Special medal from Pope for decades of church service

A FETTERCAIRN grandmother has been recognised by the Pope for her decades of service to her community and her local parish.

Mary Kelly was presented with a Benemerenti Medal at a special Mass in the Church of the Incarnation in Fettercairn on December 3, by Fr Bill O’Shaughnessy and Fr Martin Hughes.

The medal is awarded by the Pope to clergy and lay people in recognition of their work in the Catholic Church, and Ms Kelly received the accolade after Fr O’Shaughnessy nominated her.

Fr O’Shaughnessy told The Echo that he wrote to the Vatican through the Dublin diocese, to make them aware of Ms Kelly’s work and to encourage them to recognise her with the medal.

Two months afterwards, the parish received word that the Vatican had approved the awarding of the medal to Ms Kelly and preparations for the presentation and Mass went into full swing.

This all quietly happened without Ms Kelly’s knowledge, and she continued helping out in the church as a sacristan and in St Anne’s National School where she cooks meals for the children every day.

When she went to the special Mass on the morning of Sunday, November 3, she was oblivious to the fact that the event was for her – until she realised that Fr O’Shaughnessy was referring to her.

“I didn’t know what was happening,” Ms Kelly told The Echo.

“The priest was saying all these things about this woman and all the charity work she did, and I hadn’t a clue who he was talking about.

“Then I saw all my grandkids coming into the church, and I thought, ‘What’s going on?’

“Then he mentioned that the woman did the sale of work, and I’m the only one who organises the sale of work, and I thought, ‘Sweet mother of divine, he’s talking about me!’”

The decision was made to keep the awarding of the medal under wraps as Ms Kelly is characteristically humble, and never seeks praise for the work she does.

Fr O’Shaughnessy said: “When it comes to Mary Kelly, she’s been giving all her time and energy for 40 years in Fettercairn – 40 years of commitment and charity.

“She even took time off her holidays before to come back and open the church for a funeral, she has an extraordinary level of dedication and commitment.

“She never asks for anything in return, it’s just for the love of it, and for the love of her family, neighbours, the church and the school.

“Mary is like a second mother to me, and I was so nervous but extremely emotional to give her the medal – it’s definitely been one of the high points in my time as a priest here.”

It was also a high point for Ms Kelly, who sounded in disbelief when she spoke to The Echo last Thursday afternoon about her experience.

“I was bawling when I got the medal, it knocked the stuffing out of me,” she recalled.

“I don’t do any of this for praise or anything, but I can’t believe I got a medal from the Pope, even strangers have been congratulating me.”

Ms Kelly’s name is now on a list of Benemerenti Medal recipients that is recorded by the Catholic Church, which dates back to the 1800s.

“Mary’s name will now go on a list of Benemerenti Medal recipients,” added Fr O’Shaughnessy, “and not everyone gets that medal.

“Her name is now on a list that will forever be in the church’s history.”