The late Pope Francis, in one of his last acts, conferred the honor of the Order of Saint Gregory the Great upon Martin Naughton, Trustee Emeritus of the University of Notre Dame, and his wife, Carmel.

The papal honor is in recognition of the Naughtons’ outstanding philanthropy in the areas of education and the arts, particularly in the provision of philanthropic support and scholarships to Catholic education at the University of Notre Dame and Kylemore Abbey, and in their transformative contributions to higher education in Ireland, including Trinity College Dublin, Dublin City University and Queen’s University Belfast.

“We are deeply grateful for the tremendous vision and generosity of Carmel, Martin and the entire Naughton family and for the innumerable ways they have enriched the lives of so many here at Notre Dame, within the Church and around the world. Their impact is enduring, as they, through their words and actions, live out the Gospel call. It is thanks to their foresight that generations of students and scholars are able to pursue research in science, technology and the arts that serves the common good, and they have been instrumental in expanding the field of Irish studies,” said Notre Dame President Rev. Robert A. Dowd, C.S.C. “The Order of Saint Gregory is an extraordinary honor, and we celebrate this wonderful and fitting acknowledgment of the Naughtons’ faith-filled leadership and generous service.”

Founded by Pope Gregory XVI in 1831, The Order of Saint Gregory the Great is one of the five orders of knighthood of the Holy See. The honor is bestowed upon Catholic laypeople in recognition of their personal service to the Catholic Church, “through their unusual labors, their support of the Holy See and the examples they set in their communities and their countries.”

“Carmel and I are deeply honored and humbled to be recognized by the Holy See in such a special way,” Martin Naughton, founder and chairman emeritus of the Glen Dimplex Group, commented on receiving the papal award. “For both of us, the Order of Saint Gregory has an important meaning given that it signifies service above all. Whether through our work as an employer in Ireland and around the world, or through our philanthropy helping universities and good causes, we have tried to put the ideals of service first and foremost in our lives, both personal and professional.”

Martin Naughton founded the Glen Dimplex Group, an Irish-headquartered international manufacturing group, in 1973. In 1994, Carmel and Martin Naughton established The Naughton Foundation to support arts and educational causes.

Since 2008, hundreds of students with an aptitude for STEM disciplines have been supported through the Naughton Fellowships and the Naughton Scholarships. These awards include four-year university scholarships, funded exchange programs, masters degrees and international research grants for students, graduates and faculty at the University of Notre Dame and Ireland’s leading research universities.

The Naughton Family are longstanding supporters of the University of Notre Dame since Martin Naughton's appointment to the Board of Trustees in 1991.

Together with founding benefactors Donald and Marilyn Keough, the Naughtons helped establish and expand the Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies, now widely recognized as a world leader in the field.

Carmel Naughton is a member of the Royal Irish Academy, an honorary member of the Royal Hibernian Academy and a recipient of the Prince Charles Medal for Services to the Arts in Northern Ireland. She served on the Board of the National Gallery of Ireland for over a decade, the first woman ever to be elected chair of the Board in 1996. Martin Naughton was knighted by HRH the Prince of Wales in 2015 and named an Officier of the Légion d’Honneur by the French government in 2016. They were jointly named Philanthropists of the Year by the Community Foundation of Ireland in 2016 and have received honorary degrees from both the University of Notre Dame and Trinity College Dublin.

“[The Naughtons’] remarkable generosity has made a lasting mark on countless universities and institutions in Ireland and beyond, allowing access to the gift of education for hundreds of students over the years,” John McCaffrey, president of the Association of Papal Orders in Ireland said. “Their work for peace on [the island of Ireland] has also been constant and unceasing. It is significant that these were among the very last honors to be awarded by the late Pope Francis, who himself studied in Ireland at one point and for whom peace and education were especially close to his heart.”

The conferral of the papal honors will take place in August at a Mass and ceremony in Dublin, Ireland, by the Most Reverend Thomas Deenihan, Bishop of Meath.

Originally published by Margaret Arriola at dublin.nd.edu on July 04, 2025.