Miss A. Coogan

HELD PAPAL AND BELGIAN DECORATIONS Miss Anita Coogan, on whom both the late Pope Benedict XV and the late King Albert of the Belgians conferred decorations, died at her home in Withington, Manchester, last week. She has been in failing health for nearly two years.
Miss Coogan was probably one of the best known lay workers for the Church in the Salford diocese. She was one of the original members of the Catholic Women's League in the diocese, having joined in 1906, the year the branch was started, and she was a member of most, if not all, of the Salford Women's Catholic Societies.
She was also a Governor of the " trollies " (F.C.J.), Convent High School, Fallowficld, Manchester, and for more than thirty years served as a member of the Council of the Diocesan Catholic Rescue and Protection Society. She was the first secretary of the Rescue Fund known as " St. Joseph's Penny," and the fact that the school children of the diocese annually collect something like £1,500 is in no small way due to the early spade-work which she put in in its infancy.
Miss Coogan was appointed a Justice of the Peace for Manchester in 1930 and rendered valuable service until compelled to retire from the active list. She was particularly concerned with the Juvenile Court and her valuable work in this direction earned a high tribute from the Stipendiary Magistrate (Mr. J. Wellesley Orr), before opening his court on Tuesday of last week. " Her assistance will be greatly missed by her colleagues," he said In 1920 Pope Benedict XV conferred on her the Cross Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, in recognition of her work for the Church. She also held a decoration from King Albert of the Belgians for the work shc did for Belgian refugees to this country during the Great War.
The interment took place at St. Joseph*, Cemetery, Moston, Manchester, following Requiem Mass celebrated in the church of the Holy Name, Oxford Road, by her brother, Fr. J. P. Coogan, SJ., of Leigh. The Bishop of Salford was represented by his Vicar-General, Mgr. Masterson. and members of the Rescue Council, including the Chaplain and Secretary, the Rev. W. J. Sewell, were present, along with representatives of most of the Diocesan Societies.