NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, FEB 7 (ZENIT).- The Knights of Columbus announced today that its highest honor, the Gaudium et Spes Award, will be conferred on Cardinal James Hickey of Washington on April 1. The award recognizes individuals for their extraordinary contributions to the realization of the message of faith and service in the spirit of Christ as it is articulated in the landmark document for which the award is named. The only two previous recipients of the award are Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Cardinal John O'Connor, Archbishop of New York. An honorarium of $100,000 accompanies the award.

    The Gaudium et Spes award is conferred only in special circumstances upon persons of extraordinary merit. "Clearly these conditions are met in the case of His Eminence Cardinal James Hickey," said Supreme Knight Virgil C. Dechant. "His distinguished career of committed service is itself a 'special circumstance' of the most remarkable kind, while his courageous leadership as a priest, Bishop and Prince of the Church has been extraordinary in all respects, most especially as signaled by his devotion to the faith and his loyalty to and love for the Holy Father and the Magisterium." ZE00020722