An Irish nun has been named as one of the top ten people of the year by Inside the Vatican, a monthly Catholic news magazine.Sr Patricia Murray IBVM was honoured for her work through the Solidarity With South Sudan (SSS) project.
Established by religious from 170 Catholic congregations and led by Sr Murray, SSS has ensured that thousands in South Sudan have been able to live with dignity despite their country's poverty.
The people of 2011 list includes people from all walks of life who are marked by a common characteristic of humility according to the magazine.
''We feel the people we have chosen all fittingly represent that courage, that nobility of spirit, that gentleness of heart, which bears witness to the presence of faith, of the Holy Spirit, in our midst.''
Other people honoured on the list include Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-Kiung, for defending religious freedom in China, and Marino Restrepo from Colombia who became a Catholic lay missionary after his release from kidnappers.