The OLA Blog
Stories, reflections, and updates from our mission and community life. Here we share reflections, insights and experiences, believing that the simple act of sharing can inspire, connect, and open hearts.
Cork Three Faith’s Forum Bids Farewell to Sr Kathleen McGarvey
Earlier this month, the Cork Three Faiths Forum gathered to bid farewell to Sr. Kathleen McGarvey, former Provincial leader of OLA Ireland and one of the forum’s founding members. This moment of connection reflected the spirit Sr Kathleen has helped to cultivate over...
A Life-Changing Volunteer Experience in Bugisi, Tanzania
This spring, Marese O'Connell and Karen Costigan set off on a journey that, in their own words, turned out to be nothing short of life-changing. Their three-week volunteering trip to Tanzania with our Sisters in Tanzania, was a blend of adventure, heartfelt...
Prayer Intentions for August: Human Trafficking
During this month of August, our hearts turn towards the tragic issue of human trafficking, a pervasive and heartbreaking reality that touches lives across every continent and within our own communities. As we embark on our sacred time of prayer and reflection, we...
Irish Ambassador to Nigeria Visits Ardfoyle Convent
Last week, on 31 July 2024, Ardfoyle Convent had the pleasure of welcoming the Irish Ambassador to Nigeria, Peter Ryan. Ambassador Ryan, who began his tenure in January, was warmly received by our District Leader, Sister Mary Crowley. During his visit, Ambassador Ryan...
Journey to Tanzania
In September 2023, Noreen O'Grady visited our Sisters in Tanzania. She shares her experiences in this captivating short presentation.
Reflecting on the Pope’s Message for the Season of Creation
The World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation on 1 September 2024 invites us to contemplate the profound theme "To Hope and Act with Creation." Inspired by Saint Paul's Letter to the Romans, this message beckons us to understand our faith not merely as a...
Why Do We Pray When Suffering Persists?
Reflecting personally on the question raised on our social media page—why suffering exists despite prayer and why even the Pope, with millions praying for him, isn't spared from mortality—strikes at the heart of our faith and humanity. It’s a question that I,...
From Krakow to Bugisi: My Dental Adventure in Tanzania
We’re excited to share the heartfelt story of Dr. Agna, a dentist from Krakow, Poland, who recently spent two weeks volunteering in Tanzania with our Bugisi community. Dr. Agna realised her dream of delivering essential dental care to underserved communities in...
Early years of the Mission: Sister Boniface (Thérèse Henner)
It is a well-known fact that the early years of the Catholic Missions into West Africa were a dangerous time to be a missionary. The presence of deadly diseases such as malaria and yellow fever in British West Africa led to the deaths of many Europeans in the late...
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