Two Religious – Br Nicholas Harsas FSP and Sr Lorraine Groves MSS - have been bestowed with ecclesial honours in recognition of their life of service and faith.
The Catholic Weekly reports that Br Nicholas was among five extraordinary Sydney Catholics who received honours from Pope Francis for dedicated service to the church and society.
Archbishop Fisher presented three papal knighthoods and two papal decorations to recipients in a special ceremony at St Mary’s Cathedral Chapter Hall in December.
Gaetano Zangari, Honourable Dennis Leslie Mahoney AO KC, Kevin Francis Conolly, Dr Gilbert Vella and Br Nicholas Patrick Harsas FSP OAM with Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP. Photo: Alphonsus Fok/Catholic Weekly.
The distinguished honours recognise service to the Church and society through a variety of contributions in politics, the judiciary, science, social outreach, education, governance, and youth and parish ministry.
Archbishop Fisher praised the “highly gifted” recipients for responding to their baptismal call to holiness and working to build up the church and society.
“The Second Vatican Council noted that there are many calls and gifts, as many as there are Christians. But sometimes it seems to me that the same person is given more than their share of gifts and callings,” he said.
He said all five could be called “spiritual overachievers,” approaching their daily work not as a job but a vocation out of love of God and neighbour.
“I congratulate all of them and join the Holy Father in thanking them for their service and for the provocation they are to the rest of us and to all Christians to contribute to building up God’s kingdom one brick at a time.”
Br Nicholas was awarded the Croce Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice in recognition of his Christian witness and outstanding promotion of the Catholic faith across his many roles in education over more than 30 years of religious life.
First professed on February 5, 1994, with his perpetual profession following on August 19, 2001, Br Nicholas has spent his life promoting the faith as a Catholic teacher and principal within the Archdiocese of Sydney and across Australia.
The archdiocese honoured Br Nicholas with a Dempsey Medal in 2018 and he was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2020.
The citation said that in each of his roles and responsibilities, Br Nicholas has enabled and encouraged those around him and had remarkable success in fostering the faith through his work.
Foremost among his gifts is his fidelity to the search for God and the service of God’s people. A compassionate leader with a keen sense of justice, he is an invaluable asset to his congregation and the archdiocese more broadly.
He also enjoys the highest degree of respect and admiration from his fellow Patrician Brothers for his industry and indefatigability.
He has lived and worked at various Patrician schools within Australia and previously served on the leadership team of the Australia-Papua New Guinea province.
His commitment to the works of the Church and the advancement of the Catholic faith is impressive and enduring, and combined with his personal life of devotion serves as a wonderful testament.
Meanwhile, in Hobart, Sr Lorraine Groves MSS was honoured with a Guilford Young Medal.
Named in honour of Archbishop Sir Guilford Young, and now in the third year since its introduction, the Guilford Young Medal is awarded to those who have substantially contributed to the life and mission of the Church in Tasmania over many years.
Guilford Young Award recipents with Archbishop Julian Porteous, from left to right: Josephine Chipman, Peter Cusick, Reg Maloney, Barbara Allen, Chrisophter Jones, Patricia McKay and Sr Lorraine Groves MSS. Not pictured are Jean Askey-Doran and Tim McManus. PHOTO: Archdiocese of Hobart.
Showing outstanding leadership or undertaking meritorious work on behalf of the Church and carrying out notable deeds of merit in the Church and society are central to the lives of those presented with the award.
This year, the nine Tasmanians who received the medal were honoured in a ceremony at St Mary’s Cathedral on Friday November 3.
In his address to the recipients, Archbishop Julian Porteous expressed his deep gratitude to every individual for their contribution to the Church in Tasmania.
“My dear brothers and sisters, each of you have offered your particular gifts in a generous and sustained way over many years for the good of the mission of the Church here in Tasmania,” he said.
“I know that all of you seek no recognition or thanks. You have been content to offer your time and talents for the common good, willing to give freely of yourself and assist where you have seen a need.
“The Lord urges his disciples to have a humble spirit, content to do His work in secret so that only the heavenly Father knows.
“However, we are also urged to have a spirit of gratitude and a willingness to honour one another.
“This is what has motivated the Archdiocese to establish the Guilford Young Medal, named after one of our great Archbishops.
“We are grateful to you for what you have given to us. And we desire in this simple way to honour you for what you have done.”
Lorraine Groves was born in 1942 in Beaconsfield, Tasmania and joined the Missionary Sisters of Service in 1959, when she was 17 years old.
Sr Lorraine worked in the MSS correspondence schools and was also involved in providing religious instruction for students in the state school system unable to attend a Catholic school.
From 1977-1982 she worked in the printing office of the Missionary Sisters of Service, producing material for correspondence to schools all over Australia.
Sr Lorraine worked for nine years for Grow, an organisation that provided support for people with poor mental health and held pastoral positions in the Central Tasmania and East Coast parishes.
The citation for her award said she was generous with her time and had a special talent for recognising the unique gifts of others.
Many have commented on her ability to develop strong community connections and availability for others.
She has used her talents in handcraft and gardening and has been involved in countless community projects, such as making rugs for aged care residents and the homeless.
Sr Lorraine retired from her formal work in 2016, but remains connected, often as a mentor, to many people through phone calls and letter writing, particularly supportive of those experiencing grief and loneliness.
This article is drawn from larger articles by Marilyn Rodrigues in The Catholic Weekly and Josh Low on the website of the Archdiocese of Hobart.