Benemerenti Medal
Encyclopedia
The Benemerenti medal was first awarded by Pope Pius VI (1775-1799) to recognize military merit. In 1831 under Pope Gregory XVI (1831-1846)a special Benemerenti medal was struck to reward thos who fought courageously in the papal army at Ferrara, Bologna, and Vienna. In 1925, the concept of awarding this medal as a mark of recognition to persons in service of the Church, both civil and military, lay and clergy alike, became acceptable.
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Awarded by Pope Pius XII
- Pope Pius XII awarded Paulus Francisicus Michael Antonius Zammit 1948 the Benemerenti Medal in recognition of building the Church of St. Paul amidst the canefields of Bartle Frere in North QueenslandNorth QueenslandNorth Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the state of Queensland in Australia. Queensland is a massive state, larger than most countries, and the tropical northern part of it has been historically remote and undeveloped, resulting in a distinctive regional character and...
, AustraliaAustraliaAustralia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. - Pope Pius XII awarded Maria Augusta von Trapp 1949 the medal as a recognition for the Trapp Family Austrian Relief Inc.Trapp Family Austrian Relief Inc.Trapp Family Austrian Relief, Inc. is an initiative founded by Georg von Trapp and Maria von Trapp.-History:In January 1947, Major General Harry J...
, which is an aid programme for depressed AustriansAustriansAustrians are a nation and ethnic group, consisting of the population of the Republic of Austria and its historical predecessor states who share a common Austrian culture and Austrian descent....
.
Awarded by Pope John XXIII
- Pope John XXIII awarded the medal to Mary Synon, PhD in Classical Studies, professor at American University, lecturer at Catholic University, Pulitzer PrizePulitzer PrizeThe Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
winner, and National Book Award winner, as well as human rights activist, in 1961.
Awarded by Pope Paul VI
- Pope Paul VI awarded Catherine O'Brien the medal in 1974 for services to Saint Dominic's Church and parish RomfordRomfordRomford is a large suburban town in north east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Havering. It is located northeast of Charing Cross and is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan...
, EssexEssexEssex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
, EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. - Pope Paul VI awarded the medal to Edward FlanneryEdward FlanneryEdward H. Flannery was a priest in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, and the author of The Anguish of the Jews: Twenty-Three Centuries of Antisemitism, first published in 1965....
. - Pope Paul VI awarded Diana McKenzie the Benemerenti medal in 1978 in Lynn Lake, ManitobaManitobaManitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
for work with Saint Maria Goretti Catholic Church. - Pope Paul VI awarded the medal to John Sabol of Cleveland,OH
- Pope Paul VI awarded the medal to Anthony Leo Janssens in London in 1964
- Pope Paul VI awarded the medal to John "Jack" Harkins of St Theresa's Parish, Norris Green, Liverpool, England, for 50 years service to the Society Of Saint Vincent De Paul in 1973.
Awarded by Pope John Paul II
1979- Pope John Paul II awarded the medal to Paddy CrosbiePaddy CrosbiePaddy Crosbie ,was the Irish creator of the radio and television programes The School Around The Corner and Back To School.-Life:...
in 1979
1984
- Pope John Paul II awarded the medal to Elizabeth McLoughlin principal of Rooskey N.S., Co. Roscommon, Ireland. It was presented to her by His Lordship, Dominic Conway, Bishop of Elphin.
1985
- Pope John Paul II awarded Peter Joseph Wire the medal on 6 December 1985 for services to the Archdiocese of BirminghamArchdiocese of BirminghamThe Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham is one of the principal Latin-rite Catholic administrative divisions of England and Wales in the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church....
at Besford Court School, (no longer a school) near WorcesterWorcesterThe City of Worcester, commonly known as Worcester, , is a city and county town of Worcestershire in the West Midlands of England. Worcester is situated some southwest of Birmingham and north of Gloucester, and has an approximate population of 94,000 people. The River Severn runs through the...
, England. - Pope John Paul II awarded John Gerard Ormonde of Wexford, Ireland, the medal for his services to the destitute in Calcutta, India at Dublin's Pro Cathedral.
1990
- Pope John Paul II awarded medal to Gerard O'Donnell formally of BathgateBathgateBathgate is a town in West Lothian, Scotland, on the M8 motorway west of Livingston. Nearby towns are Blackburn, Armadale, Whitburn, Livingston, and Linlithgow. Edinburgh Airport is away...
, West LothianWest LothianWest Lothian is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, North Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire....
when he retired as headmaster of a school in Leicester, in 1990, for his services to Catholic education.
1993
- Pope John Paul II awarded the medal to Joseph Lawrence Clery in 1993 also past Grand Knight of Columbus.
- Pope John Paul II awarded Patricia Vincent Stockley for Services to the Catholic Church, which was presented to her in front of her grandson Brendon Wordsworth at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, Mt. MaunganuiMount MaunganuiMount Maunganui is a town in the Bay of Plenty, New Zealand, located on a peninsula to the north of Tauranga. It was independent from Tauranga until the completion of the Tauranga Harbour Bridge in 1988....
, New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
.
1994
- Pope John Paul II awarded the medal to John Murtagh and Mary Gannon for services to the church. These were presented by Cardinal Thomas Winning on 7 June 1994 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church Glasgow.
- Pope John Paul II awarded the medal to Percy J. Beneteau of Windsor, Ontario, Canada, for services to the church.
1995
- Pope John Paul II awarded Catherine Ann ClineCatherine Ann ClineCatherine Ann Cline was an American historian of contemporary Britain, and the former chair of the history department of the Catholic University of America....
the Benemerenti medal in 1995. - Pope John Paul II awarded Leonard "Bud" Colburn the Benemerenti Medal in 1995 for Services to Holy Innocents Church, OrpingtonOrpingtonOrpington is a suburban town and electoral ward in the London Borough of Bromley. It forms the southeastern edge of London's urban sprawl and is identified in the London Plan as one of 35 major centres in Greater London.-History:...
and Ecumenical Services to St Katharine's Church, KnockholtKnockholtKnockholt is a village and civil parish in Kent, England, lying approximately 5 miles south of Orpington and 3 miles northwest of Sevenoaks. It is part of the Sevenoaks district and according to the 2001 census it had a population of 1,166...
, KentKentKent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
, England. - Pope John Paul II awarded Rita Gray the medal for Services to Education.
1997
- Pope John Paul II awarded Barbara Sable the medal in 1997.
1998
- Pope John Paul II awarded Teresa Agnes Walford the medal in 1998 for services to St Mary’s Church Willenhall, in recognition of her lifetime dedicated to supporting the Church, her family and the wider community.
1999
- Pope John Paul II awarded James J Coniglio the medal in 1999.
- Pope John Paul II awarded Agnes Cato of the CaribbeanCaribbeanThe Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
nation of St. Vincent & the Grenadines the medal in 1999.
2000
- Pope John Paul II awarded Arthur Eden 2000 medal.
- Cardinal Thomas WinningThomas WinningThomas Joseph Winning was a Scottish Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Glasgow from 1974 and President of the Bishops' Conference of Scotland from 1985 until his death...
presented the medal on behalf of Pope John Paul II to Mrs. Brenda Scott ALCM in March, 2000. - Bishop J. Sartoris presented the medal on behalf of Pope John Paul II to Mr. Thomas P. Vincent Gardena, California (2000).
2001
- Pope John Paul II awarded the medal to Rose Myers in recognition of over forty years of service as caretaker to the Church of St Francis de Sales (now closed) in the Parish of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, DevizesDevizesDevizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
, Wiltshire, England. - Pope John Paul II awarded the medal to Pat Kennedy in recognition of over sixty years of service, in various roles, to the Parish of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, DevizesDevizesDevizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
, Wiltshire, England.
2002
- Pope John Paul II awarded Mario Kreutzberger 2002 medal.
2003
- Pope John Paul II awarded Denis Haran the medal in recognition of over fifty years of service to the church in various roles in the parish of Ahamlish, Grange, Co. Sligo.
2004
- Pope John Paul II awarded Curtis Martin and Michaelann Martin the medal for their outstanding service to the Church and work in the New Evangelization, especially in the United States.
2005
- Pope John Paul II awarded Graham Loudon 2005 medal.
Awarded by Pope Benedict XVI
2005- Pope Benedict XV1 awarded Edna Heagney the 2005 medal in recognition of her long-standing service as a Minister of the Eucharist and for the support of her and her husband Tony to the Diocese of Middlesbrough over many years. It was presented to her at Midnight Mass, Christmas 2005
2006
- Pope Benedict XVI awarded Hugh Gerard McGrellis in 2005/6 for a lifetime of service to the Church, most notably as an altar serverAltar serverAn altar server is a lay assistant to a member of the clergy during a Christian religious service. An altar server attends to supporting tasks at the altar such as fetching and carrying, ringing the altar bell and so on....
at St Mary Magdalen's ChurchSt Mary Magdalen's Church, BrightonSt Mary Magdalen's ChurchSome sources incorrectly give the spelling "Magdalene". is a Roman Catholic church in the Montpelier area of Brighton, part of the English city of Brighton and Hove. It is one of six Roman Catholic churches in Brighton and one of eleven in the city area...
, BrightonBrightonBrighton is the major part of the city of Brighton and Hove in East Sussex, England on the south coast of Great Britain...
, SussexSussexSussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, England for over 70 years.
2007
- Pope Benedict XVI awarded John McCreadie 2007 medal for Services to the retired clergy of the Diocese of MiddlesbroughDiocese of MiddlesbroughThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Middlesbrough is a Latin Rite Roman Catholic diocese based in Middlesbrough, England and is part of the province of Liverpool. It was founded on 20 December 1878, with the splitting of the Diocese of Beverley which had covered all of Yorkshire...
, England. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded Anthony Brady 2007 medal for Services to the community of the iocese of Otago]. New Zealand
2008
- Pope Benedict XVI awarded Michael Madden CorkCork (city)Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and the island of Ireland's third most populous city. It is the principal city and administrative centre of County Cork and the largest city in the province of Munster. Cork has a population of 119,418, while the addition of the suburban...
, IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
2008 medal in recognition of his outstanding service during his 23 years as sacristan of St. Joseph's Church, RiverstickRiverstickRiverstick is a village in Ireland lying south of Cork, halfway between Cork and Kinsale, on the Cork to Kinsale road. The village is named literally, after the River Stick which flows through the village...
, Cork, Ireland. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Peggy Wilding and Olive Hewitt who received the medal at St. Theodore of Canterbury Church, Monkwick, ColchesterColchesterColchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
, SuffolkSuffolkSuffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, England on 27 April 2008. Both Mrs Wilding and Mrs Hewitt have served over forty years in the Catholic Church holding posts such as Chairman and Secretary of the Church Committee as well as being lifelong servants to the Church, and even organising the building of the Church in the 1960s.
2009
- Pope Benedict XVI awarded Richard Gladwell 2009 medal.
- Pope Benedict XVI awarded Charles John Foote of St. George's, NewfoundlandNewfoundland and LabradorNewfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
the benemerenti medal for over 50 years service to the parish of St. Joseph's. The award was presented at St. Joseph's Church in St. George's on 3 May 2009 by Bishop Douglas Crosbie, Bishop of the Diocese of Corner Brook and Labrador. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded Paul Lyng 2009 medal in recognition of 33 years service as sacristan of Church of the Assumption in BooterstownChurch of the Assumption, BooterstownChurch of the Assumption, Booterstown is a Roman Catholic church located in Booterstown, County Dublin, Ireland. The church represents the Parish of the Assumption Booterstown, which was established in 1616. The present church opened in 1813 and was built as a replacement for the old chapel that...
, County DublinCounty DublinCounty Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
, Ireland. It was presented by Mgr. Seamus Conway PP on May 29, 2009. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded Joe Lomasney 2009 medal in recognition of 53 years service as sacristan of Church of the Immaculate Conception, Araglen in the Diocese of Cloyne, Ireland. It was presented by Most Rev. John Magee, Bishop of Cloyne.
- Pope Benedict XVI awarded John Parnell Murphy 2009 medal in recognition of long-time service to the People of God of the Diocese of Brooklyn, New YorkNew YorkNew York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. It was presented on 7 June 2009 by Most Rev. Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn. - Bishop Eamonn WalshEamonn Oliver WalshEamonn Oliver Walsh is an Irish Catholic bishop and is one of the two active Auxiliary Bishops of Dublin, the other being Raymond W. Field....
presented the medal on 21 June 2009 to Eddie Power who had been in charge of the altar server group at St. Pius X Church in TempleogueTempleogueTempleogue is a suburb of southwest Dublin, Ireland. The original Irish name Teach Mealóg refers to a chapel named after Saint Mel that was built there in about 1273....
, Dublin since 1974.
- Pope Benedict XVI awarded medal to Barbara Conboy, Brigid Hanlon, and John McManus for services to Sacred Heart Jesuit Church, EdinburghEdinburghEdinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, on 31 July 2009. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded the 2009 medal to Ada Power, on 13 February for services to the Diocese of Killaloe, Ireland.
- Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Tony McAvoy for his work as a Lay Chaplain in the North East of England with the Apostleship of the SeaApostleship of the SeaThe Apostleship of the Sea is an agency of the Catholic Church. It is also sometimes known as Stella Maris , and its patron is the Virgin Mary as Our Lady, Star of the Sea...
(Stella Maris). The medal was presented to him by Séamus CunninghamSéamus CunninghamSéamus Cunningham is an Irish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle in the north of England.-Biography:...
, Bishop of Newcastle and HexhamBishop of Hexham and NewcastleThe Bishop of Hexham and Newcastle is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Hexham and Newcastle in the Province of Liverpool, known also on occasion as the Northern Province.-History:...
, England on 8 July 2009 at the AoS Annual Pilgrimage to Holy Island, LindisfarneLindisfarneLindisfarne is a tidal island off the north-east coast of England. It is also known as Holy Island and constitutes a civil parish in Northumberland...
. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded Miss Josephine Knowles the 2009 medal in recognition of years of service to the parish of St Columba's, Tonge Moor, BoltonBoltonBolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
, LancashireLancashireLancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, England. It was presented by Father Francis McCauley on 25 October 2009. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded Mrs Colleen Stanford, Sacristan, St. Mary's Cathedral, HobartHobartHobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
, TasmaniaTasmaniaTasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
. Presented by Adrian Doyle, Archbishop of Hobart in October 2009. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded Patrick Curran the 2009 medal in recognition of 60 years service to the parish of Our Lady Star of The Sea, GreenwichGreenwichGreenwich is a district of south London, England, located in the London Borough of Greenwich.Greenwich is best known for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian and Greenwich Mean Time...
, England. It was presented by Patrick Smith, Metropolitan Archbishop of Southwark on 4 October 2009. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded Tony Wagstaffe the benemerenti medal in recognition of service to the parish of Holy Angels, AshAsh, SurreyAsh is a village and civil parish in the borough of Guildford, Surrey, with a population of 17,549 according to the 2001 census. It is at the far west of the Guildford borough, and the urban development in the parish runs directly into Aldershot, which is on the western side of the River...
, SurreySurreySurrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. It was presented by Father David Osbourne, on 12 December 2009. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded the benemerenti medal to Joseph Ryan for 30 years of service as Parish Accountant, and other services, to St. Elphege's Church, WallingtonWallington, LondonWallington is a town in the London Borough of Sutton situated south south-west of Charing Cross. Prior to the merger of the Municipal Borough of Beddington and Wallington into the London Borough of Sutton, it was part of the county of Surrey.- History :...
, SurreySurreySurrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
, England. The medal was presented by Bishop Paul HendricksPaul HendricksPaul Hendricks is a British Roman Catholic clergyman, currently serving as Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark and Titular Bishop of Rosemarkie.- Early life :...
on 20 December 2009. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded the benemerenti medal to Harvey Livingston, former Head of Finance at SCIAF and President of the Glasgow Jewish Representative Council, for services to the Catholic Church in Scotland. The medal was presented by Faustino Sainz Muñoz, Apostolic Nuncio to the Court of St. James's, on the fourth anniversary of the Pope's election, 29 March 2009.
2010
- Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Dennis Selina for a lifetime of service to the Church, including 69 years as church organist. The medal was presented on 10 January 2010 at St. Joseph's Church, PickeringPickering, North YorkshirePickering is an ancient market town and civil parish in the Ryedale district of the county of North Yorkshire, England, on the border of the North York Moors National Park. It sits at the foot of the Moors, overlooking the Vale of Pickering to the south...
, North YorkshireNorth YorkshireNorth Yorkshire is a non-metropolitan or shire county located in the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England, and a ceremonial county primarily in that region but partly in North East England. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972 it covers an area of , making it the largest...
, England by Fr. Bill East. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded Mr. Oscar Pioquinto Batucan and Mrs. Miriam Alvez Batucan the medal which was presented by the Bishop of Auckland, Patrick DunnPatrick James DunnBishop Patrick James Dunn , DD, MTheol, Melbourne College of Divinity is the Eleventh Catholic Bishop of Auckland, New Zealand .-Biography:...
on 17 January 2010. This was the first time that a Filipino-New Zealand couple was awarded the medal. - Mr Donald H Williams, of CullodenCullodenCulloden may refer to any of the following:*Culloden, Highland, a village in Scotland**The Battle of Culloden, a battle which took place there in 1746...
, InvernessInvernessInverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
, Scotland received the medal in St. Columba's Church, Culloden, Inverness. It was presented by Bishop Peter Moran of AberdeenAberdeenAberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, Scotland on 2 May 2010. - Mr John Bannerman of InvergordonInvergordonInvergordon is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:The town is well known for the Invergordon Mutiny of 1931. More recently it was also known for the repair of oil rigs which used to be lined up in the Cromarty Firth on which the town is situated...
, Ross-shireRoss-shireRoss-shire is an area in the Highland Council Area in Scotland. The name is now used as a geographic or cultural term, equivalent to Ross. Until 1889 the term denoted a county of Scotland, also known as the County of Ross...
, Scotland received the medal in St. Joseph's Church, Invergordon. It was presented by Bishop Peter Moran of Aberdeen, Scotland on 19 March 2010, in recognition of 72 years service to the Catholic Church as an altar server, reader, passkeeper and Eucharistic minister. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded Michael M.F. Kummer, StuttgartStuttgartStuttgart is the capital of the state of Baden-Württemberg in southern Germany. The sixth-largest city in Germany, Stuttgart has a population of 600,038 while the metropolitan area has a population of 5.3 million ....
, GermanyGermanyGermany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the 2010 medal in recognition of his outstanding service over more than 25 years for the Catholic military communities in different countries and especially to the German-speaking parish , Sankt Marien, in BangkokBangkokBangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
, ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Mr Thomas F. Purcell, HamiltonHamilton, New ZealandHamilton is the centre of New Zealand's fourth largest urban area, and Hamilton City is the country's fourth largest territorial authority. Hamilton is in the Waikato Region of the North Island, approximately south of Auckland...
, New ZealandNew ZealandNew Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He was presented the medal by Bishop Denis Browne of The Diocese of HamiltonRoman Catholic Diocese of Hamilton, New ZealandThe Latin Rite Catholic Diocese of Hamilton, New Zealand is a suffragan diocese of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Wellington. It was formed on 6 March 1980 from a portion of the territory in the Diocese of Auckland.-Ordinaries of Hamilton, New Zealand:...
on 9 June 2010 at St. Columba's Parish, Hamilton. - Peggy Moriarty received the medal on 12 June 2010 from the Bishop of KerryBishop of KerryThe Bishop of Kerry is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Kerry, one of the suffragan dioceses of the Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly in Ireland.. Their present see is at St...
, Dr. Bill MurphyWilliam Murphy (Bishop of Kerry)William Murphy , ordained as a priest in 1961, is since 1995 the Roman Catholic Bishop of Kerry.-Life:Murphy was born in Annaghmore, County Kerry, Ireland. He received his education at Ratheen National School and St Brendan’s College, Killarney...
, at the Milltown-Listry where Peggy is a parishioner. She received the award for the time spent looking after the Immaculate Conception in Listry, County KerryCounty KerryKerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, Ireland. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to John Wedgwood of the Parish of St. John the Baptist, in NormantonNormanton, West YorkshireNormanton is a town and civil parish within the City of Wakefield in West Yorkshire, England. It is northeast of Wakefield and southwest of Castleford, and at the time of the 2001 Census, the population was 19,949.-History:...
, West Yorkshire, England, for 72 years of service as organist, school headteacher and several other roles. The medal was presented by Canon Peter Maguire on 4 July 2010. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded medals to Sheila Miller, Elizabeth Turner, and Ann Hamilton during a mass held at St. Anthony of Padua, RyeRye, East SussexRye is a small town in East Sussex, England, which stands approximately two miles from the open sea and is at the confluence of three rivers: the Rother, the Tillingham and the Brede...
, East SussexEast SussexEast Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, England on 15 August 2010. The medals were presented by Bishop Kieran ConryKieran ConryKieran Thomas Conry is the Roman Catholic Bishop of Arundel and Brighton.-Early life and ordination:...
and were awarded in recognition of long and exceptional service to the Parish, stretching almost 80 years. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded Dr. Matthew Yu Min-Teh the medal on 12 July 2010 for his exceptional Christian commitment and leadership during his presidency at Providence UniversityProvidence UniversityProvidence University is a Catholic co-educational institution in Shalu District, Taichung City, Taiwan.- History :...
, TaichungTaichung-Demographics:Taichung’s population was an estimated 1,040,725 in August 2006. There are slightly more females in the city than males.24.32% of residents are children, while 16.63% are young people, 52.68% are middle-age, and 6.73% are elderly....
, TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. The medal was presented by the Bishop of TaichungRoman Catholic Diocese of TaichungThe Roman Catholic Diocese of Taichung is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Taiwan....
, Martin Su Yao-Wen on 15 September 2010. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded David Risk the medal on 7 November 2010 for years of dedication to the St. Charles BorromeoSt. Charles Borromeo Church (North Hollywood)St. Charles Borromeo Church is a Catholic church and elementary school located at Moorpark and Lankershim in North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. It is one of the oldest parishes in the San Fernando Valley dating back to 1921...
parish. The Medal was presented by Cardinal Mahony. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded Patricia Mundy and Joe Davies the medal on 4 September 2010 presented on behalf of the Bishop of ShrewsburyBishop of ShrewsburyThe Bishop of Shrewsbury is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Shrewsbury in the Province of Birmingham, England.The diocese covers an area of of the counties and unitary authorities of Cheshire, Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin with parts of Derbyshire, Halton, Merseyside, Greater...
, England by Parish Priest Father Stephen Dwyer, assisted by Papal Knight Peter Smith K.S.G., who presented the medal. Joe Davies was awarded the medal for his years of devoted service to the priests of the parish; Patricia for her 19 years of service as a voluntary worker as Manager of Parish Centre and her years of Service to St. Joseph's Parish, WinsfordWinsfordWinsford is a town and civil parish within the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England. It lies on the River Weaver south of Northwich and west of Middlewich, and grew around the salt mining industry after the river was canalised in the...
in CheshireCheshireCheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...
. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded Titus M. Verzosa the medal on 6 December 2010 for his 17 years of dedicated service and leadership as a choir director, a finance council member, and a coordinator of several fund raising events for St. Mary Queen of Apostles parish in Fresno, California, U.S.A. The medal and the accompanying certificate were presented to him on February 20, 2011 during a Sunday Mass by the parish priest Fr. Timothy N. Cardoza.
- Pope Benedict XVI awarded Mary O'Donoghue the medal on 11 December 2010. It was presented on behalf of the Archbishop of WestminsterArchbishop of WestminsterThe Archbishop of Westminster heads the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Westminster, in England. The incumbent is the Metropolitan of the Province of Westminster and, as a matter of custom, is elected President of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, and therefore de facto spokesman...
, England by Parish Priest of Our Lady of the Holy Souls, Kensal TownKensal TownKensal Town is a district of London, England. It is located at the boundary of the City of Westminster and the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, at . It is included in the W postcode area and was first recorded in 1876 as Kensal New Town...
, Father Shaun Church. It was awarded for years of dedication to the parish over 31 years. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Miss Mary Burn-Murdoch in recognition of her work in founding the Colmcille Trust and establishing the Catholic House of Prayer Cnoc a' Chalmain on the Isle of IonaIonaIona is a small island in the Inner Hebrides off the western coast of Scotland. It was a centre of Irish monasticism for four centuries and is today renowned for its tranquility and natural beauty. It is a popular tourist destination and a place for retreats...
, Scotland. The medal was presented to Mary by Bishop Joseph ToalJoseph ToalJoseph Anthony Toal is a Roman Catholic bishop. He is the current Bishop of Argyll and the Isles in Scotland.Born in Roy Bridge, Inverness-shire, Scotland on 13 October 1956, he was ordained a priest of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Argyll and the Isles at St Columba's Cathedral in Oban on 10...
during Mass at St Joseph's, Gilmore Place, Edinburgh on Monday 27 December 2010.
2011
- Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Lady Nora Mai Daly of Gortdarrig, Headford, County KerryCounty KerryKerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, Ireland for her 32 years as sacristan to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour Catholic Church, Shrone. The Medal was presented by Bishop Bill Murphy at a vigil Mass at Shrone church on January 5, 2011. Fathers Larry Kelly & Michael O'Connor also presided. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Mrs Anne Culleton of Piercestown in WexfordWexfordWexford is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. It is situated near the southeastern corner of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort. The town is connected to Dublin via the M11/N11 National Primary Route, and the national rail network...
, Ireland, in recognition of a lifetime of contribution to community and parish life in Piercestown. The medal was presented to Anne by Bishop Dennis Brennan during Mass at St Martins Church in Piercestown on Sunday 8 January 2011. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded medals to Sr. Agnes Murray and Sr. Maura Fay, BallymahonBallymahonBallymahon on the River Inny is a town in the southern part of County Longford, Ireland. It is located at the junction of the N55 National secondary road and the R392 regional road. Ballymahon derives its name from Gaelic Baile Mathuna Town of Mahon...
, Co LongfordCounty LongfordCounty Longford is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Longford.Longford County Council is the local authority for the county...
, Ireland in recognition of their contribution to music and singing in the liturgy over many years in the Parish of Shrule, (Ballymahon). The medals were presented to Sr. Agnes and Sr. Maura by the Bishop of Ardagh and ClonmacnoisBishop of Ardagh and ClonmacnoiseThe Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise is the Ordinary of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise, one of the suffragan dioceses of the Archdiocese of Armagh...
, Dr. Colm O' ReillyColm O'ReillyColm O'Reilly is an Irish prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the current Bishop of Ardagh and Clonmacnoise.The youngest of seven children, O'Reilly was born to John and Alicia O'Reilly in Colmcille, County Longford. His eldest brother, Peter , was superior general of St...
during Mass at St. Matthew's Church, Ballymahon on Sunday 30 January 2011. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Sheila Ratcliffe, of ShaftesburyShaftesburyShaftesbury is a town in Dorset, England, situated on the A30 road near the Wiltshire border 20 miles west of Salisbury. The town is built 718 feet above sea level on the side of a chalk and greensand hill, which is part of Cranborne Chase, the only significant hilltop settlement in Dorset...
, DorsetDorsetDorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
in recognition of her outstanding contribution as Sacristan to the church of The Most Holy Name and St Edward King & Martyr in Shaftesbury for almost 30 years. The medal was presented to Sheila by Fr Dylan James after Mass on Sunday 27 February 2011. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to George M. Serban, of Bakersfield, CaliforniaBakersfield, CaliforniaBakersfield is a city near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County, California. It is roughly equidistant between Fresno and Los Angeles, to the north and south respectively....
, USA, in recognition of his outstanding dedication to "Faith, Family & Friends" in life-long service to St. Francis Catholic Parish, Bakersfield California. Married to Rita M. Serban for more than 50 years they have served the Church with dedicated and unfailing love and self-sacrifice. The medal was presented to George by Msgr. Craig Harrison pastor on Passion Sunday MassPassion SundayPassion Sunday is a name that the Roman Rite liturgy gives to the sixth Sunday of Lent, but that in the pre-1960 form of that liturgy was given to the fifth Sunday...
17, April 2011 in the presence of his entire family, children, grandchildren and great-grand child. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to May McGarrity, of Oxford, in recognition of her contributions over 65 years as church organist and school governor. May started to play the organ aged 17 at St Patrick's Yoker, Glasgow and has been organist and choir mistress to Corpus Christi Church Headington, Oxford for over 50 years. She served as governor to St Joseph's RC School Oxford for 38 years. The medal was presented to May by Fr John Baggley after Mass on Sunday 15 May 2011.
- Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to James Ward of Stoke-on-TrentStoke-on-TrentStoke-on-Trent , also called The Potteries is a city in Staffordshire, England, which forms a linear conurbation almost 12 miles long, with an area of . Together with the Borough of Newcastle-under-Lyme Stoke forms The Potteries Urban Area...
, England in recognition of his life-long work for the Church and the local community. Jim has served the community as a Justice of the Peace for more than 20 years and also as President of Newcastle Players (an amateur dramatic group). His service to the Catholic Community has included being organist at "Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent", for 40 years, and organising the annual Carol Service attended by the Lord Mayor since 1982. The medal was presented by Bishop David McGough, Auxiliary in the Archdiocese of Birmingham on Sunday July 10th 2011. - Pope Bendict XVI awarded the medal to Margaret White, a volunteer Sacristan to the chaplaincy team at Bethlem Royal HospitalBethlem Royal HospitalThe Bethlem Royal Hospital is a psychiatric hospital located in London, United Kingdom and part of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. Although no longer based at its original location, it is recognised as the world's first and oldest institution to specialise in mental illnesses....
, (Beckenham, SE London, United Kingdom). The medal was presented by Bishop Pat Lynch. A thanksgiving service was held at the Bethlem chapel for Margaret and was led by Bishop Lynch – the first ever Catholic Bishop to visit the Hospital. He awarded Margaret the Benemerenti medal in recognition of her generous work and commitment to the Bethlem chapel over nearly 15 years. - Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Mary Cavan retired Office Assistant of the Knights of Saint Columba, Glasgow, in recognition of her 46 years loyal service to the Order.