RECOGNIZED BY THE HOLY SEE
What the Cross of Honor means to Sister M. Edward William Quinn, IHM
When Sister M. Edward William Quinn, IHM was told she
would be the recipient of a papal award dating back to
1888, she was overwhelmed to say the least. The cross Pro-
Ecclesia Et Pontifice, reserved for exceptional service to the
Church, wasn’t a recognition she was seeking out.
Certainly Sister Edward is no stranger to honors in
general; she has received many awards throughout her
50 years in Catholic education. Her work — which has
spanned everything from substitute teaching to AOPS
administration — has been recognized at the local,
regional, and national levels before. But which of her
accomplishments earned her an honor as prestigious as the
cross Pro-Ecclesia Et Pontifice?
According to Sister Edward, the Cross of Honor (as it is also
called) is a recognition of collective service, more than one
of individual achievement.
“I am honored to accept it as representing the dedication
and efforts of so many — my Sisters, my family, and my
colleagues in Catholic education,” she told Ignite. “This
award gives added meaning to the lyrics, ‘Walk on with
hope in your heart… you’ll never walk alone.’”
Archbishop Chaput, who nominated her for the award
and conferred it to her on January 21, 2018, agreed that
the meaning of the Cross of Honor extends far beyond the
individual whose name it bears in inscription.
“Each [Papal award recipient] represents and stands in for
the many thousands of other committed Catholics who serve
the Gospel every day with the same fidelity and unselfish
love [as the honoree],” he wrote in a public announcement.
“These special expressions of papal praise and gratitude are
moments of grace for all of us, and they’re meant to be a
source of joy for the whole local Church.”
We asked Sister Edward if she had ever received one piece
of advice that helped guide her teaching to a standard
becoming of this honor.
“The best teaching advice I’ve ever received could not be
limited to one ‘best’ thing. It has been the example of so
many Sisters and colleagues who have modeled what it is to
be a dedicated Catholic educator.”
Sister M. Edward William Quinn, IHM currently serves as Assistant
Superintendent for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment of
Elementary Schools in the Office of Catholic Education.
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