Scottish Catholic Observer

The Conrad N Hilton Foundation, founded by the hotel entrepreneur, has give more than £200,000 to Vocations Ireland, an umbrella organisation which helps religious orders encourage new members.

The grant, which is spread over three years, is specifically to help build organisational capacity for Vocations Ireland to enable the group to support and nurture vocations to the consecrated religious life in Ireland today.

Margaret Cartwright, the Vocations Ireland director, said she was ‘delighted’ with the grant and said it would allow the organisation to support religious orders, congregations and missionary societies in telling the stories of their ministry.

“While the challenges ahead may be daunting, we are indeed excited to be working with the Hilton Foundation and look forward to developing together new and exciting possibilities and opportunities for religious life in Ireland today.” she said. “This will help Vocations Ireland as a charitable organisation to develop the capacity of our organisation, improve the services we can offer to our members and assist us in our outreach to the wider Church community in the re-telling of our vocation story.”

Ms Cartwright said Vocations Ireland would like to express appreciation and gratitude to the Hilton Foundation board of directors for their vision, commitment and generous investment in the future of religious life and for their confidence in Vocations Ireland and its leadership.

The Conrad N Hilton Foundation is a US-based non-profit charitable foundation, established in 1944 by Conrad N Hilton, with a long history of supporting the work of Catholic religious Sisters.