 On Monday the 19th December Brother Patrick Lovegrove was
awarded the prestigious Papal medal the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Cross
("For Church and Pope"). As the title suggests, the award is given to
those who have given special service to the Church. The medal was
founded by Pope Leo XIII in 1888.It was the parish priest of Blacktown, Fr Arthur Bridges, who nominated Patrick for this award. Patrick had served as Principal of the College from 1989 to mid-2005, and it was during these nearly seventeen years that Patrick oversaw the transition of the school from a Year 5 to 10 school to a Year 7 to Year 12 one. (Patrick was also Principal from 1963 to 1965.) A small group witnessed the medal being awarded to Patrick by the Bishop of Parramatta, Bishop Manning: Br Aengus Kavanagh (Provincial), Mr Santo Passerello (Principal of Patrician Brothers' Blacktown), and Mr John Aquilina (MP). Family members, Brothers, and friends were also present. Congratulations to Patrick on yet another significant service award: in 2000 the Parramatta Catholic Education Office awarded him a leadership award; and in 2003 he received the Br John Taylor Award. (Several newspapers published an item on Patrick and his contribution to education in the Sydney area. Here is just one of them (pdf 44kb), printed with permission.)
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