The Franco-Iberian Royals Message Board: Re: Papal States...and papal titles

To answer your question, I'm not sure at this point what the actual style of the title given to Mrs. Kennedy was. According to a quick AI search I did, she was "Countess of the Holy Roman Church" - but that title seems very general, and surely there was a place name or other name attached to it? I wasnt aware either about Pope JPII giving out nobiliary titles to other Poles, since I read elsewhere that the practice of granting titles was ended during the earlier reign of Pope Pius XII - so thanks for the additional information.

Previous Message

There are a few families in Portugal that held papal hereditary titles, usually styled comprising their family names.

I wasn't aware of Rose Kennedy's title, granted by Pope Pius XII, in recognition of her "exemplary motherhood and many charitable works".

What was her proper title ? Countess Kennedy, Countess Rose Kennedy ?

Anyway, Rose K. was the sixth american woman that received such title.

The awardeness of papal titles, apparently continued up to Pope John Paul II, who granted several noble titles to Polish compatriots at the beginning of his pontificate, but quietly and without their being published in the Acts of the Apostolic See