Scotland: Catholic Church to honour Lord and Lady Haughey

Source: SCMO

Pope Francis has agreed to bestow the papal awards of Knight and Dame of St Gregory the Great on Lord William Haughey and Lady Susan Haughey, in recognition of their considerable charitable work for the Catholic Church in the Diocese of Motherwell, the City of Glasgow, throughout Scotland, and worldwide.

Commenting on the awards, Bishop Joseph Toal, the Bishop of Motherwell said: "I am delighted that Pope Francis has recognised the long history of charitable donations both to church and community charities in the Diocese of Motherwell and to the support of many Church and charitable causes in the across the world. I offer many congratulations to Lord and Lady Haughey on these awards and thank them for their tireless generosity."

Reacting to the awards, Lord Haughey said: "We are both surprised, humbled and honoured that the Holy Father has graciously chosen to bestow these wonderful Knighthoods upon us, our faith means everything to us, we very much appreciate how lucky we are to be in a position "to give something back." Our Parish and local community are a huge part of our lives, we are delighted to help in all their charitable endeavours."

William Haughey was born in Glasgow on 2nd July 1956. He attended Holyrood Secondary School and Langside College. He was awarded an OBE in 2003 and was knighted in the 2012 Birthday Honours for services to business and philanthropy. In September 2013, he was appointed as a Life Peer in the House of Lords. Susan Haughey attended Holyrood Secondary School and was awarded the CBE in 2016 in 2017 she was appointed as Lord Lieutenant for Lanarkshire.

William and Susan married in 1978. In 2002, they established the City Charitable Trust, which has donated over £20m to deserving causes over the past 22 years, many of them in Scotland but also internationally.

The awards ceremony will take place at a Mass on the 29th of June, the Solemnity of Sts Peter and Paul, in the parish of St Mark's and St Anthony's in Rutherglen at 7pm.

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SCMO: www.scmo.org