Donegal nun Sr. Mary T Barron receives papal appointment

Donegal nun Sr. Mary T. Barron has been appointed by Pope Leo XIV as a Consultor to the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue.

Sr. Barron is the Congregational Leader of the Sisters of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA Sisters) – a missionary congregation founded for evangelisation, particularly in Africa.

A native of Galdonagh near Manorcunningham, Sr. Barron has dedicated her life to sharing the Gospel.

She has carried out missionary work in Nigeria and Tanzania, including pastoral activities, youth work, women’s empowerment, and coordination of HIV and AIDS projects.

Sr. Mary has also served as a joint coordinator of a mission animation project in Ireland and has held key roles in SEDOS (Service of Documentation and Study on Global Mission) in Rome.

In 2024, she was appointed by Pope Francis as a member of the Dicastery for Evangelisation, specifically in the Section for First Evangelisation and New Particular Churches.

Mary T Barron OLA pictured with the late Pope Francis. Photo: Missionary Sisters Of Our Lady Of Apostles

Dicasteries exist to support the Pope in his pastoral and administrative duties.

The Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue is dedicated to fostering respectful and meaningful relations between the Catholic Church and other religions worldwide.

Each dicastery (Vatican office) has consultors from around the world who advise the dicastery.

The Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue is one of the most strategically important bodies in the Vatican, with its work having far-reaching implications for peacebuilding, cultural understanding, and global religious cooperation.

The Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue has about thirty consultors, both clerics and lay, religious, men and women, who assist the mission of dialogue through research, reflection, and their own dialogue activities.

“We keep Sr Mary in our prayers as she undertakes this responsibility in service of the wider Church,” said her congregation in the OLA Sisters.

Donegal nun Sr. Mary T Barron receives papal appointment was last modified: January 22nd, 2026 by Staff Writer