About St. Thomas More
St. Thomas More was a 16th century lawyer, judge, and first layman to serve as Lord Chancellor of England, then the crown’s chief minister and highest judicial officer. In good conscience, St. Thomas More refused to submit to the Act Respecting the Oath to the Succession, the oath to approve King Henry VIII’s self-appointment to be the head of the Church of England, the annulment of the marriage between the King and his wife, and the recognition of the King’s second marriage. St. Thomas More’s last recorded words testify to his priority of his loyalty: “I am the King’s good servant – but God’s first.” St. Thomas More was canonized in 1935, and has inspired judges, attorneys, legal professionals, and public servants of different faiths for generations.
About the St. Thomas More Award
The annual award honors a member of the legal profession within the diocese who has shown integrity in the practice of law, leadership in the community, and faithfulness to gospel values in his or her personal and professional life.
St. Thomas More Award Recipients
2006 Jim Mize
2007 Michael Virga
2008 Rita Spillane
2009 Dan McVeigh
2010 Joe Symkowick
2011 Lawrence Garcia
2012 Paul Starkey
2013 John Kenny
2014 Troy Nunley
2015 Louis Mauro
2016 Robert Fracchia
2017 Eric Hintz
2018 Angela Lai
2019 Deacon Sergio Diaz
2022 Steven Basha