The Scottish woman 'overwhelmed' after being awarded medal from Pope Francis

The award was given to Mrs O’Neil for her ‘outstanding service over decades to the church and its people.’

A church goer in Fort William has been awarded a medal from Pope Francis for her commitment to her local parish.

Chrissie O’Neil, who is a member of the St Mary’s parish in the west coast town, received the Benemerenti medal from Pope Francis.

The award recognises exceptional service to the Catholic Church and was given to Mrs O’Neil for “her outstanding service over decades to the church and its people”.

Records show only about a dozen are given the award in the UK each year. Mrs O’Neil was presented with the medal by Bishop Brian McGee, the Bishop of the Diocese of Argyll, and the Isles, at a mass in St Mary’s earlier this month.

Chrissie O’ Neil received the Benemerenti medal from Pope Francis in a mass in St. Mary’s, Fort William. | St Mary's Church

The ceremony was joined by other priests and parishioners of Lochaber. The congregation then gathered in the Railway Social Club in Fort William for food and dancing.

Mrs O’Neil said she was “delighted” with the event, adding: “I was quite overwhelmed with all the fuss.”

Mrs O'Neil was presented with the medal by Bishop Brian McGee, the Bishop of the Diocese of Argyll, and the Isles. | St Mary's Church

Originally established as an award to soldiers in the Papal Army, the medal was later extended to the clergy and the laity. Literally translated, Benemerenti means “well merited”, or person of “good merit”.

The ceremony comes as Pope Francis’s health has deteriorated.

The Pope, 88, was admitted to Rome's Gemelli Hospital on February 14 after experiencing breathing difficulties for several days, where he was first treated for bronchitis before being diagnosed with pneumonia in both lungs.

The latest update from the Vatican said there had since been “slight improvement” and that he “resumes some work”.

In a statement on Monday evening, the Vatican said: "The clinical conditions of the Holy Father, in their critical state, show a slight improvement. Even today there were no episodes of asthmatic respiratory crises; some laboratory tests improved.

"Monitoring of mild renal failure is not a cause for concern. Oxygen therapy continues, although with slightly reduced flow and oxygen percentage.

"The doctors, considering the complexity of the clinical picture, are prudently not releasing the prognosis yet. In the morning he received the Eucharist, while in the afternoon he resumed work activity.

"In the evening he called the Parish Priest of the Parish of Gaza to express his paternal closeness. Pope Francis thanks all the people of God who have gathered in these days to pray for his health."

Over the past couple of days, reports say the Pope has suffered a “prolonged respiratory crisis” as well as an "initial, mild" kidney problem. The Vatican also said the Pope had blood transfusions after tests revealed thrombocytopenia, which is associated with anaemia.

Doctors said on Friday the Pope was "not out of danger" and was expected to remain in hospital for at least another week.