Montreal, Canada, Mar 27, 2005 / 22:00 pm
Jean Vanier will receive the Gaudium et Spes Award from the Knights of Columbus April 2.
Supreme Knight Carl Anderson will be in Montreal to present the award to the founder of L’Arche at a banquet at the Queen Elizabeth Hotel. Knights from across North America are expected to fly in for the event.
The Gaudium et Spes Award is the most prestigious honor of the Knights of Columbus, recognizing individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the Church.
This is the first time a layperson is receiving the award. The first was conferred to Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta in 1992. Other recipients include United States cardinals James Hickey and John O’Connor, and the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Michel Sabbah.