Six members of Melbourne’s Catholic community have been awarded prestigious papal honours for a lifetime of dedicated service to the Church and the community. Source: Melbourne Catholic.
Archbishop Peter A. Comensoli said the ceremony at the Windsor Hotel was an occasion for honouring those who have been great servants in the faith.
“All the honours that will be given today are to God’s people, lay faithful, and I think that should be acknowledged,” he said.
Papal honours “are a recognition of good and faithful servants in the life of the Church and in the living out of the Christian faith in society,” Archbishop Comensoli said. “[These nominees] now receive recognition. It’s not recognition that they may have given money for something but that they are God’s servants and in an exemplary manner, and in that we honour them today by these papal citations.”
Kevin Andrews was posthumously named a Knight Commander of the Order of St Gregory the Great, while his wife, Margaret Andrews, was appointed a Dame Commander of the same order. The couple were honoured for over 40 years of work promoting marriage and family from a Catholic perspective.
Among the other contributors to Melbourne’s faith community was Adrian Foley, who was awarded the Croce Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice for his extensive volunteer work, particularly his 16-year commitment to prison ministry.
Nonagenarian Kathleen Thompson also received the Croce Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice. She was recognised for founding and directing the Fatima Centre, which Archbishop Comensoli said was a “powerhouse of prayer”, offering daily Mass, eucharistic adoration and Reconciliation.
Two women were honoured with the Benemerenti Medal, a mark of recognition for services to the Catholic Church, which the Pope may award to lay or clergy, civil or military.
Lucia Brick received a papal award for her many years of service working for the Church in various administrative roles, including a significant period at Catholic Social Services Victoria.
Barbara Shea was celebrated for her outstanding contribution to Catholic higher education. As House and Conference Manager of St Mary’s College at the University of Melbourne and later Dean of Mannix College at Monash University, she was known for her pastoral care of students. She later served as a lay chaplain at Monash, where she played a key role in having the university’s Religious Centre heritage-listed.
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Melbourne lay faithful honoured with papal awards (Melbourne Catholic)
