Barbie O'Dowd

Barbie O'Dowd is a Franco-American journalist and entrepreneur based in Wilmington, NC. Follow her adventures on twitter & instagram @portcitybarbie.

Avatar photo

St. Patrick an Example of Unity and Solidarity in This Irish Church

ARMAGH, Northern Ireland– Celebrations in Ireland today for the feast of St Patrick emphasized building unity between Protestants and Catholics and remembering all immigrants, including the Irish in the US. On the eve of St Patrick’s Day, Catholic and Protestant cathedrals were both lit up in green to commemorate the feast day. A vigil walk, …

St. Patrick an Example of Unity and Solidarity in This Irish Church Read More »

Word of God slays evil, says Pope. Check it as often as your cell phone

VATICAN CITY- Before reciting the Angelus on March 5, the first Sunday of Lent, Pope Francis encouraged pilgrims to fight temptations to sin by studying the Word of God as carefully as they study their cell phones. “Someone said: what would happen if we treated the Bible like we treat our cell phone? If we …

Word of God slays evil, says Pope. Check it as often as your cell phone Read More »

Samurai Warrior and martyr beatified, to become saint

Tokyo, Japan — Nearly 12000 people joined together for a beatification ceremony and mass in honor of Justo Takayam Ukon, a Catholic samurai and martyr, held Feb 4 in Osaka. Ukon is the first Samurai warrior to be beatified. Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of the Vatican’s ‎Congregation for the Causes of Saints, presided over the Mass. Born in …

Samurai Warrior and martyr beatified, to become saint Read More »

McDonalds opens up in the Vatican, Cardinals Not “Lovin’ It”

Protests from clerics and locals haven’t stopped the opening of a controversial new McDonald’s restaurant in the Vatican. Located approximately the length of a football field away from the Vatican State, less than 100 yards, the restaurant is downstairs in a Vatican-owned building in the Pio Borgo district of Rome. Quickly dubbed “McVatican” by locals, …

McDonalds opens up in the Vatican, Cardinals Not “Lovin’ It” Read More »

300 Conversions credited to one man’s faith

BAHIR DAR, ETHIOPIA— Imagine one person lighting the way for 300 to join the Church, with 500 still excitedly awaiting baptism in neighboring communities. That’s exactly what happened in one Ethiopian village today, where 300 new members were joyfully received into the Ethiopian Catholic Church. “The testimony of one young believer and the diligent efforts …

300 Conversions credited to one man’s faith Read More »

CHRISTIANS TARGETED IN ATTACK BY MILITANTS IN KENYA

NAIROBI, KENYA- As Christians in a north eastern Kenyan compound slept, militant islamic group al-Shabab launched a violent grenade and gun attack, killing six and injuring an unknown number of others. The incident, part of a series of attacks against Christian communities, was designed to drive Christians and non-sympathetic Muslims away from the area. Many …

CHRISTIANS TARGETED IN ATTACK BY MILITANTS IN KENYA Read More »