8 Women Made Knights of St. Gregory, First in History
For the first time in its 163-year history, the Pontifical Order of the Knights of St. Gregory enrolled eight women in the Roman Catholic order during investiture ceremonies at St. Vibiana’s Cathedral on March 13.
The eight women, as well as 26 men honored by the Pope, were nominated by Cardinal Roger M. Mahony, archbishop of Los Angeles.
The order, established in 1831, seeks to recognize those who have “promoted the interests of society, the church and the Holy See.” Two of the eight women received the highest distinction within the order, Dames of St. Gregory with Star. They are Dorothy R. Leavey and her daughter, Kathleen L. McCarthy of the Leavey Foundation. McCarthy’s husband, J. Thomas McCarthy, also received the highest distinction, Knight Commander of Order of St. Gregory with Star.
The other six women are Idell A. Bannan, Rosemary Donohue, M. Dorothy Nigg, Dorothy V. Olsen, Margaret E. Rendler and Mary Jane Von der Ahe.
The other 25 men inducted are Ronald F. Boeddeker of the Archdiocesan Education Foundation; Robert T. Campion, former chief executive officer of Lear Siegler Inc.; William M. Close of Kirk Paper Co.; Paul J. Conn; Robert F. Erburu, chairman of the board of Times-Mirror Corp.; Richard M. Ferry of Korn Ferry International; William F. Ferry; George N. Gibbs Jr., of Johnson Higgins Corp.; Paul E. Griffin Jr., of the Griffin Co.; William H. Hannon; Stanley D. Hayden of the William R. Hayden Foundation; Ivan J. Houston, former chief executive officer of Golden State Insurance; William T. Huston of Watson Land Co.; Leo A. Majich; Peter W. Mullin, founder and chairman of Management Compensation Group Inc.; author Doyce B. Nunis Jr.; Raymond A. Rodeno; Roland Seidler Jr., chief executive officer of Seidler Cos. Inc.; John F. Shea of the Shea Foundation; Robert A. Smith Jr. and Robert A. Smith III of Sierra Leasing; L. Owen Traynor; Dr. John S. Wilson; Ambassador William A. Wilson, and Raymund F. Wood.
Five nominees have not yet been invested because they were unable to attend the ceremony. They are M. Virginia Hayden, Katherine K. Pike, Alphonse J. Antczak, federal Judge Richard Gadbois Jr., and Sam Perricon.