Queen’s Birthday Honours

“Shine like lights in the world as you hold onto the word of life.” (Philippians 2:15d-16a)

	Above: Sr Brigid Arthur AO

A founding member of the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce, Sr Brigid Arthur, a Catholic religious sister, has been made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday Honours.

In a letter of congratulations to Sr Brigid on her honour, General Secretary Ms Liz Stone thanked her for her work with the Australian Churches Refugee Taskforce in her role as the Coordinator of the Brigidine Asylum Seeker Project . 

“You have been tireless in your service to the most vulnerable in our community, especially the people seeking asylum who have been indefinitely detained by the Australian Government and live with the trauma of this dehumanising treatment. 

“We also acknowledge your persistent call for Australia’s churches to speak out together for those who are marginalised and forgotten in our communities and the inequality and destitution that is being experienced by a growing group.”   

Ms Stone also noted that Sr Brigid has been “such a role model in educating the next generations to live the Christian values of compassion, generosity, justice and reconciliation.”  

Watch the ABC Freeview Compass program about Sr Brigid Arthur:

ABC Compass: Season 36 Episode 06 · The Nun in the Cage - 17 Apr 2022 

At 87, activist nun Sister Brigid Arthur works closely with refugees and acts as litigation guardian for eight teenagers seeking to block a coal mine expansion. The team unpack Sister Brigid's long history of activism and her motivation.

Read: 

‘The very best of Australia’: For-purpose sector honoured on Queen’s Birthday | Probono Australia 

Invitation to join online event 

Learn about Australia's new community sponsorship program for refugees 

Community Refugee Sponsorship Australia (CRSA) together with Amnesty International Australia and UNHCR invite you to end this year's Refugee Week on a high note. Join us in celebrating the power of local community-led support for refugees and learn about Australia's ground-breaking new community sponsorship program for refugees. 

The recently announced Community Refugee Integration and Settlement Pilot (CRISP) is inspired by the successful Canadian refugee sponsorship program and enables everyday Australians, community groups, faith organisations, clubs and businesses to take the lead role in welcoming and supporting the settlement and integration of UNHCR-referred refugees from 'Day 1' of their Australian journey.

This community-led approach has the potential to expand and improve refugee resettlement and marks an exciting new chapter in Australia's humanitarian migration program. 

Join this online event to hear from those with lived experience of providing and receiving community-led support along with CRSA, Amnesty and UNHCR representatives. 

When: Friday 24 June at 1pm AEST 

Register: Online via Zoom