Highest civilian honour

A civic reception was held at St. Elizabeth Hospital, Hyderabad, on 26 March, 2012 to honour Fr Robert McCulloch an Australian Columban priest who received the Sitara-e-Quaid-Azam from the Governor of Sindh three days earlier for his services to Pakistan. This is Pakistan’s highest civilian award.

Fr McCulloch has worked in Pakistan since 1978 in the fields of education, health and inter-faith relations. He recently moved to Rome where he now runs the Columban House there.

Amongst the civic, political and religious leaders who attended the Hyderabad reception were Bishop Max Rodrigues of the Catholic Diocese of Hyderabad and Sr. Catherine Abdullah, principal of St. Mary’s Girls High School. Fr McCulloch was praised for the work of St. Elizabeth Hospital under his leadership. The hospital was described as an outstanding beacon of compassion in Hyderabad especially through its medical outreach programmes, 'Palliative Care' for the terminally ill and flood relief activities. St. Elizabeth Hospital was held up as an example to other institutions in Hyderabad and Pakistan of how people of different faiths, cultures and languages can work together for the betterment and progress of Pakistan and its people.

Columban Fr McCulloch said that he was honoured in being awarded the Sitara-e-Quaid-Azam by the President and receiving it from the Governor of Sindh, Dr. Ishrat ul Ibad on 23 March. He said the award also showed that the government of Pakistan recognized the presence and work of the Catholic Church throughout Pakistan and in interior Sindh. Fr McCulloch said he was proud to receive an award which carried the name of the Quaid-e-Azam, who founded Pakistan to be a nation based upon principles of unity, equality and religious harmony.

In November 2011, Fr. McCulloch was appointed to Rome (the Vatican) as Procurator General of the Columban Fathers. He returns to Pakistan several times each year.

Another civilian honour

Irish Sister Berchmans Conway of the Congregation of the Religious of Jesus and Mary has been awarded the Sitara Quaid-e-Azam for “her services towards education and promoting interfaith harmony in Pakistan.” She has been teaching young girls of all faiths from different parts of Pakistan for over 59 years.

Read more from The Far East, May 2012