Benemerenti Medal - Selected Recipients - Awarded By Pope Benedict XVI

Awarded By Pope Benedict XVI

2005

• Pope Benedict XV1 awarded Edna Heagney the 2005 medal in recognition of her long-standing service as an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion 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 server at St Mary Magdalen's Church, Brighton, Sussex, England for over 70 years.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded Henry Raaymakers on April 26 2006 for his service as sacristan of St Joseph's Church, Chatham, Ontario, Canada. The award was presented by the Bishop of the London Diocese, Ronald Peter Fabbro.

2007

• Pope Benedict XVI awarded John McCreadie 2007 medal for Services to the retired clergy of the Diocese of Middlesbrough, England.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded Anthony Brady 2007 medal for Services to the community of the Diocese of Otago. New Zealand.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded "John Lencioni" 2007 medal for service to the Church. {Diocese of Fresno, CA}

2008

• Pope Benedict XVI awarded Michael Madden Cork, Ireland 2008 medal in recognition of his outstanding service during his 23 years as sacristan of St. Joseph's Church, Riverstick, Cork, Ireland.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded William W. Gorman Washington, DC (city), United States in recognition of his service during the visit of the Holy Father to the United States.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Peggy Wilding and Olive Hewitt who received the medal at St. Theodore of Canterbury Church, Monkwick, Colchester, Suffolk, 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, Newfoundland, Canada 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 Booterstown, County Dublin, 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 York. It was presented on 7 June 2009 by Most Rev. Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of Brooklyn.
• Bishop Eamonn Walsh 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 Templeogue, Dublin since 1974.

• Pope Benedict XVI awarded medal to Barbara Conboy, Brigid Hanlon, and John McManus for services to Sacred Heart Jesuit Church, Edinburgh, Scotland, 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 Sea (Stella Maris). The medal was presented to him by Séamus Cunningham, Bishop of Newcastle and Hexham, England on 8 July 2009 at the AoS Annual Pilgrimage to Holy Island, Lindisfarne.
• 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, Bolton, Greater Manchester, England. It was presented by Father Francis McCauley on 25 October 2009.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded Mrs Colleen Stanford, Sacristan, St. Mary's Cathedral, Hobart, Tasmania. 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, Greenwich, England. It was presented by Patrick Smith, Metropolitan Archbishop of Southwark on 4 October 2009.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded Brian Monaghan the benemerenti medal in recognition of his devoted service to the Church and community of the parish of St.John the Evangelest, Kilbarrack/Foxfield, Dublin. The medal was presented by Fr. Declan Doyle on 12 December 2009.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded Tony Wagstaffe the benemerenti medal in recognition of service to the parish of Holy Angels, Ash, Surrey. 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, Wallington, Surrey, England. The medal was presented by Bishop Paul Hendricks 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, Pickering, North Yorkshire, 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 Dunn on 17 January 2010. This was the first time that a Filipino-New Zealand couple was awarded the medal.
• Mr Donald H Williams, of Culloden, Inverness, Scotland received the medal in St. Columba's Church, Culloden, Inverness. It was presented by Bishop Peter Moran of Aberdeen, Scotland on 2 May 2010.
• Mr John Bannerman of Invergordon, Ross-shire, 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, Stuttgart, Germany, 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 Bangkok, Thailand.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Mr Thomas F. Purcell, Hamilton, New Zealand. He was presented the medal by Bishop Denis Browne of The Diocese of Hamilton on 9 June 2010 at St. Columba's Parish, Hamilton.
• Peggy Moriarty received the medal on 12 June 2010 from the Bishop of Kerry, Dr. Bill Murphy, 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 Kerry, Ireland.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to John Wedgwood of the Parish of St. John the Baptist, in Normanton, 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, Rye, East Sussex, England on 15 August 2010. The medals were presented by Bishop Kieran Conry 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 University, Taichung, Taiwan. The medal was presented by the Bishop of Taichung, 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 Borromeo 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 Shrewsbury, 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, Winsford in Cheshire.
• 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 Westminster, England by Parish Priest of Our Lady of the Holy Souls, Kensal 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 Iona, Scotland. The medal was presented to Mary by Bishop Joseph Toal 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_Kerry, 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 Wexford, 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, Ballymahon, Co Longford, 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 Clonmacnois, Dr. Colm O' Reilly during Mass at St. Matthew's Church, Ballymahon on Sunday 30 January 2011.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Sheila Ratcliffe, of Shaftesbury, Dorset 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, California, USA, in recognition of his outstanding dedication to "Faith, Family & Friends" in lifelong 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 Mass 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-Trent, England in recognition of his lifelong 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 10, 2011.
• Pope Bendict XVI awarded the medal to Margaret White, a volunteer Sacristan to the chaplaincy team at Bethlem Royal Hospital, (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.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Mr Eugene Tumelty, who recently retired as headteacher of St Bernard's School, Barrow, for over 30 years of service to Catholic education in St Berard's. The medal was awarded by Rev. William Glasswell on Saturday 17 December 2011 at Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Dalton-in-Furness.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Jean McGuigan for her 49 years of dedicated and loyal service to the parishes of St. Joseph's and St. Patrick's in Belfast, Ireland. The medal was awarded by Father Michael Sheehan on December 20, 2011, at St. Patrick's Church and was followed by a reception in her honour.

2012

• Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Lyn Braithwaite of Palmerston North, New Zealand in recognition of her 58 years' devoted service to Our Lady Of Lourdes Parish. Medals were also presented to Judith and Martin Wall, who have loyally served the parish for 50 years. The presentations were by Bishop Peter J.Cullinane at Mass at Our Lady Of Lourdes Church on Saturday February 11, 2012 (appropriately, the feast day of Our Lady of Lourdes). This was followed by a parish reception to mark their commitment, as well as the 60th anniversary of the parish and also the retirement of the bishop.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded medals to John and Anna Feldberg of Rongotea, New Zealand, in recognition of long and exceptional service to the Rongotea Catholic community. The medals were presented by Bishop Peter J.Cullinane on Sunday 5 February 2012 at Sacred Heart Church, Rongotea.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Sheila Stacey of Markfield, Leicestershire, U.K., in recognition of her long service as teacher, governor and chair of governors (St Clare's R.C. primary school, Coalville, Leicestershire). The presentation was made at Mass at the parish church St Wilfrid of York, Coalville on Sunday 20 May (the feast of the Ascension), by headteacher Mrs Jane Monaghan and chair of governors Mrs Sarah Noon, with parish priest Fr Colin Patey.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to William (Bill) Cahill of Gloucester UK in recognition of his long service to the parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, Churchdown, Gloucester. The presentation was made after Mass on Sunday 29th April 2012 by Father Kevin Hennessey, this was followed by a reception in the Church Hall afterwards.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Giovanni-Battista Marseglia of Watford, Hertfordshire, U.K. in recognition of long service and contribution to the music ministry of the Parish of the Sacred Heart and St John the Evangelist, Bushey and the broader diocesan community. The presentation was made at Mass on the Feast of the Nativity of St John the Baptist, 24 June 2012 in a service concelebrated by Parish Priest Fr Jim McNicholas, his predecessors Fr Guy Sawyer and Fr Michael Markey and Chaplain to St Michael's Catholic High School Fr Uchenna Odenigbo.

• Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Paule Szczech of Wembley, Middlesex, U.K. in recognition of long service to the Parish of St Joseph's, Wembley. The presentation was made at Mass on 21 July 2012 in a service concelebrated by Bishop John Arnold and Frs John Menonkari, Joseph Kaduthanam and Brito Fernandes.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Lorenzo De Toro of Miami, Florida, U.S.A. in recognition of long service to the Church and the cause of a free Cuba. The presentation was made at Mass on the Feast Day of Our Lady of Charity on 8 September 2012 in a service celebrated by Archbishop Thomas Wenski.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Elizabeth 'Lily' Farrell of Blanchardstown, Dublin, Republic of Ireland in recognition of long service to the Church. The presentation was made at Mass on 25 November 2012 in St. Patrick's Church in Corduff.
• Pope Benedict XVI awarded the medal to Christina 'Chrissie' Power of Partington, Manchester, United Kingdom in recognition of long service to the Church. The presentation was made at Mass on 13 December 2012 in English Martyrs Church, in Manchester.