True that Bono has a spiritual advisor/priest travel with him?

[Knuckle]

I remember reading something not so long ago suggesting that Bono has a "spiritual advisor" of sorts (a Catholic priest I believe) who traveled with him. I can't imagine that, even if this is true, this person travels with Bono more than just occasionally. Perhaps it is just a friend who happens to be a priest (can't really imagine that either). Or, perhaps it is nothing even close to the truth. Bono doesn't seem to be the type to have a traveling guru.

Does anyone else remember reading or hearing this? If so, what was the source? If there is any shred of truth to it, then why isn't it commonly discussed in all of the endless media pieces, interviews, fan forums, etc., about Bono? Any thoughts on this one?

 

[gareth brown]

DRINK!

 

[Knuckle]

On second thought, that's exactly the kind of spiritual advisor/priest that I could see traveling with Bono.

 

[gareth brown]

it's half right anyway!
they have a chap called father jack who indeed does travel with them to give them advice!

 

[Knuckle]

it's half right anyway!
they have a chap called father jack who indeed does travel with them to give them advice!

Is this really true, or are you pulling my leg? If it's true then why don't we hear a lot more about it? I think it's really significant (if it's true).

 

[gareth brown]

no, it is absolutely true. he just happens to be unfortunate enough to share his name with a fictional piss-head priest.

i went and got the latest copy of Q where he is mentioned in an article on Bono just to double check it for my last post! people here are just atheist dogs.

 

[financeguy]

Jack Heaslip.

 

[Knuckle]

Hmmm. Sounds like you might be having some fun with me. Who is this "fictional piss-head" priest of whom you speak? Is this an English phenomenon? Never heard of him hear in the USA. Is that a picture of him in your first post (above)?

 

[gareth brown]

aaah, right. well this whole thread was a waste then...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/guide/articles/f/fatherted_7772595.shtml
watch this. one of the finest comedies ever made.

 

[Knuckle]

Thanks for the link. It looks like a good show.

Now what else, if anything, do you know about this other priest supposedly traveling with Bono?

 

[kimby]

Jack Heaslip.

Well now, ya gotta give him more than that!

Jack Heaslip goes way back--as in the fact that he was some sort of guidance counselor at the school the band members attended.

The boys joined a band and Heaslip went off to seminary and was ordained in the Protestant Church of Ireland. (I think that's similar to Anglican or Episcopalian, but don't quote me on that...)

He performed Bono and Ali's wedding ceremony and apparently *does* go along on some of their tours.

As to why it's not mentioned--well, gee *I've* heard about it
...but seriously, who knows? They've always kept the *details* of their spiritual lives fairly close to the vest.

Also, he's mentioned in the 'Pop' album liner notes as "the Very Very Reverend Jack Heaslip".

 

[LMP]

why does that Father Ted guy look possessed?

 

[Knuckle]

Well now, ya gotta give him more than that!

Jack Heaslip goes way back--as in the fact that he was some sort of guidance counselor at the school the band members attended.

The boys joined a band and Heaslip went off to seminary and was ordained in the Protestant Church of Ireland. (I think that's similar to Anglican or Episcopalian, but don't quote me on that...)

He performed Bono and Ali's wedding ceremony and apparently *does* go along on some of their tours.

As to why it's not mentioned--well, gee *I've* heard about it
...but seriously, who knows? They've always kept the *details* of their spiritual lives fairly close to the vest.

Thanks for the response. That helps clear it up a bit. While I can respect the privacy of U2's members in this regard, that doesn't mean that the rest of the insatiable celebrity info-hungry world can. I'm just surprised that this tidbit of (what I think is) significant information is not talked about in almost every interview that Bono does.

By the way, you sound like you are *in the know*. You must be Irish.

 

[GibsonGirl]

why does that Father Ted guy look possessed?

Father Ted's not the one I'd be worrying about... Father Jack's the one who's slightly cuckoo.

NUNS! NUNS! REVERSE! REVERSE!

Edited because I can't spell.

 

[Liesje]

Thanks for the response. That helps clear it up a bit. While I can respect the privacy of U2's members in this regard, that doesn't mean that the rest of the insatiable celebrity info-hungry world can. I'm just surprised that this tidbit of (what I think is) significant information is not talked about in almost every interview that Bono does.

By the way, you sound like you are *in the know*. You must be Irish.

Uh....how often do you randomly bring up your priest/pastor/mentor when having random converstations w/ strangers?

Bono rarely says much about his own family, why would he bring up Father Jack unless asked?

 

[LMP]

Father Ted's not the one I'd be worrying about... Father Jack's the one who's slightly cuckoo.

NUNS! NUNS! REVERSE! REVERSE!

Edited because I can't spell.

I get them confused, lol

need to brush up on my British comedy knowledge

 

[greenlantern]

god i hope hes not travelling with an priest/spiritual advisor unless its the current incarnation of mary magdalene. now that would be cool.

 

[greenlantern]

i'm not the only one with a messiah complex....

 

[kimby]

Uh....how often do you randomly bring up your priest/pastor/mentor when having random converstations w/ strangers?

Bono rarely says much about his own family, why would he bring up Father Jack unless asked?

What she said!

And no, I'm not Irish...all this info can be found in the 25yr+ of books, magazine articles, etc., that are out there...and also on the websites of people who've collected said books and articles

 

[Knuckle]

Uh....how often do you randomly bring up your priest/pastor/mentor when having random converstations w/ strangers?

Bono rarely says much about his own family, why would he bring up Father Jack unless asked?

You are right. I never bring up my priest in random conversations. However, I almost never bring up my thoughts on God, religion, faith, etc., either. Bono, on the other hand, is making a rather tidy living of it. The majority of all songs he has written, and that U2 has put out for worldwide consumption, have multiple references to faith, religion, and God. I think it's great that they do, and it is probably this aspect of their music that has kept me so interested in what they have to say over the years.

Bono rarely talks about his family, and he shouldn't. I have no interest in his family whatsoever. No one should. I don't think that the majority of U2 fans are in the "People Magazine" crowd. However, since he has invested so much of his music and persona on the subject of faith/religion, then I think that whether or not he travels with a priest/minister is fair game and relavent. If it's true that he does travel with one, then this would seem to be evidence that he is likely deeply sincere about the religious overtones in the music we love (and not just something he found that really works in his songwriting and for U2's audience).

The question isn't really why Bono wouldn't bring up talking about this "Father Jack". That's his business. The question to me is, as a public figure whose persona/celebrity is so heavily invested in God/religion, why haven't more reporters and media types made a much bigger deal of this (even for the sake of selling more magazines). For example, if Ed Bradley knew that Bono traveled with a priest/minister, don't you think he would have practically made it a centerpiece of the "60 Minutes" interview/segment he did?

 

[kimby]

You are right. I never bring up my priest in random conversations. However, I almost never bring up my thoughts on God, religion, faith, etc., either. Bono, on the other hand, is making a rather tidy living of it. The majority of all songs he has written, and that U2 has put out for worldwide consumption, have multiple references to faith, religion, and God. I think it's great that they do, and it is probably this aspect of their music that has kept me so interested in what they have to say over the years.

Bono rarely talks about his family, and he shouldn't. I have no interest in his family whatsoever. No one should. I don't think that the majority of U2 fans are in the "People Magazine" crowd. However, since he has invested so much of his music and persona on the subject of faith/religion, then I think that whether or not he travels with a priest/minister is fair game and relavent. If it's true that he does travel with one, then this would seem to be evidence that he is likely deeply sincere about the religious overtones in the music we love (and not just something he found that really works in his songwriting and for U2's audience).

The question isn't really why Bono wouldn't bring up talking about this "Father Jack". That's his business. The question to me is, as a public figure whose persona/celebrity is so heavily invested in God/religion, why haven't more reporters and media types made a much bigger deal of this (even for the sake of selling more magazines). For example, if Ed Bradley knew that Bono traveled with a priest/minister, don't you think he would have practically made it a centerpiece of the "60 Minutes" interview/segment he did?

"if Ed Bradley knew"...are the key words there...

In most of the articles, etc; I have read they've not exactly had a tendancy to introduce touring personel or entourage members.

Also most journalists are more interested in the celebrities that are hanging out with U2 than the folks who work for/with them.

 

[Liesje]

The question isn't really why Bono wouldn't bring up talking about this "Father Jack". That's his business. The question to me is, as a public figure whose persona/celebrity is so heavily invested in God/religion, why haven't more reporters and media types made a much bigger deal of this (even for the sake of selling more magazines). For example, if Ed Bradley knew that Bono traveled with a priest/minister, don't you think he would have practically made it a centerpiece of the "60 Minutes" interview/segment he did?

Maybe Father Jack, like Bono's wife, prefers to be left alone in order to develop an identity other than "Bono's ---- ". I think Father Jack is like family to Bono, so why would Bono bring him up any more than he talks about his wife or kids? If interviewers were interested, it's their responsibility to ask. I'm not sure what Bono's faith and spirituality has to do with the significance of mentioning Father Jack....sure he's known Bono for a long time, but Bono's faith is Bono's. I don't reference my own reverend everytime I give statements of my own faith in my school work or on these message boards b/c what I think and feel comes from a combination of ALL of MY experiences, not the intellect of my pastor simply because he is ordained and has the appropriate degrees. Also, Father Jack is of no more significance to U2's tours than any of the other crew, and I think we'd find it laughable if Bono were to bring up each of his roadies during every interview.

 

[Lemonfix]

For example, if Ed Bradley knew that Bono traveled with a priest/minister, don't you think he would have practically made it a centerpiece of the "60 Minutes" interview/segment he did?

I dunno, from what it sounds like, Father Jack is just as much a good friend of Bono's as he is a Priest. To me this is less of an issue of "Bono travels around with a spiritual advisor" than "Bono has a long-time friend who happens to be a guidance counselor-turned-priest whom occasionally meets up with him to lend an ear or maybe some advice." I don't see why that would be a big deal.

 

[Achtung_Bebe]

I think Father Jack is like family to Bono, so why would Bono bring him up any more than he talks about his wife or kids?

I got the impression that Knuckle was curious as to why reporters don't take the initiative and bring up Father Jack during interviews, not vice versa. Sure, it would be silly for Bono to come out and mention this information; but reporters, on the other hand, are usually itching to make mountains out of mole hills.

As mentioned before, I don't think he's talked about due to a lack of information... Father Jack isn't exactly a high profile spiritual advisor. If Bono traveled with the pope, that would obviously be different.

 

[Carek1230]

Who really cares or should care or have opinion, speculation or otherwise about who the band members choose to travel with them while on tour? Bono has friends and family travel with him.....big deal! They can afford and in my opinion have earned the right to do and afford just about any whim. If I were him I'd travel with whomever I wanted to, be it personal assistant, spiritual advisor, hair dresser, manicurist, masseusse, etc....

 

[SunBloc]

I had a similar question about Father Jack a few weeks ago, after reading "Q" excerpts. Believe it was Biff (thanks so much!) that provided a link to this article:
http://archives.tcm.ie/irishexaminer/2001/08/25/story11174.asp

I think Father Jack may play a role that is more important than we think in helping to keep band going the way it is, and agree with most everybody here that it really is good Bono & other band members have him to travel with them. U2 is so completely different than any other rock band. The more you find out about them, the better you like them!

 

[Devlin]

I think the reason it isn't much mentioned is because it is, simply, part of U2. Seriously, wouldn't most folks be more surprised if he didn't have a spiritual advisor? THink on it, man. Think on it.