Papal Award for service to Catholic Education

Papal Medal

Michael Woods was presented with the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Award by Bishop Stephen Robson and Mgr Ken McCaffrey for his work helping to rebuild the Dundee’s Catholic schools.

Mr Woods served from 2009 as Head of Secondary Education in the city, and from 2011 as Director of Education. In 2016 he was appointed Executive Director of Children and Family Services, stepping down last year.

Mgr McCaffrey said the award reflected Mr Woods’ support for a Catholic ethos and development of faith in Dundee’s schools and his help with ‘Setting out the Road’, a course for teachers seeking a Catholic Teachers’ Certificate.

Mr Woods was also praised for helping to build the new St Paul’s Academy, a stand-alone new primary school (St Andrew’s), redeveloping St John’s High School and developing four shared campus schools including Our Lady’s Primary with Rosebank, and St Francis Primary with Longhaugh.

“Some of these developments were fraught with difficulty at times and Michael helped to resolve any problems posed and was always ready to listen to the views of the Church, and supportive of the guidelines from the Bishops’ COnference for shared sites,” said Mgr Ken. “As an active parishioner at St Ninian’s, Menziehill, Michael has been an ever present figure at our Civic and Academic Mass, and is supportive of events in our schools. I have no doubts that many of the developments that have taken place in our city schools would not have happened without Michael’s dedicated support.”

PHOTOGRAPHY courtesy of Eddie Mahoney