Sydney
6 January 2002
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Obituary: Lawyer, tireless worker and papal knight - Lawrence Paul Trisley 1939-2001
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Obituary: Lawyer, tireless worker and papal knight - Lawrence Paul Trisley 1939-2001
Paul Trisley ... significant contribution to sports
By Catherine Mahony
The Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle lost a great man and a tireless worker when Lawrence Paul Trisley (known to us as Paul) died in October after a 15-month battle with lung cancer. He was 61.
Paul’s family and friends shared moving tributes during a Vigil Mass at his parish church, St Philip’s, Kotara South, and more than 1000 people attended his funeral Mass at the Sacred Heart Cathedral.
He was born in Macksville, on the North Coast, the seventh of 10 children, and attended St Patrick’s Convent, Macksville, for his primary and early secondary education before completing high school at St John’s College, Woodlawn. Paul formed many lifelong friendships at St Columba’s Seminary, Springwood, where he studied for two years (1957-1958).
He then returned to Macksville to begin his law studies. He was admitted to practise as a solicitor on November 22, 1963.
Paul then moved to Newcastle where he was employed as a solicitor for three and a half years and met his future wife, Pauline. They married on June 11, 1966. Little more than a year later - on July 3, 1967 - Paul opened his own law firm, in which he pursued a fulfilling and successful career until his retirement on September 30, 2000.
In his eulogy, Judge Christopher Geraghty, a close friend, spoke of Paul’s love of the law. “Paul was so proud of his profession,” he said. “His knowledge of the law was prodigious; his interest insatiable.”
Paul made an outstanding contribution to the local community by combining his legal knowledge and expertise with his two other great passions: Church and sport.
He was extensively involved in diocesan affairs. The chancellor of the diocese, Sr Patricia Egan, says she will miss his commitment, professional experience and friendship.
Paul was chair of the inaugural Diocesan Pastoral Council and served on many of its subcommittees, including the committees that wrote the statutes of the diocesan commissions and the joint committee of the Pastoral Council and the Council of Priests responsible for the consultation on the Permanent Diaconate.
He was a member of the diocesan finance council, too, and chaired the committee that developed diocesan guidelines for the employment of parish pastoral ministers.
As legal consultant, Paul was responsible for procedures in changing the diocese name to Maitland-Newcastle. And he conducted a thorough study of the GST legislation and its implications for diocesan organisations.
Sr Patricia said: “Paul was proactive in advising us about any legal developments he thought might have implications for the diocese.
“In all his work, he set very high standards - with his generous commitment of time, thoroughness of research, efficient chairmanship and careful reporting.”
He was also very active in his local parish and pastoral region, working with a number of religious orders and serving on the boards of many Catholic organisations.
He was diocesan president of the St Vincent De Paul Society in the late 60s and early 70s. And in 1966 he was honoured with a papal knighthood for his services to the diocese.
Paul’s contribution to Newcastle sports was equally significant. He was responsible for the successful sub missions by the Newcastle Knights and the original KB United soccer team for entry into their respective national competitions and was a solicitor for and member of many sporting clubs and associations.
His outstanding contribution to sport and sports law has been recognised through a number of life memberships as well as an annual sports law prize bearing his name.
Many have commented on Paul’s exemplary personal attributes: most notably, his integrity and humility. The courage and strength he showed during his illness were inspirational.
Paul’s family was the centre of his life - he had four children, Dominique, Martin, Morgan and Nicola - so it is fitting that his daughter, Dominique, should have the final words in this obituary.
“Paul Trisley was my father. It was a privilege to love him and to be loved by him.”