Scottish Catholic Observer

Ann Widdecombe, the Catholic former MP, has been awarded a Papal honour for her services to politics and public life.

Ms Widdecombe was created a Dame of the Order of St Gregory, an award conferred on her by Pope Benedict XVI, at a ceremony at the Speaker’s House, at the House of Commons, yesterday,

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop Emeritus of Westminster, paid tribute to Ms Widdecombe’s work for the unborn and for the sanctity of human life.

Immediately before the ceremony, Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor celebrated Mass in Parliament’s Crypt Chapel of Our Lady Undercroft. He offered the Mass for the intention of all those who serve in public life. At its conclusion he read a letter from UK Prime Minister David Cameron in which he said the award was ‘richly deserved, recognising the tremendous contribution you have made to the public life in our country over so many years.’ He added that Ms Widdecombe had ‘every reason to be justifiably proud of this very special award, and indeed of all your achievements over the past decades.’

Taking as his texts readings from the Book of Deuteronomy and the Beatitudes, Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor told MPs and Peers that they should always take as their lodestar the injunction to ‘choose life, not death—that both thou and thy seed may live’ and to hold fast to Jesus’ promise that those who pursue justice, righteousness, peace and mercy could be certain that ‘this will find its reward in heaven.’

Former UK Prime Minister John Major attended the ceremony and expressed his delight at the award and said that Ms Widdecombe had the ability to tenaciously fight for her beliefs whilst remaining fiercely loyal to her colleagues and friends, even when she disagreed with them.

Ms Widdecombe is a special envoy on religious freedom for Aid to the Church in Need. she will again be the keynote speaker at an evening of talks on Christian persecution held by the charity in April. For more information click here.