Top Award for Jude Butcher cfc

- Australian Christian Brother honoured

Jude Butcher, Christian Brother and Professor of Education at Australian Catholic University, has been awarded Member of the Order of Australia for his contribution to Education.

Jude was head of Education at Australian Catholic University and its predecessor Colleges for 34 years. During this time he saw to the development of teacher education programmes that produced competent teachers who were imbued with a sense of social justice and community awareness. In addition he ensured that Australian Catholic University introduced courses tailored to the specific needs of Indigenous students, Sudanese students, and teacher trainees in East Timor.

At the conclusion of his work as Head of Education, he was appointed by the University to be the first Director of its Institute for Advancing Community Engagement. This role has enabled him to make a particular contribution to enhancing the University’s input to a variety of community programmes. One of the most significant of these has been the introduction of the Clemente Programme, which now provides university courses to the homeless and marginalised of our society in their own setting. At present some 160 people are enrolled in these courses in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Canberra, and Ballarat. Some of these students have continued to full-time university study including Masters Courses, and one has entered into a Doctoral programme.

Jude, who was the recipient of a Sydney University award for research and also the prestigious John Taylor Award for his contribution to Catholic Education, is an educationist with an international reputation. On the local scene he is also the Chair of the Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education, and Chair of the Business Ethics Initiative of the Centre. He is also on the Board of Edmund Rice Education Australia.

Our congratulations and good wishes go to Jude as he receives this exceptional honour and recognition.

Dan Stewart cfc

January 2010

The Order of Australia Awards, described by Australia’s Governor-General as “the highest level of recognition accorded by our nation for outstanding achievement and service”, were instituted in 1975 and are community-driven. “They elevate the concept of giving to others”, she adds. On behalf of the worldwide Edmund Rice community, sincere congratulations to Jude. We are proud of the quality, vision, and reach of your ministry in education.