THE
P RTAL
August 2016
Page 7
Catholic Women
of the Year 2016
The Catholic Women of the Year for 2016 have been announced
The Catholic
Women of the Year Luncheon has been running for over 40 years and brings
together Catholic women from across Britain to give witness to the Faith and to honour women who
serve Church and community in a wide range of ways. The Catholic Women of the Year are elected by secret
ballot from nominations sent in from parishes and Catholic groups and organisations. The four elected
Catholic Women for 2016 are:
Dr Caroline Fairey
Dr Caroline Fairey has
been a leading figure for
many years in training
catechists to teach the Faith,
initially at the Maryvale
Institute in Birmingham
and
now
with
the
pioneering School of the
Annunciation at Buckfast
Abbey in Devon. A popular,
gifted and committed Dr Caroline Fairey
teacher, Caroline specialises in using the glories of
the centuries of Christian art to teach the Scriptures,
the Sacraments and the Christian life, showing how
truth and beauty can bring the Faith alive to each new
generation. She was also one of the team who headed
up the original group responsible for the Formation of
the Ordinariate clergy and continues in that role today.
Dr Olive Duddy
born seriously handicapped, and Catherine had to
fight to ensure that she received the medical treatment
she needed. Sara went on to enjoy music and to have a
happy life, a much loved daughter and granddaughter.
Sadly she died earlier this year when only six, but has
left a legacy of joy and hope that Catherine has written
and spoken about, giving public witness to the sanctity
of every human life.
Sister Jane Louise
Sister Jane Louise joined the Ordinariate of Our
Lady of Walsingham, along with two other sisters
from an Anglican community where they had been
for several years. This meant leaving behind the
security of an established home, and venturing into
an unknown future. Later
one of the sisters joined
a contemplative Catholic
order, and sadly Sister
Wendy died, leaving
Sister Jane Louise alone.
She works at Walsingham,
especially with catechesis
for children in the many
pilgrimage groups who
arrive every week. Others
are now interested in
joining what is planned
Sister Jane Louise
as a full community at
the shrine, part of the revival of this ancient National
Shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham.
Dr Olive Duddy, a general practitioner and senior
tutor for the Natural Family Planning Teachers
Association, has helped thousands of couples to
understand natural fertility, giving assistance to
couples seeking advice and help. While raising her own
family, she worked with Marriage Preparation groups
in several parishes and her practical and friendly
help meant that she and her husband were frequently
invited to the weddings. Her work in teaching NFP
also spread internationally, instructing teachers from
Australia and California to Russia and Vietnam,
The Catholic Women of the Year Luncheon will
helping the now widespread acceptance of natural and
take place on Friday 28th October at the Amba Hotel,
ecological fertility care.
Marble Arch London W1H 7EH. Funds raised will
Catherine Macmillian
go to Grief to Grace, a charity helping victims of
Catherine Macmillian, writer and musician, became abuse. Tickets cost £45 are available from Catholic
pregnant at the age of eighteen, unmarried, and Women of the Year Luncheon, 33 Ashburnham
preparing for University. Rejecting abortion, with the Tower, World’s End Estate London SW10 0EE or
help and support of her parents she went ahead with email: [email protected]. The luncheon has
the pregnancy, giving birth to baby Sara. The child was raised £52,000 down the years.