles, while he spent much of his life in Dublin and has been adopted by the Irish, he was actually Dutch.

The relative lack of recent canonized Irish saints is not due to a lack of worthy candidates. The first part of our book includes biographies of every Irish person whose canonization cause has been officially opened; there are 25 such causes in process. Additionally, we have included a second section containing the 19 chapters on other Irish figures known for their holiness — some of whom, perhaps, may eventually have their own canonization causes initiated. Most of the 44 chapters in the book were written by the postulators or promoters of their causes, or by the authors of their biographies — and, in a few cases, by their personal acquaintances or friends.

 

Why has Ireland had so few canonized saints in the past centuries?

This is something of a mystery. As we have noted, we have many great candidates.

One thing we have discovered from working on the cause of Father Willie Doyle is that people can be somewhat reluctant to come forward with reports of alleged healings. They are out there, but people often do not want to draw attention to themselves. All of this can be treated in strict confidence; there is no need for any media publicity around a healing if the recipient does not want it. We would encourage people to be grateful for any graces they may have received and to please come forward and cooperate with any cause if you feel you have had an unexplainable healing through the intercession of any candidate for canonization.

Another challenge with establishing an alleged miraculous healing is what is known as the “attribution” of the alleged miracle. It must be clear that the intercession of one specific canonization candidate was sought. Oftentimes in Ireland, multiple prayer cards and relics are brought out when someone is sick. Sometimes we joke that there must be a mitten that belonged to Padre Pio in every town; whenever anyone is seriously sick, they emerge very quickly.

But what happens when the prayers are answered, and someone has a miraculous healing? It’s great for them, but if the help of multiple saints and candidates for sainthood has been sought, then the potential miracle cannot be clearly attributed to any one of them in particular, and thus cannot be used in the process.

We believe that God wants more Irish saints. Have confidence in the intercession of one of them, and report any positive outcome of your prayers.

 

Is there something unique about Irish spirituality?

Catholicism is universal; we share the same Gospel and the same spirit. In the religious sense, we should not be nationalistic; we should be informed by saints from every country. Yet it is also true to say that every culture puts its own stamp on Catholicism, and this is part of what it means to be a Catholic from a particular country. Of course, it is a rather intangible thing, but it exists.

What, then, is the specific Irish way? It is born from the spirit of St. Patrick, informed by the heritage of the ascetic and evangelizing monks of the late first millennium, inspired by the heroism of the persecuted Irish during the penal times, and shaped by the beautiful harshness of the Irish climate and geography. And through it all is the good humor of the Irish. It might be said, then, that the Irish way is one of toughness mitigated with charm. In that sense, Venerable Matt Talbot (Chapter 13), with his simple life of hard work and regulated prayer and penance, characterizes something of that Irish spirit.

 

What do you hope the book will achieve?

First, we wanted to offer a necessary counterbalance to the negative media coverage and public narratives surrounding the Church in Ireland. While it is undeniable that there have been dark chapters in the Church’s history, we must also recognize that these failures were the actions of individuals who strayed from the Gospel. We can only fairly evaluate a way of life by looking at those who embodied it, not those who betrayed its core values.

Second, the book is meant to encourage and inspire us on our own Christian journey and to show us that holiness is possible, no matter what circumstances we find ourselves in. The men and women (and one young child) featured in these pages experienced both joy and suffering — loneliness, sickness, poverty, betrayal and even persecution — yet they remained steadfast. They simply kept moving forward, step by step, trusting in God’s grace. That same grace is available to us today, for God loves us no less than he loved them. If we remain faithful, we too can strive for sainthood.

Third, we hope to support the 25 Irish canonization causes currently in progress. They require prayer, volunteers and resources. Our hope is that this book will inspire readers to connect with the promoters of these causes and actively contribute to their advancement.

Finally, we wanted to encourage the initiation of new canonization causes. That is why Part 2 of the book highlights 19 individuals who lived lives of holiness and could one day be considered for sainthood. We hope that, in time, formal causes will be opened for at least some of them.

 

What reaction have you had to the book?

The reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. In all humility, but also truthfulness, people have told us that it is one of the most uplifting and encouraging books they have read in a long time. This is the fruit of the commitment and skill of the more than 35 different authors who contributed to the book. After so many years of negativity about the Church in the media, it is important that we remember the very real and concrete positive legacies bequeathed to us by our ancestors.

 

Are you hopeful for many future Irish saints?

As Christians, we have to be hopeful.

It’s important to remember that the work of promoting a canonization cause is not just about getting another saint on the list of formally canonized saints, as important as that is. Promoting a cause is ultimately an act of evangelization. It’s about saying, “Here is the example of a person who lived the Gospel in a particular moment of history and set of human circumstances — learn from them and be inspired by them.” So even if there was never another Irish person canonized, there is an apostolic benefit to this type of work.