Cathy MacDonald

As Grammy Award‑winning icon Barry Manilow kicks off a UK tour right here in Scotland next week, he joins Cathy as her This Spiritual Life guest, reflecting on life, faith and the remarkable journey behind his legendary career.

Twenty-four-year-old personal trainer Alan Christie from Glasgow shares what happened when he swapped his normal life of parties and excess for prayer and discipline as he joined nine Carmelite friars in an Oxfordshire monastery for a C5 documentary.

And educator and practising Catholic Rosa Murray compares the fictitious story of a forbidden connection between a Catholic priest and a nun in Jack Thorne’s new C4 drama – Falling – with her own real-life love story.

Cathy’s Faith Forum panel will be – as ever – discussing the week’s news from a faith and ethical perspective. They are Fr Philip Backledge – Rector, Holy Trinity Melrose; Emma Jackson – a Christian and social justice campaigner; and Aman De Sondy – senior lecturer in Contemporary Islam at University College, Cork. Up for debate is the notion of indulgence after the former chief executive of the SNP Peter Murrell admitted to embezzling party funds, and the array of luxury items that he spent the money on were published. And a warning from Pope Leo on the dangers of AI, declaring it could create ‘new forms of slavery’ – do our panel agree?

Finally, as the names Noah and Freya top the Scottish charts for 2026, the panel explore the stories, meanings and memories carried in names – including their own.