Ginsburg receives medal from Pope Francis

Local philanthropist Alan Ginsburg, was completely surprised when instead of arriving at what he thought was a financial meeting with the Catholic Diocese, he was awarded the papal Benemerenti medal, the highest honor that a layperson of any faith can receive from the Catholic pope. The medal was sent from the Vatican to Bishop John Noonan of the Diocese of Orlando, who presented the medal to Ginsburg on Aug. 26 at a surprise luncheon held at the Catholic Campus Ministry Center at UCF. Pope Francis granted this honor in recognition of Ginsburg's sacrifices - both personal and financial - to establish a Jewish Hillel and a Catholic Campus Ministry Center, side by side, that nuture the spiritual lives of UCF students. Since the medal was first instituted in 1926, fewer than 200 people and only a handful of non-Catholics have received this award. See next week's Heritage for the full story.