Newcastle women awarded Benemerenti medal by Pope Leo
Visit our official facebook page to see the photos:
The women were also awarded certificates of recognition by their local parish.
Phillippa and June are congregants of the St Peter and Paul church in Newcastle.
While June is the 'go-to' woman when it comes to secretarial duties, finances and even maintenance, Phillippa makes her contribution to the church, and to the community, as a member of the Catholic Church Women's Network.
The Benemerenti medal was initially bestowed on soldiers in the Papal army to honour those who demonstrated valour during battle.
However, this changed in 1925 when the Catholic Church began awarding it to both military and lay people in recognition of outstanding service to the church.
The medal is a gold Greek cross depicting Christ with his hand raised in blessing. On the left arm of the cross is the tiara and crossed keys symbol of the papacy.
On the right arm is the coat of arms of the current Pope. The medal is suspended from a yellow and white ribbon, the colours of the Papacy.
Phillippa explained that she and June were nominated for the award by the parish priest, Father Andrew Moyo, the nomination was then endorsed by the local Bishop, Graham Rose, and sent to Rome where Pope Leo made the final decision to award the medals.
However, the women were oblivious to the fact that they had even been nominated and were in complete shock when Bishop Rose presented them with the awards during Sunday mass.
'It is the first time in my life that something like this has happened,' said Phillippa, who believes that she and June are the first Newcastle residents to ever receive the award. 'I was so shocked, I couldn't believe it.'
'My understanding is that the award is a token of gratitude for service, not only to the church, but also to the community and to humanity, and we were chosen because of the compassion we have for the less fortunate, regardless of race, religion or financial standing,' Phillippa explained.
Phillipa is better known as 'Joan' in the community she serves. She was given this nickname by her late husband, John, as Phillippa's maiden surname, Bennett, was the same as that of American actress, Joan Bennett.
Phillippa was born in Cape Town on June 6, 1931, but grew up in the Transvaal. She met her husband while working as a child-minder at a crèche run by the Anglican Church in Sophiatown.
'My husband was a priest in the Anglican Church under Father Trevor Huddleston (well known for his anti-apartheid activism),' said Phillippa. 'We moved to Newcastle in the 1950's when my mother-in-law fell ill. She lived in Newcastle and my husband and I came here to look after her. I've been a member of the Catholic Church Women's League since then. I saw the good work that the Women's League was doing and asked to join.'
After Phillippa moved to Newcastle, she went to work as the store manager at Checkers and would later move on to manage OK Furniture.
'I needed to work in order for us to afford our children's school fees and accommodation at boarding school. At that time, there were no high schools in Newcastle where coloured children could enrol,' Phillippa explained.
Over the course of her life, Phillippa was blessed with six children, 17 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.
As a member of the Women's Network, Phillippa visits the sick in hospitals and in their homes to offer prayer and comfort, makes frequent donations of food, groceries, blankets and other essentials to the poor and assists at St Anthony's child and youth care centre, in Blaauwbosch, as well as at the Amakazi old age facility, near Vryheid, as often as possible.
'Nobody says you must do this. It must come from the heart,' says Phillippa. 'To me, charity work feels like a calling from God. It gives me so much satisfaction to know I am helping someone. I try to be a role model to others and urge all residents to join a charity organisation and contribute to the welfare of our community. There are lots of people who need help. We need to do what we can.'
In her free time, Phillippa enjoys knitting socks. '…so people can keep their feet warm in winter,' she laughs.
She also enjoys pottering around in the garden.
June declined an interview with the Northern Natal News.
Phillippa described June as a private person who has quietly served as the backbone of the church for many years.
'Everyone at St Peter and Paul's knows …If you need something, ask Aunty June!' says Phillippa.
June is a retired nurse, who worked at the Newcastle Provincial Hospital.
'We were neighbours for many years and our children played together every day till sunset. They are still friends today,' said Phillippa.
Phillippa thanked the community for its support and her congregation for its prayers. She also thanked Father Moyo and Bishop Rose for deeming her worthy of such high honour.
ALSO READ: Future Coal spreads hope through Mandela Day projects
The news provided to you in this link has been investigated and compiled by the editorial staff of the Newcastle Advertiser, a sold newspaper distributed in the Newcastle area. Please follow us on Youtube and feel free to like, comment, and subscribe. For more local news, visit our webpage, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and request an add on our WhatsApp (082 874 5550).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Citizen
08-08-2025
- The Citizen
Newcastle women awarded Benemerenti medal by Pope Leo
Their decades of faithful service to the Catholic Church were unexpectedly acknowledged and appreciated when Phillippa (Joan) East (94) and June Wells, were each awarded a Benemerenti medal by Pope Leo XIV last week. Visit our official facebook page to see the photos: The women were also awarded certificates of recognition by their local parish. Phillippa and June are congregants of the St Peter and Paul church in Newcastle. While June is the 'go-to' woman when it comes to secretarial duties, finances and even maintenance, Phillippa makes her contribution to the church, and to the community, as a member of the Catholic Church Women's Network. The Benemerenti medal was initially bestowed on soldiers in the Papal army to honour those who demonstrated valour during battle. However, this changed in 1925 when the Catholic Church began awarding it to both military and lay people in recognition of outstanding service to the church. The medal is a gold Greek cross depicting Christ with his hand raised in blessing. On the left arm of the cross is the tiara and crossed keys symbol of the papacy. On the right arm is the coat of arms of the current Pope. The medal is suspended from a yellow and white ribbon, the colours of the Papacy. Phillippa explained that she and June were nominated for the award by the parish priest, Father Andrew Moyo, the nomination was then endorsed by the local Bishop, Graham Rose, and sent to Rome where Pope Leo made the final decision to award the medals. However, the women were oblivious to the fact that they had even been nominated and were in complete shock when Bishop Rose presented them with the awards during Sunday mass. 'It is the first time in my life that something like this has happened,' said Phillippa, who believes that she and June are the first Newcastle residents to ever receive the award. 'I was so shocked, I couldn't believe it.' 'My understanding is that the award is a token of gratitude for service, not only to the church, but also to the community and to humanity, and we were chosen because of the compassion we have for the less fortunate, regardless of race, religion or financial standing,' Phillippa explained. Phillipa is better known as 'Joan' in the community she serves. She was given this nickname by her late husband, John, as Phillippa's maiden surname, Bennett, was the same as that of American actress, Joan Bennett. Phillippa was born in Cape Town on June 6, 1931, but grew up in the Transvaal. She met her husband while working as a child-minder at a crèche run by the Anglican Church in Sophiatown. 'My husband was a priest in the Anglican Church under Father Trevor Huddleston (well known for his anti-apartheid activism),' said Phillippa. 'We moved to Newcastle in the 1950's when my mother-in-law fell ill. She lived in Newcastle and my husband and I came here to look after her. I've been a member of the Catholic Church Women's League since then. I saw the good work that the Women's League was doing and asked to join.' After Phillippa moved to Newcastle, she went to work as the store manager at Checkers and would later move on to manage OK Furniture. 'I needed to work in order for us to afford our children's school fees and accommodation at boarding school. At that time, there were no high schools in Newcastle where coloured children could enrol,' Phillippa explained. Over the course of her life, Phillippa was blessed with six children, 17 grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren. As a member of the Women's Network, Phillippa visits the sick in hospitals and in their homes to offer prayer and comfort, makes frequent donations of food, groceries, blankets and other essentials to the poor and assists at St Anthony's child and youth care centre, in Blaauwbosch, as well as at the Amakazi old age facility, near Vryheid, as often as possible. 'Nobody says you must do this. It must come from the heart,' says Phillippa. 'To me, charity work feels like a calling from God. It gives me so much satisfaction to know I am helping someone. I try to be a role model to others and urge all residents to join a charity organisation and contribute to the welfare of our community. There are lots of people who need help. We need to do what we can.' In her free time, Phillippa enjoys knitting socks. '…so people can keep their feet warm in winter,' she laughs. She also enjoys pottering around in the garden. June declined an interview with the Northern Natal News. Phillippa described June as a private person who has quietly served as the backbone of the church for many years. 'Everyone at St Peter and Paul's knows …If you need something, ask Aunty June!' says Phillippa. June is a retired nurse, who worked at the Newcastle Provincial Hospital. 'We were neighbours for many years and our children played together every day till sunset. They are still friends today,' said Phillippa. Phillippa thanked the community for its support and her congregation for its prayers. She also thanked Father Moyo and Bishop Rose for deeming her worthy of such high honour. ALSO READ: Future Coal spreads hope through Mandela Day projects The news provided to you in this link has been investigated and compiled by the editorial staff of the Newcastle Advertiser, a sold newspaper distributed in the Newcastle area. Please follow us on Youtube and feel free to like, comment, and subscribe. For more local news, visit our webpage, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and request an add on our WhatsApp (082 874 5550).
IOL News
28-07-2025
- IOL News
OTD: Enter the hamburger and the humble spud
On this day in history, July 28 Millions of people around world will be interested to know that it was on this day that the hamburger. 1540 King Henry VIII of England has his chief adviser, Thomas Cromwell, executed for treason, opening the way for him to marry his fifth wife, Catherine Howard. 1586 Thomas Harriot brings the humble potato to Europe from the Americas. 1794 French Revolutionary Maximilien Robespierre and 22 leaders of 'the Terror' are guillotined to thunderous cheers in Paris. 1863 The American confederate raider Alabama, of which the Cape Malays still sing, Hier Kom die Alabama, arrives in Saldanha Bay for provisions during the US Civil War.
Daily Maverick
24-07-2025
- Daily Maverick
Picadillo — spiced ground beef with green olives and Brazilian garlic rice
When you're in a ring-the-changes frame of mind, you reach for Aunty Google and see what you can find. I found a little picadillo. Savoury mince. That's the nub of what this really is. But there are different kinds of savoury mince, in many parts of the world. On toast, for breakfast. Cape Malay curried mince. Underneath mashed potato in a cottage or shepherd's pie. Even our own bobotie is a variation on a theme of savoury minced meat. But in the Latin-American countries, they have something called picadillo. It's a ground (minced) beef dish with plenty of spices, often with green olives in it, sometimes raisins too. I looked around and found a range of recipes for it, studied them then wrote down a recipe. Along the way, I espied recipes for Brazilian rice, which piqued my interest. This is a simple rice dish cooked with onions and garlic. Or just with garlic. So I made the garlic version and tasted it. Five spoonfuls later, I knew that I could just devour a bowl of this garlic rice all on its own, thinking: Who needs the picadillo, this will do fine… Except that the picadillo turned out equally delicious, Together, they make for a really satisfying meal. It's one to add to your repertoire. The rice begins with a refogado, which is a Brazilian (and Portuguese) iteration of sofrito: the sautéing of garlic and/or onions in fat or oil. In Italian cooking a sofrito comprises sautéd onion, carrot and celery, like the French mirepoix. In Latin countries it involves onion and garlic. Here's how to make both picadillo and Brazilian garlic rice. Tony's picadillo with garlic rice (Serves 2 with seconds) Ingredients 700g lean minced beef 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 medium red onion, diced 1 yellow pepper, diced 4 cloves garlic 2 Tbsp dried oregano ½ tsp ground cumin 1 tsp paprika 1 bay leaf Salt and black pepper to taste 1 cup green olives, halved 1 Tbsp red wine vinegar 1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes 1 Tbsp tomato paste ½ cup vegetable stock ¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped For the garlic rice: 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped 1 Tbsp canola oil 1 cup rice (don't rinse it) 375ml/ 1.5 cups vegetable stock Salt to taste Method In a large, heavy cast-iron pot, on a moderate heat, heat the olive oil and add the onions and diced pepper. Sauté for 2 or 3 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and sauté for 2 minutes more. Add the beef and immediately work it with a wooden spoon to prevent it from forming clumps. Cook gently for 5 minutes or so. Add the cumin, oregano, paprika and bay leaf, season with salt and black pepper, stir, and cook for a few minutes more. Now add the green olives, vinegar, chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, and the vegetable stock, and simmer for 15 minutes more. Remove the lid and continue cooking for another 10 minutes or so for the liquid to evaporate a little and the flavours to intensify. Stir in the chopped parsley and leave it aside while you make the rice. For the garlic rice: Heat the oil in a pot and add the chopped garlic, on a low heat. Cook very gently, stirring, until the garlic turns pale gold. Add the rice, season with salt and stir for a minute. Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently, covered, until the water has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and let the pot stand covered for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and let the rice settle for two minutes, then fluff with a fork. Spoon picadillo on top of rice, garnish with parsley, and serve. DM Tony Jackman is twice winner of the Galliova Food Writer of the Year award, in 2021 and 2023.
