King’s New Year’s Honours List awards Catholic and other Christian figures

The Catholic Herald/ Crux• January 8, 2025

Various Catholic public servants along with those from other religious denominations in the UK, both lay and religious, were honoured in the New Year’s Honours list for 2025.

The list of honours, which recognised over 1,200 people from all across British society, ranging from the likes of sport to business to entertainment and politics, was bestowed by King Charles III.

Dr Gabriele Finaldi, Catholic director of the National Gallery in London, received a knighthood for services to Art and Culture, reports Independent Catholic News (ICN).

“I am profoundly humbled by this honour and would like to express my gratitude for the recognition accorded to me and the whole National Gallery staff’s commitment to public service, especially in the Bicentenary year of the institution’s founding,” Dr Finaldi said in a statement.

Margaret Yates, a former head teacher who is chief executive at All Saints Catholic Collegiate in Stoke-on-Trent, was awarded an OBE (Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) for her services to education. The mum-of-three and grandma-of-two said the OBE was not expected and she had no idea she was going to receive it.

Another Catholic to be honoured was Sue Gray, the former chief of staff for Prime Minister Keir Starmer. She was awarded a peerage, which means she will join the House of Lords.

Gray achieved public recognition as investigator of the so-called Partygate scandal surrounding multiple gatherings held by government and Conservative Party staff during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, when public health restrictions prohibited most gatherings. She was appointed by Starmer as his chief of staff following Labour’s election victory last year in July, though she stepped down in October 2024.

Other Christians who were honoured include:

The Very Rev Mark Boyling, former Dean of Carlisle, was appointed a Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to Carlisle Cathedral. He was dean of the cathedral for 18 years before retiring in 2022. During his tenure he steered the cathedral through the Covid-19 pandemic and oversaw the development of a multi-million-pound education and events project, as well as celebrations for the cathedral’s 900th anniversary that was marked in the same year as his retirement.

John Nixon, Chair of the Cathedral Development Trust, was awarded an MBE for his significant contribution to football and community development across England and Wales.

Roger Evans, chair of Friends of Friendless Churches, a charity that rescues and repairs disused churches, was awarded an MBE for services to ecclesiastical heritage in England and Wales.

Rev Andrew Paget, Senior Force Chaplain for Avon and Somerset Police, was awarded an MBE for services to policing and to the community in Avon and Somerset. In 2024 he marked 28 years as a force chaplain with Avon and Somerset Police and more than 22 years as lead chaplain.

Michael Harris, organist at St Giles’ Cathedral in Edinburgh since 1996, received an MBE for services to music. He said it was “humbling” to be recognised in this year’s list.

Rev Stephen Redman, a volunteer with cancer charity Candlelighters, was awarded an MBE for services to the families of children with cancer.

Jonathan Compton, Chaplaincy Volunteer at HM Prison Morton Hall, has been awarded an MBE for services to HM Prison and Probation Service in Lincoln, Lincolnshire.

Veronica Mary Compton, Chaplaincy Volunteer at HM Prison Morton Hall, received an MBE for services to HM Prison and Probation Service.

The Reverend Neil Norman Gardner, Domestic Chaplain to the King in Scotland, and Parish Minister of Canongate Kirk in Edinburgh, was awarded a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO), a British order of knighthood established by Queen Victoria in 1896 to recognise personal services rendered to the monarch.

The Reverend Canon Dr Edmund John Newell, lately Chief Executive of Cumberland Lodge, was awarded an LVO.

The Reverend Ann Elizabeth Hitchiner, Chaplain to the Forces, received an OBE (Third Class).

The Reverend Dr Kenneth Victor John Hopkins, Chair of Trustees for the Heart of Mercia Multi Academy Trust in Hereford, received an MBE for services to Education.

The Very Reverend Mark Christopher Boyling received an MBE for services to Carlisle Cathedral and to the community in Cumbria.

Photo: King Charles III talks with Reverend Canon Paul Williams after attending the Royal Family’s traditional Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham, Norfolk, England, 25 December 2024. (Photo by OLI SCARFF/AFP via Getty Images.)