Mark Huddy was recognized for 30 years of service to the diocese on Dec. 25 when he was bestowed the honor of Dignity of a Papal Knight of the Equestrian Order of St. Gregory the Great.
Bishop Earl Fernandes presented the award during a Christmas morning Mass at Huddy’s home parish, Gahanna St. Matthew the Apostle Church, with his wife, Beth, and family members present.
The Order of St. Gregory the Great is a papal award granted by recommendation from a bishop on one of the faithful in a diocese who has served the Church on the local level.
The Order of St. Gregory was established in 1831 by Pope Gregory XVI and named after his predecessor, St. Gregory the Great. Membership in the order can be granted to persons of any faith or gender who have distinguished themselves by their achievements that benefit society.
Huddy, an attorney who joined the diocese in 1993, has served the diocese as Episcopal Moderator for Catholic Charities and the Office for Social Concerns and on the diocesan Bishop’s Council. In his multifaceted role, his primary duties are promoting the Church’s social justice teachings for the poor, immigrants, human life and the elderly.
Huddy has worked with a wide range of groups, including parish respect life coordinators, parish social concerns committees, parish school of religion programs, youth ministry groups, parish senior citizen clubs, parish advocates for persons with disabilities, labor unions, interfaith groups, jail and prison ministers, family violence prevention advocates, and those serving the immigrant population.
Some of the activities he oversees include diocesan senior citizens day celebrations, diocesan respect life Masses and conferences, the annual Good Friday Downtown Stations of the Cross Walk, the diocesan family violence prevention program, rural and urban immersion programs, adult and youth retreats and days of reflection, parish missions, rural life celebrations, disabilities inclusion conferences, the parent/family network for those with children with disabilities, diversity and immigration projects, racism study circles, statewide legislative advocacy days, vigils calling for an end to the use of the death penalty and local human rights activities.
His professional affiliations have included chair of the Ohio Catholic Rural Life Conference; member of the Tri-Diocesan Mobile Ministry Steering Committee, a program to meet the needs of rural Catholic immigrants in northeast Ohio; a board member of the Joint Operation for Inner-City Needs (J.O.I.N.), Catholic Social Services, Inc., St. Vincent Family Centers Inc., St. Stephen’s Community House, The Villas of St. Therese and Birthright of Columbus.
Huddy also has served on the governing board of Pregnancy Decision Health Centers, the Faith Community Task Force of the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence, and as chair of Office for Social Concerns of the Catholic Conference of Ohio.
He was an associate attorney for the Columbus firm of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease from 1981 to 1985; real estate counsel for the Limited, Inc. from 1985 to 1987; assistant visiting professor at the Capital University Law School from 1987 to 1989; director of development in the College of Humanities at the Ohio State University from 1990 to 1992 and executive director of the Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers from 1992 to 1993.
A Columbus native, Huddy earned a B.A. in English from the Ohio State University and a juris doctorate from the University of Cincinnati.