Faith Café

The Grandparents’ Faith Café welcomes John Michael Talbot  with the theme: “Ancient Monastic Eldership and Modern Grandparents”

On Tuesday, 12 May 2026, Grandparents from across the globe gathered online for the May Grandparents Faith Café, hosted by the Catholic Grandparents Association. The evening was one of those rare occasions when music, wisdom, laughter, and prayer wove together so naturally that, as Catherine Wiley said, it felt like the best Faith Café ever.

Our keynote speaker was John Michael Talbot: one of the most beloved Catholic musicians of all time, author of more than 35 books on prayer and the spiritual life, and founder of the Brothers and Sisters of Charity at Little Portion Hermitage in Arkansas.

The opening prayer was prayed by Terry and Wendy O’Brien from Oxfordshire, England. Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier, Archbishop Emeritus of Durban, South Africa, offered the closing blessing.

“Keep going. The elders in our society are so important. And even when you feel as if you are being ignored, you are not. God does not ignore you.”

We begin 2026 with a Faith Café of exceptional importance—one that speaks directly to the future of our grandchildren and the future of the Church itself. We strongly encourage you not to miss this Faith Café, as it will help us better understand the challenges facing Gen Z and how Grandparents can respond with faith, hope, and courage.

David Quinn is a well-known journalist in Ireland who specialises in religious and social affairs. He has been a national newspaper columnist since 1994 and currently writes weekly columns for both The Sunday Independent and The Irish Catholic. He served as editor of The Irish Catholic from 1996 to 2003 and later as Social and Religious Affairs Correspondent for The Irish Independent from 2003 to 2006.

He is the founder and head of The Iona Institute, a Christian research and advocacy organisation established in 2007, dedicated to promoting the dignity of the family, the sanctity of life, and freedom of religion in an increasingly secular world.

The Grandparents’ Faith Café welcomes Cardinal Wilfrid Fox Napier with the theme: “Grieving and Resurrection from Mary’s Point of View”

The Grandparents’ Faith Café welcomed Tara Rafter with the theme: “I Will Never Forget You”

On Tuesday, 10 March 2026, Grandparents from across the world gathered online for the monthly Grandparents Faith Café, hosted by the Catholic Grandparents Association. The theme for this beautiful evening was drawn from Pope Francis’ message for the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly: “I Will Never Forget You” — words that speak to the heart of everything Grandparents are and do. 

Our keynote speaker was Tara Rafter, a Master NLP Practitioner, Executive Coach, and Motivational Speaker from the west of Ireland — and the proud EVOKE Irish Life Coach of the Year 2025. Tara brought warmth, wisdom, and practical insight in equal measure, drawing on eight years of work with clients across all walks of life.

The Grandparents’ Faith Café welcomes David Quinn with the theme: “Does Gen Z Have a Future Without Religion?”

We begin 2026 with a Faith Café of exceptional importance—one that speaks directly to the future of our grandchildren and the future of the Church itself. We strongly encourage you not to miss this Faith Café, as it will help us better understand the challenges facing Gen Z and how Grandparents can respond with faith, hope, and courage.

David Quinn is a well-known journalist in Ireland who specialises in religious and social affairs. He has been a national newspaper columnist since 1994 and currently writes weekly columns for both The Sunday Independent and The Irish Catholic. He served as editor of The Irish Catholic from 1996 to 2003 and later as Social and Religious Affairs Correspondent for The Irish Independent from 2003 to 2006.

He is the founder and head of The Iona Institute, a Christian research and advocacy organisation established in 2007, dedicated to promoting the dignity of the family, the sanctity of life, and freedom of religion in an increasingly secular world.

The Grandparents’ Faith Café welcomes David Quinn with the theme: “Does Gen Z Have a Future Without Religion?”

We begin 2026 with a Faith Café of exceptional importance—one that speaks directly to the future of our grandchildren and the future of the Church itself. We strongly encourage you not to miss this Faith Café, as it will help us better understand the challenges facing Gen Z and how Grandparents can respond with faith, hope, and courage.

David Quinn is a well-known journalist in Ireland who specialises in religious and social affairs. He has been a national newspaper columnist since 1994 and currently writes weekly columns for both The Sunday Independent and The Irish Catholic. He served as editor of The Irish Catholic from 1996 to 2003 and later as Social and Religious Affairs Correspondent for The Irish Independent from 2003 to 2006.

He is the founder and head of The Iona Institute, a Christian research and advocacy organisation established in 2007, dedicated to promoting the dignity of the family, the sanctity of life, and freedom of religion in an increasingly secular world.

The Grandparents’ Faith Café welcomes David Quinn with the theme: “Does Gen Z Have a Future Without Religion?”

We begin 2026 with a Faith Café of exceptional importance—one that speaks directly to the future of our grandchildren and the future of the Church itself. We strongly encourage you not to miss this Faith Café, as it will help us better understand the challenges facing Gen Z and how Grandparents can respond with faith, hope, and courage.

David Quinn is a well-known journalist in Ireland who specialises in religious and social affairs. He has been a national newspaper columnist since 1994 and currently writes weekly columns for both The Sunday Independent and The Irish Catholic. He served as editor of The Irish Catholic from 1996 to 2003 and later as Social and Religious Affairs Correspondent for The Irish Independent from 2003 to 2006.

He is the founder and head of The Iona Institute, a Christian research and advocacy organisation established in 2007, dedicated to promoting the dignity of the family, the sanctity of life, and freedom of religion in an increasingly secular world.

The Grandparents’ Faith Café welcomes Joan Lewis with the theme: “Christmas at the Vatican”.

A respected Vatican journalist and author, Joan has spent over four decades covering the Church from the heart of Rome. She served as the English-language writer and editor for the Vatican Information Service (VIS) from 1990 to 2005, and was appointed EWTN’s first Rome Bureau Chief later that year—a role she held until 2017.