sir bertie and lady mary??? great country this is.

national | miscellaneous | news report Sunday May 23, 2004 13:04 by secret patriarchal bullshit watch

Taoiseach, President and mayor receive knighthoods and award from 'sacred military constantinian order of st. george'............

ir. ind.21st May 2004

Taoiseach and President receive knighthoods for peace efforts

TAOISEACH Bertie Ahern and President Mary McAleese have been awarded Catholic
knighthoods for their contributions to the peace process.

Mr Ahern also received his award for "his efforts to ensure that the new
European Constitution includes references to the continent's Christian foundation
and heritage".

The awards were conferred by the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of
St George, which is the oldest Catholic Order of Knighthood in the world.
It describes its aim as "the defence and promotion of the Roman Catholic
religion.

In the past this involved taking part in the Crusades. Today it is mostly
involved in charitable work. President McAleese received the highest honour
the Order has to offer in a ceremony at Aras an Uachtarain in recognition
of "her major contribution to the peace process across the island as well
as her commitment to inter-church and interfaith dialogue".

The awards were presented by the Vatican's Cardinal Mario Pompedda last
weekend. He is the Pope's representative to the Order.

Dublin Lord Mayor Royston Brady also received an award because of the work
of Dublin City Council in assisting homeless people.

The Order is currently celebrating the 200th anniversary of its foundation
in Britain and Ireland. Both the Taoiseach and British Prime Minister Tony
Blair sent the Order congratulatory messages on the occasion. The senior
official of the Order in Ireland is Senator Don Lydon. It has approximately
25 Irish members.

Its chief chaplain in Ireland is Cardinal Desmond Connell.