A wonderful honor for faithful Catholics, Tom & Gayle Benson, owners of the Saints

Tom and Gayle Benson receive highest papal honor for their generosity to Catholic Church

Published: Thursday, January 19, 2012, 1:15 PM

By John Pope, The Times-Picayune The Times-Picayune In recognition of their generosity to the Catholic Church, New Orleans Saints owner Tom Benson and his wife, Gayle, have been awarded the highest papal honor that Catholic laypeople can receive. They were nominated for the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice (for the church and the pope) Award by San Angelo, Texas, Bishop Michael Pfeifer, a longtime friend, who cited their generosity to his religious order, the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate.

 

AP PhotoNew Orleans Saints football team owner Tom Benson and his wife Gayle, arrive in the East Room of the White House in Washington on Aug. 9, 2010, where President Barack Obama honored the 2010 Super Bowl Champions New Orleans Saints NFL football team. The couple was awarded the highest papal honor laypeople can receive.

 

 

 

In San Antonio, where Benson has several auto dealerships, he gave $15 million to the capital campaign of the Oblate School of Theology, which the order operates. The Bensons were married in San Antonio in October 2004.
The order operates Our Lady of Guadalupe Church in New Orleans, where Benson's church-related gifts include $2 million for a senior citizens center.
The Bensons also gave Loyola University $8 million in 2010 for construction of a Jesuit Center, to include a major new campus chapel and headquarters for faith and service programs that express the university's Jesuit worldview.