She is also an author, trustee of Kildare Ministries, Life Member of Catholic Social Services Victoria and a winner of the 2021 Pro Bono Public Impact Award.
[11][12] Prior to establishing the Brigidine Asylum Seekers Project (BSP) in 2001 with fellow sister Catherine Kelly (dec. 2015), Arthur had been living and working in the western suburbs of Melbourne where waves of new migrants and refugees arrived and she got to know some of the families.
Arthur also recounts in interviews another pivotal time that influenced her: In Christmas 1975, she was crossing the border from Mexico to the US, where Mexican immigrants were lined up in a queue for days trying to get into the US, some to reunite with their families.
[16] At the start of the BASP, co-founder Catherine Kelly studied and became a Migration Agent so she could act legally on behalf of asylum seekers, helping them navigate the visa and immigration system.
In 2002 Arthur helped two boys, the Bakhtiari brothers, who had escaped from Woomera Detention Centre, by meeting and escorting them into the British Consulate in Melbourne to seek asylum.
[15] Showing the relationship between faith and work with asylum seekers, the BASP takes as its motto a quote from a parable told by Jesus Christ, "I was a stranger and you made me welcome" (Matthew 25:35).
[13][22] A litigation guardian is appointed by a court to represent vulnerable individuals and manage their legal affairs (for example, a child under the age of 18 or a person who cannot act in their own best interests).
"[25] Here are some court cases where she is named as litigation guardian: A primary aim of the BASP is to provide hospitality and practical support, but one of Arthur's main roles is to advocate and speak publicly for refugees and asylum seekers.
"[33] Other public speaking events have included: Arthur often writes submissions to parliamentary inquiries on behalf of the BASP and has also co-written an education reference work, and reports about refugees and detention centres.
Her publications include: In 2022, Arthur was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia in the 2022 Queen's Birthday Honours for "distinguished service to social welfare, particularly asylum seekers and refugees, and to Catholic education".