POPE Francis has awarded Benemerenti medals to Eileen Cain and Molly Heffernan for their outstanding and longstanding service to the church and community.
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The two Moree women were presented with the honour at Sunday morning’s service at St Francis Xavier’s Catholic Church.
This relatively rare honour has been accorded to only one other Moree person: Stella Cusack.
The award originated in the 18th Century with Pope Pius VI and was revised by Pope Paul VI after the second Vatican Council.
It is given to people who embody the council’s spirit of renewal, particularly as outlined in the Constitution on the Church in the Modern World.
Eileen was the fifth of 12 children to Thomas and Valmai Cain, and attended the Aboriginal Reserve School until 13.
She then carried out domestic work with the Bob Picone family, moving to Sydney for five years.
Returning to Moree, she made her debut and worked for many years with Peter and Adrienne Meppem.
She then began work at St Pius X. With her sister in-law, Pauline Cain, she attended Nungalinya Training College in Darwin for three weeks each year from 1994 to 1996.
She has been the chairperson of the St Pius X Chapel Committee since its inception and has prepared countless families for Baptism and other Sacraments.
Eileen has also organised Liturgies and led them in the absence of the priest.
More recently she has hosted and lectured participants in the cultural immersion program run by the Armidale Catholic Education Office.
Eileen says her three most memorable experiences are chairing the first meeting of the Armidale Diocesan Aboriginal and Islander Catholic Council, coordinating World Youth Day activities in 2008 and hosting Canadian visitors, and leading Liturgies almost every week in St Pius X Chapel and preparing Baptisms.
Like Eileen, Molly left school at 13 to work as a cleaner and nanny.
At 18 she married the local barber, Arthur Heffernan, in St John and Henry Church, East Moree.
For 60 years, before the closing of that church, Molly was considered its backbone and was involved in every aspect of its life.
She enthusiastically adopted the spirit of Vatican II and became a special minister of Holy Communion, serving people in Fairview and the housebound.
Molly has been a member of the Catholic Women’s League for 50 years, often serving as president, often taking up issues of moral and social importance.
She received a citation from the Diocesan Council for her dedication.
For many years Molly has run a ‘piety stall’ supplying holy goods and raising funds for various projects.
Molly has also been a successful businesswoman and her shop was famous for its little elephant which entertained generations of children.
In 2004 Molly received a Seniors Week Achievement Award from the Minister for Aging, and in 2006 an Excellence in Business Award from the chamber of commerce.
Molly also won the Moree Citizens’ Garden Award for opening her garden for fundraising over many years.
She was also president of the Railway Tennis Club and given life membership in 1966.
At the age of 66 she won the over 50s ladies cross-country run, and in her 80s was still an active member of the VIEW club, Quota, Smith family and line dancing.
These are a few of the highlights of Molly’s life, lived in service of her church and community.