A beloved Sydney Catholic Schools’ principal and religious Brother has been recognised in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

Principal of Holy Spirit Catholic Primary School Carnes Hill, Brother Nicholas Patrick Harsas, has received a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division for service to education and to the Catholic Church in Australia.

“I was very shocked and surprised,” Brother Nicholas said, adding that he hasn’t a clue who nominated him although “there are plenty of suspects.”

A Patrician Brother, he is the last remaining religious principal in Sydney Catholic Schools in the Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney.

“I love bringing out the best in our students, so they can be their best” – Brother Nicholas

Like Bishop Daniel Delany – who in 1808 founded the Brothers of Saint Patrick, popularly known as the Patrician Brothers – Brother Nicholas believes his faith is inseparable from other aspects of his life.

“Part of our charism is the ‘Option for the poor’, which means giving the poor the best opportunities we can,” said Brother Nicholas.

For well over 25 years as a professed Patrician Brother he has done just that, working and ministering at Sydney Catholic primary schools in the poorer parts of Sydney’s southwest including as a religious education coordinator/teacher from 1994 to 1996.

He has been a principal at four southwest Catholic primary schools: Holy Spirit Carnes Hill (since 2019), Our Lady of the Rosary Fairfield (2008-2018), St Therese Sadleir-Miller (2004-2007), and now closed Patrician Brothers Fairfield (1997-2003).

In 2018 he was awarded the Dempsey Medal by the Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, for his years of devoted service to the Our Lady of the Rosary school community including the settlement and welcome of hundreds of refugees and migrants.

“I …