His Eminence Cardinal Sir Norman Gilroy KBE (1896 -1977)
1970 Award

First Australian-Born Cardinal

Gilroy left school at 13 years of age to work as a messenger boy. After serving in the First World War he entered the priesthood. Later he went to Rome, returning with a Doctorate in Divinity. He became Bishop of Port Augusta in 1934, Archbishop of Sydney in 1940, Australia's first Cardinal in 1945, and, in 1969, the first Cardinal to be knighted since the Reformation. Gilroy is best remembered for his advocacy of state funding for non-government schools and his involvement with the ecumenical movement. One of his proudest achievements was arranging the first Papal visit to Australia in 1971, just prior to his retirement.

Gilroy's career was not without controversy. He was conservative and pragmatic and firmly believed that the church should not become directly involved in politics. This brought him into conflict with Archbishop Mannix in Melbourne and B A Santamaria's anti-communist group, the Movement. At Gilroy's funeral in 1977, the then leader of the Opposition, Gough Whitlam, described him as a 'prince who never forgot his priesthood'.