On November 1, 2015 in the Co-Cathedral of St. Joseph in Brooklyn, NY, The Conferral of Pontifical Honors was held. Presided over by Most Reverend Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens, awards were bestowed upon well-deserved Candidates. Among the honorees was Mrs. Marie Fouché, Lady of Charity in the St. John’s University Association, who received the Cross Pro-Ecclesia et Pontifice. This papal award was founded by Pope Leo XIII on July 17, 1888, to mark his fiftieth jubilee as a priest. While it was intended to be the way that Pope Leo XIII honored individuals in the Church, it still continues to be bestowed by the Holy Father. This award is given to lay persons and clergy/religious in recognition for the service that they have given to the Church conferring upon the insignia of the venerable Cross, “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice”.
A member of Incarnation Parish in Queens, Marie actively participated in the establishment of the Haitian Pastoral School for the formation of lay leaders; she has been the driving force in preparing many of the Haitian /apostolate. She organizes programs of education and character formation in Haiti, and personally typed an entire book prepared by the Haitian School of religious formation and arranged for its publication. She is not only involved in the Haitian Apostolate, but assists the Diocesan Office of Religious Education. She also volunteers in many other diocesan programs and at St. John’s University. Congratulations to Marie and her husband, Pierre.