Brian Lawrence and Elizabeth Proust.

On behalf of Pope Francis, the Apostolic Nuncio to Australia Archbishop Yllana presented a Knighthood of the Order of Pope Saint Sylvester to Brian Lawrence, Chair of the Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations, for his nine-year commitment to the work of the Council.

Archbishop Yllana presented the Order during the Australian bishops plenary meeting at Mary MacKillop Place, North Sydney, on Tuesday 24 November 2015.

The Papal Nuncio said, ‘Pope Francis, Supreme Pontiff, received the petition considering the growth and the good of the church, has granted Brian Lawrence of the Diocese of Cairns, to be a Knight of the Order of Pope Saint Sylvester, declared in Rome on the 18 August 2015’.

Receiving the Order, Brian Lawrence acknowledged that receiving an Order like this is not recognition for him, but a recognition for the subject he has been involved in over the past number of years.

Brian added that, ‘we need to formulate what the church is concerned about and the principles upon which we can give a view of an economic system that would be more just and would be able to confront day-to-day problems faced by our Catholic agencies’.

Archbishop Hart, President of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, presented Brian Lawrence with a certificate of appreciation for his nine years of service on the Australian Catholic Council for Employment Relations. ‘We sincerely value and appreciate you and your work and we look forward to continuing to work with you in the future.’

Bishop of Cairns, James Foley, congratulated Brian on receiving the Order and thanked him for his years of service.