“At a young age and with a bright future ahead of her in Ireland, she decided instead to dedicate her life to those in need in what was already then a virtual war zone.”

2017 Martin Buber Award recognises missionary’s work, through the PREDA Foundation, helping children and women targeted by paedophiles and sex traffickers.

Prize will be presented to Irish Columban missionary on behalf of the Preda Foundation on 4 May in the Catholic University of Eichstätt-Ingolstadt in Germany.

Fr Shay Cullen describes Hugh O’Flaherty International Humanitarian Award as “a statement that all life is precious ... and each has invaluable dignity and every one is worth saving”.

The 2016 recipient will be announced in late August and the award will be presented on 5 November during the 9th Hugh O’Flaherty Memorial Week.

Redemptorist Fr Seán Myers serves a community in a Brazilian parish which is over half the size of Ireland.