Roche to receive Christian leadership award

Former senator, MP, WCR editor honoured for being advocate for peace and justice

- WCR file photo Douglas Roche will receive the Kevin Carr Christian Leadership award on Oct. 18.

By BILL GLEN
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

Since childhood, Kevin Feehan has looked up to retired Senator Douglas Roche as a person with sincere Christian values.

"My folks are close friends of his, and I can remember when he arrived in Edmonton in 1965 for the purpose of founding the Western Catholic Reporter," said Feehan, chancellor of Newman Theological College.

"Growing up, I remember him as a man who set out on his many projects, from the context of a spiritual need to do the work of God in our society. That was my overwhelming thought."

Roche is the 2007 recipient of the Kevin Carr Christian Leadership Award.

Named to commemorate Newman Theological College's seventh president, the award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership in the Christian community and beyond.

Roche left the WCR in 1972 and for some 35 years, he has been an international advocate for peace, human dignity and social justice.

Numerous honours

His involvement with nuclear disarmament has earned him the highest of awards, including the United Nations Association Medal of Honour, the Papal Medal for Service as Special Advisor on Disarmament and Security, and the Order of Canada.

Roche was also presented with the 2004 Msgr. Bill Irwin Award of Excellence from Catholic Social Services.

Feehan said he was honoured to nominate Roche.

"He is a person who I believe is most driven by social justice concepts. He helps his fellow human beings with respect to dealing with the issues of poverty, economic disparity, oppression and fundamental freedom."

Roche had just returned from Pugwash, N.S., when contacted by the WCR, where he co-chaired an international conference on nuclear disarmament that drew 25 of the world's experts, including Hiroshima Mayor Tadatoshi Akiba.

He said the Kevin Carr Award will motivate him to continue to rid the world of nuclear elements.

Looking to the future

"My whole approach to this very welcomed award is to make me even more forward-minded and not retrospective," Roche said.

"I hope it will draw attention to the continuing work to build the conditions for peace in the world. Central to building those conditions is the elimination of nuclear weapons."

Father Mike McCaffery says it's "very fitting" that Roche was selected to receive the award.

Local leader

"He has certainly been a leader in Edmonton since he arrived," McCaffery said. "He's retired but he remains very active in disarmament throughout the world. In this unsettled time of cultural war, Doug is still fighting for peace. He exemplifies everything the Kevin Carr Leadership Award is all about."

Feehan says it's easy for someone like Roche to want to improve the world when the desire is part of his soul.

"He fundamentally believes in the messages of Christ and thinks that what we are to do on earth is to follow those messages. Nobody has done as much, in terms of writing and speaking to try and make this a more social and just world, than Doug Roche," Feehan said.

Roche will receive the award Oct. 18 during a luncheon at the Edmonton Petroleum Club.

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