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Announcing the Pope Leo XIII Award Gala

December 11, 2017 | The Yale Club in NYC
Pope Leo XIII Award Gala Save Date
3 Aug

Pope Leo XIII Award Fundraising Gala – Save the Date

Announcing The Inaugural Pope Leo XIII Award Fundraising Gala

Michael P. Coneys, Chairman and President of the Board of Directors of The Leo House, proudly announces the Inaugural Pope Leo XIII Award Fundraising Gala honoring his Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan. The evening will feature the renowned Catholic author and speaker, Fr. James Martin, S.J. (e.g., Building a Bridge, My Life With the Saints, Jesus: A Pilgrimage), who will deliver the keynote speech.

Event Details – Buy Tickets Now

Inaugural Pope Leo XIII Award Fundraising Gala
“It’s not just a Gala, it touches people’s lives”

Date: Monday, December 11, 2017
Location: The Yale Club in midtown Manhattan
50 Vanderbilt Avenue, New York, NY 10017
Time: Cocktail Hour at 6pm, Dinner at 7pm

Tickets available for purchase on eventbrite. Click here to purchase tickets or sponsorships.

Questions or Inquiries? Please contact Gala Sales Manager Ashley Bryant at 212-929-1010 ext. 222 or email her at [email protected].

***** More event details including ticket sales and sponsorship opportunities to follow *****

Read more about the history of Pope Leo XIII and The Leo House of New York City.

About the Pope Leo XIII Award

The Pope Leo XIII Award is administered by the Leo House Board of Directors through its Board Selection Committee. The award seeks to recognize Catholic clergy, religious and lay persons or organizations who best embody the ideals and values most cherished by the late Pontiff. The award also recognizes those who have served faithfully to advance and enhance the pontifical legacy and heritage of Leo XIII. The Pope Leo XIII Award remains the only national award in the United States honoring the name of a pontiff.

History of The Pope Leo XIII Award

The origin of the Pope Leo XIII Award in the United States connects to the Archdiocese of Chicago and Bishop Bernard J. Sheil (1888-1969). Sheil, founder of the Catholic Youth Organization (“CYO”) in 1930, devised and initiated the award. After Bishop Sheil’s death, the Award continued until 1978 when it was discontinued. No Pope Leo XIII Award has been presented in the United States since that time.

In early 2017, Fr. James Hyde of the Archdiocese of Chicago, happened upon the history of the dormant Pope Leo XIII Award in archival documents. In staying at the Leo House in New York City, the Catholic guesthouse named in honor of Pope Leo XIII, Father Hyde spoke with Leo House Executive Director David J. Smith. The suggestion was made to “resurrect” the former Chicago-based award and to present it annually. The award is now tailored to, and under the auspices of, the Leo House of New York City.

About Pope Leo XIII

Pope Leo XIII (1878-1903) is the oldest serving Pope to date (reigning until his death at age 93). In addition, he holds the third longest pontificate behind Pope Pius IX and Saint John Paul II. Due to his issuing eleven Papal encyclicals on the subject of the rosary, he is known as the “Rosary Pope.” Championing intellectualism, he attempted to define the Catholic Church in modern thinking. He inspired the Catholic faith in the youth around the world. Standing up for the rights of workers, he supported fair wages, safe working conditions and the formation of unions. Pope Leo influenced Roman Catholic Mariology, or the systematic study of the person of Mary, mother of Jesus. Pope Leo XIII was a tireless friend and protector of German immigrants arriving in the United States, specifically in New York.