New Year pride for Catholics

BY CHRISTINA WHITE
Seven catholics were among the hundreds of people honoured by the Queen in the traditional New Year's Honours list.
Conservative peer, Gloria Baroness Hooper was awarded the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) for services to UK and Latin American relations.
Baroness Hooper, who was created a life peer in 1985, held a number of parliamentary under secretary positions and was deputy speaker of the House of Lords from 199397. She is a director of the Catholic journal, The Tablet.
Brian Mulroy, formerly the principal of St Monica's primary school in Sefton, Merseyside, was awarded an Order of the British Empire (CBE).
An order of the British Empire (OBE) also went to Michael FitzGerald QC, for services to the planning inspectorate. Mr FitzGerald's high profile cases have included the promotion of the Channel Tunnel Bill and the Sizewell B nuclear power station for the energy firm CEGB.
Anthony Jones, the former head teacher of St John's Catholic comprehensive in Bishop Auckland, Durham, was awarded the OBE.
Catholic societies were singled out for awards. Patrick McHugh received the OBE for services to the Society of St Vincent de Paul and Michael Power, deputy director of the Catholic Education Service, was also awarded the OBE.
To the delight of his devoted fans, the Irish singer Daniel O'Donnell was appointed an honorary MBE for services to music. Mr O'Donnell is the biggest selling singer of the Irish country music genre with a strong following, particularly amongst his expatriate countrymen. In April 1998, he scored his first UK top ten hit with the single "Give a Little Love".
The honours list also reflected a year marked by tragedy. Several of the MBEs and OBEs were awarded to members of the British Consulate in New York, who worked closely with the families of victims of the terror attacks of September 11.
On Wednesday, Dame Mary Richardson, who received a DBE in last year's honours list, was granted the freedom of the City of London.
Dame Richardson, the former principal of the Jesus and Mary Language College in Brent and now chief executive of the HSBC Education Trust, said she was "delighted" by the honour.
A list of this year's honours for Catholic servicemen and women, will be published next week.
Additional reporting: Sir Harold Hood