Yogi Sutton honoured as a Dame of St Gregory by Pope Leo XIV
In recognition of her tireless work championing racial justice, Yogi Sutton receives one of the highest honours for a lay person in the Church
Yogi Sutton, one of founders the Catholic Association for Racial Justice (CARJ), has been honoured as a Dame of St Gregory the Great by Pope Leo XIV for her contribution to the Catholic Church and wider society.
Since founding CARJ with several others in 1984, Yogi has tirelessly championed the cause of justice for Black and Ethnic Minority communities, ensuring that the Church does not remain silent in the face of discrimination and inequality.
Yogi received the honour on Sunday 25 January from Canon Victor Darlington at Corpus Christi Brixton Hill, where Yogi is a parishioner.
In his homily, Canon Victor Darlington said:
“Yogi’s work with the Catholic Association for Racial Justice in the UK has been a beacon of hope, reminding us that faith must always be lived out in action… She has shown us that to follow Christ is to stand with the oppressed, to speak out against injustice, and to embody the light that dispels darkness.
Pope Gregory XVI established the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St Gregory the Great in 1831. It is one of five categories of papal knighthood of the Holy See, in which recipients are made either knights or dames.
The honour is bestowed upon lay people in recognition of their personal service to the Holy See and to the Church, through their good work and the good example they set in their communities and their countries.
Canon Victor, concluding his homily said:
Dear Mama Yogi, we give thanks for you today, we thank God for all you have done, for the Church and for the people of God. We entrust your future to God's providence, we celebrate you today, and I express my personal, profound thanks and appreciation to you for all you are to me, a friend and a great supporter.
Please join us in congratulating Yogi for her well-deserved honour and please pray for her as she continues to champion racial justice.
To find out more about CARJ and their work, please visit their website: www.carj.org.uk
