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“Sewing” Justice: A Theological Response to Garment Worker Exploitation

In the past the SMA Justice Office has focused on the issues of fast fashion and the abuse of human rights in supply chains,...

Reflection for Saturday – Fourth Week of Easter – 27th April 2024

Yesterday’s Gospel reading, also from John, gave us the declaration of Jesus ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life’. Today’s Gospel ends...

EARTH DAY 2022

- A billion plastic beverage containers were sold last year in the United States. - None of them will be made into new plastic bottles.  -...

Pope Francis’ Vision of a Synodal Church

Below is the third in a series of reflections written by Fr Micheal McCabe SMA on synodality.  Links to the previous two at given...

Christianity in Dialogue with Islam and African Traditional Religion: Challenges and Opportunities.

Below is Communiqué of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue dated 11.04.2024.  It was issued after a workshop held in Nairobi Kenya. The full text...

SMA Ordinations – 12 April 2024

Today the 12th of April six young SMA's have been ordained at the Church of Sts John and Sylvia in the Diocese of Ngong...

APRIL 2024 | For the role of women

Pope Francis: “If we don’t respect women, our society will not progress”  In The Pope Video for April, Pope Francis lifts up his prayer “that the dignity and worth...

SMA International News – April 2024

Welcome to SMA International News For the Month of April. In this edition we are happy to feature the work of the SMA in the District...

Funeral Homily for the late Fr Valentine [Val] Hynes, SMA

Fr Val Hynes, SMA, , died peacefully on the afternoon of Friday, 15 March 2024, at St Theresa’s Nursing Unit, African Missions, Blackrock Road,...

Easter Sunday 2024 – Exploring Easter as Event, Encounter, Evangelisation

It is essential to establish Easter as an event. This emerges in the Gospels themselves when details of the burial of Jesus are recounted...

Good Friday 2024

A Reflection on Good Friday by Fr Kevin O'Gorman SMA Today’s liturgy is simple, even stark. The altar is stripped, the tabernacle left open. There...

Lenten Reflection – Fr Pat Kelly SMA

In this, the final video Reflection of this series, Fr Pat Kelly reflects on a Palm Sunday procession in the Holy Land that he...

International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination

The International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination is observed annually on the day the police in Sharpeville, South Africa, opened fire and...

Fr Valentine [Val] Hynes, SMA [RIP]

Fr Val Hynes, SMA, died peacefully in the St Theresa's Nursing Unit at the SMA House, African Missions, Blackrock Road, Cork, Ireland on Friday...

A Short Prayer for Sunday

This is the seventh and last in a series of short prayers, one for each day of the week,  recorded by Parishioners from SMA...

A Short Prayer for Saturday

This is the sixth in a series of short prayers, one for each day of the week,  recorded by Parishioners from SMA Parish Wilton,...

A Short Prayer for Friday

This is the fifth in a series of short prayers, one for each day of the week,  recorded by Parishioners from SMA Parish Wilton,...

A Short Prayer for Thursday

This is the fourth in a series of short prayers, one for each day of the week,  recorded by Parishioners from SMA Parish Wilton,...

A Short Prayer for Wednesday

This is the third in a series of short prayers, one for each day of the week,  recorded by Parishioners from SMA Parish Wilton,...

A Short Prayer for Tuesday

This is the second in a series of short prayers, one for each day of the week,  recorded by Parishioners from SMA Parish Wilton,...

Homily for the 5th Sunday of Lent- Year B

Readings:  Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 5:7-9;  John 12: 20-33  Theme: The Way of the Cross As we continue our Lenten journey with Christ, the human face of...

A Short Prayer for Monday

This is the first in a series of short prayers, just about thirty seconds, one each day in this week of Lent. They were...

Fr Cornelius Murphy SMA – Funeral Homily

Fr Con Murphy died unexpectedly in the SMA House, African Missions, Blackrock Road, Cork on Thursday, 8 February 2024. After reposing in the SMA...

A LENTEN REFLECTION – from Fr Gus O’Driscoll SMA

This the fourth in our series of Lenten Reflections comes from Fr Gus O Driscoll SMA.    Lent for him is a time to live...

MARCH 2024 | For the martyrs of our day, witnesses to Christ

“The martyrs are a sign that we’re on the right path” In this video message from Pope Francis he requests prayers for the new martyrs...

‘LET US ALL SAY: ENOUGH … STOP THE WAR!’ – IRISH BISHOPS STATEMENT

On the second day of the 2024 Spring General Meeting of the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Maynooth, the bishops called for an urgent...

4th Sunday of Lent 2024 – Year B

2 Chronicles 36:14-16,19-21  -  Ephesians 2:4-10  -  John 3:14-21 Two of the most beautiful, heart-warming and challenging statements in the Bible are found in the...

SMA International News – March 2024

Welcome to the SMA International News for March 2024.  This month our news bulletin is shorter than usual and concerns three events associated with...

Synodality: What’s it all About? – by Michael McCabe SMA

Introduction Just as the concept of ‘inculturation’ suddenly appeared on the horizon of ecclesial discourse about fifty years ago, so the concept of ‘synodality’ has...

A LENTEN REFLECTION – Fr Colm Nilan SMA

  This week's Reflection is from Fr Colm Nilan SMA who lives in the SMA Community in Claregalway, Ireland.  Lent is a time of preparation, of...

Homily for the Third Sunday of Lent – Year B

Readings: Exodus 20:1-17; 1 Corinthians 1:22-25; John 2:13-25 Theme:  ‘A House of Prayer for all Peoples’ (Isaiah 56:7) A few days ago, I came across a...

Fr Seamus Nohilly SMA [RIP]

The members of the Society of African Missions are mourning the unexpected death of their confrere, Fr Seamus Nohilly, who died peacefully in...

Lenten Reflection – Fr John Denvir SMA

In this, the second in our series of Lenten Reflections, Fr John Denvir SMA reflects on his favourite colour - Purple.  He considers the...

Homily for the Second Sunday of Lent – Year B

Readings: Genesis 22:1-2,9-13,15-18; Romans 8:31-34; Mark 9:2-10 Theme: ‘The Love that dances in the heart of things’ (Malcolm Guite) Today, we are invited to reflect on...

DROMANTINE RETREAT AND CONFERENCE CENTER – 2024 PROGRAMME

            Visitors to Dromantine are invariably impressed by the stunning beauty of the early 19th century house, extensive grounds, lake, colourful woodlands and pleasant walks...

A LENTEN REFLECTION – Fr Anthony Kelly SMA

Today Ash Wednesday, and also St Valentine's Day, we bring you the first in a series of reflections and short videos that will be...

Homily for the First Sunday of Lent, Year B

Readings: Genesis 9:8-15; 1 Peter 3:18-22; Mark 1:12-15 Theme:  Jesus in the Wilderness Jesus’ life was dominated by a single passion: to proclaim and establish on...

Living Lent

The cornerstone of Lent is the call to conversion which commences on Ash Wednesday. Sometimes the impression is given that such conversion is change...

FEBRUARY 2024 | For the terminally ill

Pope Francis asks that the terminally ill and their families be cared for and assisted The Pope Video for February, the month in which the Church...

Fr Cornelius [Con] Murphy SMA [RIP]

The members of the Society of African Missions are mourning the death of Fr Con Murphy, SMA. Fr Con died unexpectedly at the African...

Fr Frank Coltsmann, SMA [RIP]

The death has taken place on Saturday, 3 February 2024, of Fr Frank Coltsmann, SMA. Fr Frank died peacefully in the St Theresa's Nursing...

SMA International News – February 2024

Welcome to the SMA International News for February 2024.  As usual we have three reports from SMA's and OLA's around the world.  1 – From...

Towards a Synodal Church in Mission

A brief look at the Synthesis Report of the First Universal Session of the Synod on Synodality by Michael McCabe SMA  Introduction The first universal session...

Lourdes Novena: 3-11 February 2024

Saturday 3rd to Sunday 11th February 2024, we join in a Novena of Prayer to Mary, under the title of Our Lady of Lourdes. Visitors...

SMA Zambia Golden Jubilee Celebration

Last December the Divine Mercy Parish, Ndola, Zambia was the venue for a celebration marking the 50th Anniversary of the  arrival of Irish SMA's...

Prayer for Christian Unity 2024 – Reflection for Saturday 20th January

This reflection is based on the Mass readings for Saturday 20th January.  In the week of Prayer for Christian Unity today’s readings are – to...

Not a moment to waste

A recent report by George Lee, for RTE News, speaking about the latest information form the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service makes for grim...

SMA International News – January 2024

Welcome to the first Bulletin of the SMA International News for 2024.  Our thanks to all who have contributed to making these over the...

EPIPHANY 2023 – Wilton

The Feast of Epiphany brings to an end the Nativity narrative – set in Bethlehem – by the entry of the three Wise Men...

JANUARY 2024 | For the gift of diversity in the Church

In this the first Pope's Prayer intention for 2024, Pope Francis asks us to pray for "the gift of diversity in the Church.  We are...

MESSAGE OF POPE FRANCIS FOR WORLD DAY OF PEACE 1 JANUARY 2024

Below is the text of Pope Francis's message for World Day of Peace.  The theme is Artificial Intelligence, a topic we have all heard...

COP28 and Laudate Deum

COP stands for "conference of the parties", with parties being the 197 countries that have signed up to the UN climate treaty (UNFCCC) to...

Slavery, Human Trafficking and St Bakhita

Below is the first in a series of articles that will be published in the lead up to the International Day of Prayer and...