Margaret Hurley was awarded a Benemerenti Medal, a decoration awarded by the Pope and sent straight from the Vatican, during a service at New Plymouth's St Joseph's church on Sunday. Continue reading

He had recently received the Papal Medal, Pro Ecclessia Et Pontifice for distinguished service to the Church.

Anthony was Chairman of the Divine Retreat Centre of New Zealand.

He worked very closely with the late Mother Teresa and was the Chairman of the Mother Teresa Interfaith Committee established in Auckland in 2010.

Anthony also had a personal audience with Pope John Paul II.

A longstanding friend and former Governor General of New Zealand Sir Anand Satyanand, said Anthony had packed a great many things into less than 20 years of life in New Zealand.

Satyanand said Anthony was successful in business in a personal as well as corporate sense, maintaining an active community life and contributing to a strongly committed family.

"To all of his achievements he brought a graciousness for which he will be remembered warmly for a long time."

"A small point of solace, perhaps, is that his death has occurred in Chennai, a place where he had maintained many connections, notably in education."

Auckland Bishop, Patrick Dunn said "Wency" was a man of great faith.

"Just days prior to his untimely death, he had been on pilgrimage in the Holy Land," Dunn said.

"Wency was a natural leader and a man of great personal humility and simplicity. He touched the lives of thousands."

Anthony moved to New Zealand in 1999, founded WA Marketing Ltd and became a prominent figure in New Zealand-Indian business circles.

He was a former chairman of the India New Zealand Business Council, the first person of Indian origin to do so, and was part of New Zealand government delegations to India in 2001 and 2011.

In 2013, he received the New Zealand Order of Merit Award for his services to New Zealand-India relations.

Source

• Stuff
• Indian NewsLink
• Indian NewsLink
• Image: i.yting.com

On Sunday at his beloved Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Peter Gilmour received a Papal award, the Benemerenti, which translates from Latin to meaning great work. Continue reading

Hamilton Catholic Bishop Steve Lowe visited St Patrick's Catholic Church in Te Awamutu this month to present the Benemerenti Medal and a certificate to the 84-year-old.

Over the last three decades Mrs Reymer has worked polishing brass, making curtains, washing and ironing linen, gardening and creating floral arrangements for local Catholic churches. Continue reading

Wenceslaus Anthony, a Catholic, the the Chairman of the Divine Retreat Centre of New Zealand and Chairman of Indian Newslink Community Fund. Continue reading

He was presented with the Order of the Holy Sepulchre Pro Ecclesia Et Pontifice.

An 80 year old nun, Sister Elisapeta, received the Pro Ecclesia Et Pontifice.

It was awarded in her absence because of her age.

She has been a nun for sixty years and currently lives at the Sisters' residence at Vailoa.

Fe'esago served the church in Samoa with his work for the Saint Vincent de Paul Society.

He also took part in the translation of the liturgy from Latin to Samoan.

In receiving the award, Fe'esago acknowledged "with gratitude and a real sense of humility this blessing received from His Holiness Pope Francis."

"I know of no one who practices the Catholic faith just to receive and achieve an award."

"Each and every one of us are on a journey through our lives to our eternal reward."

"We are just labourers on the vineyard of the Lord and no one can expect more than the promised wage in the field."

"Today's award then is for me personally but is a further sign of Gods continued blessing on me."

"I receive it undeservedly and with a deep sense of unworthiness. Indeed God works in mysterious ways."

"I can only in response echo a line or two from that beautiful song of praise of our Lady:

My soul magnifies the Lord, My spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, For he has looked with favour on the loneliness of his servant. The Lord has done great things for me and Holy is his name."

Fe'esago had a long and illustrious career as a public servant.

He was the Clerk of the Legislative Assembly when Samoa became independent in 1962 - a position he held for many years.

He was Samoa's Ambassador to Brussels and Europe, including the Vatican.

He served two terms as Samoa's High Commissioner to New Zealand.

He has also been Chairman of the Public Service Commission and on the Board of Polynesian Airlines.

Source

• talamua.com
• Image: i0.wp.com

Mrs Walsh was presented with the Benemerenti Medal at a mass and ceremony at the St Theresa of Lisieux parish in Invercargill yesterday afternoon.

Afterwards, she said she was unable to imagine not having a strongly held faith.

"You're just surrounded by it. It's part of the fabric of your life, really - I couldn't get on without it," she said.

Continue reading

Hugh Fulton of St Heliers has received a papal medal from Pope Benedict XVI in recognition of his service to the Catholic church.

The 71-year-old lawyer has received a Benemerenti medal for his dedication.

Parish priest Reverend Father Tony Dunn awarded the medal to an unsuspecting Mr Fulton.

Continue reading

The Apostolic Nuncio to New Zealand, Archbishop Charles Balvo, presented Fr Bill Leeming with a Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal at a ceremony at the Marist Centre in Thorndon where Bill lives.

The Pro Eccllesia et Pontifice medal is also know as the "Cross of Honour" and is given for distinguished service to the Church by lay people and clergy.

Archbishop Balvo said that Bill had served four Nuncios and innumerable secretaries during his years at the Nunciature. He thought it was only fitting that some one who had prepared so many applications for Papal Blessings should himself be recognised with an award.

He said that since Bill retired it's been a case of sharing Bill's workload around and following his well practiced and methodical procedures, but he hoped to find a successor soon.

The Nuncio said he enjoyed working with Bill, and that he did a great many things to help the outreach of the Apostolic Delegation in New Zealand, and he did them with love.

Bill began work at the Nunciature in 1994, after a long career in secondary school teaching. He retired earlier this year.

More Photos

Source

• www.smnz.org.nz