Dame Joanna's Investiture...

Yesterday I was privileged to be able to attend the Investiture of Joanna Bogle as a Dame of St. Gregory. Monsignor Keith Newton, of the Ordinariate of Our Lady of Walsingham, was celebrant for the Mass, and Fr. Stephen Langridge preached the homily. Archbishop Peter Smith had been delayed getting back from a UCM event at Aylesford, but he made it back by the skin of his teeth before Mass ended and so was able to confer the award.

Joanna was typically modest in her thank-you speech and said that she considered the award to be a recognition of all the work of many faithful Catholics, but the long list of her activities and achievements in the service of the Church, first by Fr. Langridge during his homily and then by Archbishop Smith at the end of Mass, just underlined what a richly-deserved honour this really was. Joanna has been an indefatigable defender of the Faith for many years, and the Order of St. Gregory is one of the highest honours which can be conferred on a layman.

There are a few more photos over at my Flickr page. It was a lovely evening to honour a truly remarkable woman. Many heartfelt congratulations to Dame Joanna, DSG!