After a nearly 30-year career in international development, Eugene McCarthy began a new one: advising and supporting the Holy See’s mission in the Americas. Some 15 years later, the Holy See bestowed a high honor upon him during a ceremony in Washington Dec. 7. McCarthy received the “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice” (“For Church and Pope” in Latin) at the Vatican embassy, the Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See.
“I was both surprised and very much honored,” McCarthy said.
The award is issued from the Holy See and includes a scroll and a gold medal inscribed with the name of the honoree. The award was established in 1888 and is given to Catholics age 45 and above who have shown distinguished service to the church and the papal office.
The nunciature recognized McCarthy for his lifetime of faithful service to the church and the Holy See through his missions to the poor, diplomatic work and direct assistance to the Vatican and the office of the Papal Nuncio. McCarthy’s wife, Mandy, and many of their nine children and 24 grandchildren attended the ceremony.
Papal Nuncio Cardinal Christophe Pierre presided, and ambassadors from various countries and various clergy members who have worked with McCarthy were in attendance, in addition to Bishop Michael F. Burbidge, Vicar General Father Jamie R. Workman, Father John M. O’Donohue, pastor of Holy Spirit Church, and Deacon Tom Grodek.
The McCarthys have been parishioners of Holy Spirit Church since 1974 and will celebrate 50 years as parishioners next year.
“Holy Spirit Parish is proud of Eugene McCarthy being so highly recognized for his work over many years for the Catholic Church,” Father O’Donohue said. “Eugene and Mandy … have been longtime, very active members of Holy Spirit Church, and the recognition is well deserved.”
McCarthy’s path of service began when he and Mandy took a service trip with the Pittsburgh diocese to Chimbote, Peru, in 1968. While McCarthy taught at a local school sponsored by the diocese, Mandy worked at a maternity hospital for impoverished women, Maternidad de Maria, served by the Dominican Sisters of Grand Rapids, Mich. The trip opened McCarthy’s eyes to the needs of the poor.
He went on to spend 27 years at the World Bank in Washington, during which time he oversaw operational and managerial responsibilities in the Caribbean and Latin America. Yet, he always found time to return to Chimbote and serve the local community. He retired in 1999 but continued to work as an independent consultant and an adviser on energy and infrastructure for international governments and organizations.
“It was after then that I started doing work for the Holy See on a pro bono basis,” McCarthy said.
He felt called once again to serve the church, both in Latin America and internationally. “I was very connected to the work of the church, particularly the social development, the human life issues; they were very, very important to us,” he said. Through connections with the diocese of Pittsburgh and his international advising, McCarthy began work in 2007 for the diplomatic missions of the Holy See.
He first served as an economic adviser to the second committee at the United Nations in New York City. Since 2018, McCarthy has served as a senior adviser on economic and social development matters for the Organization of American States, a multilateral organization composed of 34 member states working to promote economic opportunities and protect human rights across North and South America. While not a voting member, the Holy See maintains a presence in the U.N. and OAS bodies.
Msgr. Juan Antonio Cruz Serrano has represented the Holy See before the OAS as permanent observer since February 2021. He spoke highly of McCarthy’s work.
“He was really close to me and would collaborate a lot. He participated in all the meetings. Sometimes when I am not able to go to a meeting, he represented the Holy See. He is very faithful,” Msgr. Serrano said.
“We work on issues of concern to the church: poverty, concern for the poor, ethical issues on human life, and human life issues as well,” McCarthy said. “Usually the Holy See makes different interventions at these meetings as it goes along.”
Through his diplomatic service, McCarthy assisted several permanent observers in Washington and New York, including Msgr. Mark G. Miles, Archbishop Bernardito C. Auza, Archbishop Francis Assisi Chullikatt and Archbishop Celestino Migliore. “I’ve been helping on issues from economic (to) social and political during the meetings that take place,” McCarthy said.
Recently, the McCarthys received a rare opportunity to meet Pope Francis at his Nov. 15 general audience while they were staying at the Vatican Santa Marta guest house. McCarthy said it was an honor.
Msgr. Serrano said that the “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice” celebrates McCarthy’s commitment to the church: both past and present.
“For that reason,” Msgr. Serrano said, “the pope bestowed on him this award, for his generosity, for everything that he did and he continues to do for the church.”
