When the recipients of the King’s Awards were announced on the June long weekend, his Holiness, Pope Francis also awarded a Papal Honour to Sr Anne Hannigan RSM, who currently serves as Team Leader of the St Agnes’ Care & Lifestyle Pastoral & Spiritual Care Team.

Sr Anne received the “Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice” (For Church and Pope) in recognition of her 60 years of service to the Church and the wider community, which she celebrated in January this year.

Sr Anne has served the people and the Church of the Lismore Diocese for over the past 60 years in a variety of roles and places, including:

• As a teacher at South Grafton, Macksville, Kyogle, South Grafton, Coffs Harbour, New Guinea
• As a principal at Smithtown, South Grafton, Sawtell (founding principal)
• As a mother to 10 children at St Joseph’s Children’s Home in Cowper
• As a counsellor in Port Macquarie
• As a Pastoral Associate at Coffs Harbour

Sr Anne also spent a number of years studying in firstly Sydney, then Melbourne and then in Chicago, USA.

Please join with us in congratulating Sr Anne on this award, deserved recognition for a lifetime of humble service.

About the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice

The Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Medal, which translates to “For Church and Pope” in Latin, is an esteemed decoration of the Holy See. It is currently awarded to individuals, both lay people and clergy, who have rendered distinguished service to the Catholic Church. The current version of the medal, introduced by Pope Paul VI, is only awarded in gold.

The obverse depicts the Apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul in the centre, with the inscriptions “Pro Ecclesia” (For Church) on the left arm and “Et Pontifice” (And Pope) on the right. Three small crosses are positioned at the end of the left, bottom, and right cross arms. The ribbon displays yellow and white colors, symbolizing the Papacy.

Under Benedict XVI’s modification, the individual coat of arms on the top arm of the decoration was replaced by a small cross, while the coat of arms of the Holy See took its place on the bottom arm. The name of the reigning pope no longer appears on the front side.