The Pope Gives a Houston Leader a Special Gift

What: 67th annual University of St. Thomas Mardi Gras Scholarship Gala

Where: Hilton Americas-Houston

PC Moment: A record $1.8 million was added toward the Ivany Family Scholarship Fund at the University of St. Thomas’ biggest and most glam night on the calendar, this year commemorating the 70th anniversary of the university’s founding by the Basilian Fathers in 1947. Cardinal Daniel DiNardo opened with an invocation before dinner and a video presentation. Following, Cardinal DiNardo presented UST president Bob Ivany with a papal gift, the “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice” medal, the highest honor that can be bestowed by the papacy to laity, in observation of Ivany’s 13 years of service to UST, which will conclude at the end of this school year.

Who: Gala chairs Annette and George Strake, Cathy and Joe Cleary, Mikki Hebl and David Harvey, and the Rev. George T. Smith; UST first lady Marianne Ivany; Mardi Gras king and queen Brandon Park and Hunter Byrne; emcee Rachel McNeil; UST board chair Herbert P. Edmundson; soloist Isabel Rodriguez of the UST University Singers; Trini Mendenhall, the Rev. J. Michael Miller, Marie and Bill Wise, Ginger Blanton, Pat Moran, Aileen and Andrew McCormick and Cynthia Colbert.