Naturalistic Distortion of Mercy in Irish Repatriation Charity
Catholic News Agency portal (January 3, 2026) reports on the Kevin Bell Repatriation Trust (KBRT), founded by Colin and Eithne Bell after their son’s 2013 death in New York. The charity has repatriated over 2,000 Irish bodies since its inception, funded through community donations. The article frames this work as fulfilling the corporal work of mercy by “burying the dead” and “comforting the sorrowful,” quoting Colin Bell’s description of their “therapeutic” efforts that allegedly honor their son’s memory. This humanistic narrative exemplifies the neo-church’s abandonment of supernaturalis caritas (supernatural charity) in favor of secularized philanthropy.