Originally published at National Catholic Register
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
