VLM Table Quiz 2026 Get ready for a brain-teasing night at the Church Bar on Jervis St! Join us for our annual table quiz on Tuesday 24th February 2026 and put your knowledge to the test! €10 per person – all proceeds to towards supporting VLM’s amazing work in Africa! Share this article
VLM Christmas Raffle Winners 2025! A huge thank you to everyone who bought tickets for the VLM Christmas raffle. We had an incredible response and raised an amazing €8,378 which will support our work with the Vincentian Fathers and Daughters of Charity across Africa. Share this article
Church Collections 2025 As part of the AMRI Mission Appeal, and by the generosity of the Daughters of Charity, this year VLM were given fourteen parishes in the Diocese of Elphin to speak about our work. As well as covering these parishes, we also were given the opportunity to talk in an additional three parishes in the Diocese of Dublin – Whitehall, Navan Road and Baldoyle. Our Mission Team has greatly expanded this year and included thirteen different speakers plus collectors. VLM would like to extend a huge thanks to all the parishes that welcomed us so warmly this year. We raised an incredible total of €21,022 that will support the work of VLM and our partner projects across Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Tanzania. If you would like to join the VLM Mission Team please get in touch at info@vlm.ie or on 087 139 7069. Share this article
New home science classrooms for De Paul School in Thigio St Paul’s College Raheny raised an amazing €5,892 for the De Paul School run by the Vincentian Fathers in Thigio, Kenya. With these funds, and thanks to a grant from Misean Cara, the school was able to implement two much-needed projects. A new home science classroom has been developed for the school, which includes spaces for cooking, sewing and hospitality training. This will enhance life and educational skills, increase gender equality, improve livelihood opportunities and promote greater health awareness. Secondly, a new science laboratory has been built, giving students the chance to do experiments hands-on where previously they had no access to lab facilities. This is a powerful educational tool that will improve learning outcomes and help students to pursue STEM careers. A huge thank you to the 2025 students and to the entire St Paul’s College community for their generosity and dedication in making this project happen! These massive efforts towards fundraising are so very much appreciated by VLM and our partner projects and are truly making a life-changing difference to communities in the Global South. Share this article
Christmas Craft Fair for Women’s Group in Masanga, Tanzania VLM were recently offered a stall in Castleknock College at their recent Christmas Fair. This was very gratefully received as two VLM volunteers – Jane Scott and Helen O’Hara – had recently returned from Tanzania with craft items made by the Women’s Project run by the Daughters of Charity in Masanga. They made just over €1000, which was incredible and will go directly to supporting the women to re-invest and continue to create sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their families. A huge thank you to everyone who supported this event! Share this article
A Christmas Message From the Daughters of Charity in Ethiopia To all Vincentian Lay Missionary (VLM) Members This brings you and your loved ones our Christmas greetings and best wishes for New Year 2026. May each one you experience peace, love and joy of the Lord during this holy season of Christmas. … And the angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory o the Lord shone over them. They were terribly afraid, but the angel said to them. “Don’t be afraid I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David’s town your saviour was born – Christ the Lord! And this is what will prove it to you; you will find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.” At this Christmas and coming New Year we pray that God showers on each one of you many graces and the gift of tranquility so that you may understand and feel the closeness of our God who chose to become human so that we share His Divinity. May the Baby Jesus bless each one of you and your families and fill you with Christmas Peace, Joy and Hope. With our best wishes, love and prayers, From the Daughters of Charity, Ethiopian Province Share this article
Funding Project – Mekele, Ethiopia Work is nearly finished on the agriculture and poultry project at the Abba Gebremichael Catholic School (AGCS) in Mekele, Ethiopia. Mekele is in the Tigray region of Ethiopia that was subject to civil conflict between 2020 and 2022. Many people are still displaced after the war and the school roll has increased from 1400 to over 2200 pupils. A lot of families cannot afford to pay school fees. To ensure the self-sustainability of the school it was proposed to implement an agriculture and poultry farming project with the aim of selling produce to generate an income for the school. It will also be used to teach agriculture science to students and the local community, where they can learn about farming and also about climate awareness and using solar power for irrigation. Through the Vincentian Fathers, Misean Cara provided €37,616 towards this project and VLM funded the remainder through church collections. The hope for the future is that the agriculture project will ensure financial security for the school and that it will become a model farm for the local area. Share this article
Volunteer News From September to November, VLM had two volunteers in Masanga, Tanzania – Helen O’Hara and Jane Scott. They volunteered with the Daughters of Charity projects. Helen is a pharmacist, and worked in the hospital and DREAM HIV/AIDS centre. This is Jane’s fourth year in a row volunteering with VLM in Masanga and she did a huge amount of work with the women’s development project. They made many craft items that were sold at the St Vincent’s Castleknock College Christmas Fair on Saturday 6th December, supporting the women’s project in Masanga; a project that is helping women create sustainable livelihoods for themselves. Our volunteer programme for 2026 is now open. For more information please get in touch or visit ‘Volunteering with VLM‘. Share this article
Developing Our Vincentian Ethos (DOVE) On Wednesday 19th November, we had our first DOVE session. This was a volunteer meet-up where Sr Claire McKiernan DC gave a brief and really interesting talk about the life of St Louise. Pizza followed and a chance for volunteers to chat about their experiences of volunteering in projects overseas. Sincere thanks to everyone who came along and especially to Sr Claire for her input. We will be doing more of these sessions, which are open to everyone and all are most welcome. If you are interested in our volunteer program, visit ‘Volunteering with VLM‘ for more information. Share this article
VLM Marathon Runners 2025 Pictured are three of our amazing marathon runners – Fr Barry White, Owen McGrane and Cassady Allen. Barry and Owen ran the Dublin Marathon and Cassady raced in Berlin. Together they have raised over €9000 which is incredible and will support our work with some of the most vulnerable communities across Africa. To take on the challenge and support the work of VLM sign-up here – Share this article
