A parishioner in Surrey has been granted a major award for her services to the Church. Jo Jacques, from St Edmunds parish, Godalming, was granted the Philip Howard medal for outstanding service to the mission of the church in the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton.

The presentation took place during the Leavers Mass at St Joseph's Specialist Trust in Cranleigh. Mrs Jacques was stepping down after seven years as a foundation governor, with particular responsibilities for RE and Catholic Life. The award would have been presented by Bishop Moth, but because he had Covid, Fr Jonathan Howe, one of the trustees, made the presentation.

A former nurse, married with three children and four grandchildren, Jo has worked tirelessly in numerous roles and responsibilities over many years. Her responsibilities have included being a Parish secretary, Prison chaplain, Hospital Chaplain, School and university chaplaincy, School governorship, Parish Representative for Apostleship of the Sea (Stella Maris). She has also written for ICN on a number of occasions.

Jo admitted she felt a little overwhelmed by the award. She said: "I thought that a diocesan medal went to someone who worked hard for their parish and didn't rock the boat. Not someone like me who has questioned, fought, argued, pushed the boundaries and questioned the status quo throughout my time working in and around the Church!"

Fr Rob Esdaile, Parish Priest of St Dunstan's, Woking & St Hugh of Lincoln, Knaphill told ICN: "Jo Jacques' contribution both to the life of the Catholic community and to wider society is best described as 'many and varied'. She is a proud 'Nightingale' nurse (trained at St Thomas' Hospital), I first met her as parish secretary in Guildford, but from there she went on to work as a Chaplain in prison, school and hospital settings, work for a charity helping armed forces veterans, serving as a governor at a special school and being a trustee of a nursing charity, while picking up two MAs at Heythrop and becoming a nurse Freeman of the CIty of London along the way. Public-spiritedness has always been her watchword and she's been a very loyal friend to many."

Bishop Richard Moth met Jo on Friday and congratulated her in person. Mgr Tony Barry, also congratulated Jo, saying she was "someone who put her all into everything."

St Philip Howard is a patron of the Diocese of Arundel and Brighton. One of the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales, he was imprisoned for his faith in the Tower of London for ten years, until his death there in 1585. He was canonised by Pope Paul VI in 1970. The Philip Howard medal was set up to award meritorious service within the diocese.

Source: ICN