Junior Ladies of Charity Receive Bridge to Life Award
On Saturday, April 5th, Pat Mulé and Anna Rocchio, Junior Ladies of Charity Moderators at St. John’s Prep, attended the Bridge to Life Gala at Leonard’s Palazzo. It was a beautiful afternoon celebrating life, hope, service, and the power of faith in action.
As moderators, Pat and Anna were overjoyed to see the girls recognized for their compassionate service and unwavering commitment to living the Gospel. The award presented to them read:
“In recognition for your unwavering commitment to the mission—serving rather than to be served. Guided by the virtues of Humility, Simplicity and Charity, you bring the Gospel to life, seeing Christ in the poor through service, education and advocacy. Your dedication to uplifting the most vulnerable is an inspiration and a testament to the power of faith in action.”
This recognition is a testament to the heart, dedication, and joyful spirit these young ladies bring to every act of service. The moderators and all Ladies of Charity at St. John’s University are beyond proud!
LCSJU extends its deepest gratitude to Bridge to Life for this honor and for all they do to support women and families.
Photo: The Junior Ladies of Charity of St. John’s receiving their award from Francesa Yellico, at the 2025 Bridge to Life Gala.
On Friday May 4, 2018, The Ladies of Charity at St. John’s University were delighted to honor Sister Tesa Fitzgerald, CSJ as the 2018 Spes Unica award. Sister Tesa is Executive Director of Hour Children as well as a beloved friend and mentor to many of the Ladies at SJU. In her acceptance speech, she spoke of vocation, and listening to the call to action: attending meetings and well-wishing was not enough. As a life-long educator, Sr. Tesa’s work as a teacher evolved into acting as a foster parent and subsequently grew into her establishing Hour Children as a nonprofit organization to offer supportive services to other children of incarcerated mothers and the mothers themselves. She shared a short video about Hour Children and some of the women who have been touched by Hour Children’s services and love.
On April 15, 2016 we held our third annual “Evening of Hope”. Sister Margaret John Kelly, D.C. was the honoree, receiving the “Spes Unica” award. Sister recently retired as the director of the Vincentian Center for Church and Society at St. John’s University. She was the force behind our formation into an association, and is our Spiritual Moderator Emeritus. Raffles, silent auction, horse races helped the event be a very successful fundraiser. Anna Rocchio served as the event’s chairwoman.
The Ladies of Charity at St. John’s University are proud to present an “Evening of Hope,” an inaugural fundraising event in which we honor Dr. Mary Mulvihill as the first recipient of the Spes Unica Award. Click here to register
The Ladies of Charity at St. John’s University are proud to present an “Evening of Hope,” our annual Spes Unica Award dinner and fundraising event. This year we honor Susan Gordan Ryan as the recipient of the Spes Unica Award. The event ticket price of $75 includes, Dinner, Raffles, “Wall-of-wine” and silent auction opportunities. Please note that all net proceeds raise funds for programs/projects that the LOC at SJU sponsor to combat poverty among women and children.
More details to follow! Registration is open, please click on the invitation below to register or follow this link: https://goo.gl/pu6R9E
2023 Laura Schroff, a New York Times and international best selling author and keynote speaker who was born and raised on Long Island is a passionate and compelling voice on the power of small acts of kindness and mentorship. Through her book, An Invisible Thread Young Readers Edition (ages 8-12), An Invisible Thread Christmas Story (ages 4-8) and Angels on Earth, Laura has committed to advocate and inspire others to opening up their eyes and hearts to the opportunities where they can make a difference in the lives of others. As a keynote speaker at over 200 events and 100 schools, Laura encourages her audience to look for their own individual thread connections.An invisible thread brings to life the inspiring true story of an 11 year old panhandler, a busy sales executive and their unlikely meeting with destiny in 1986.
Pat Shea
2019 Patricia Shea is the Founder and Executive Director of Mommas House that began in 1986 with a home in Malverne, NY offering support to young mothers (ages 18-24) and their babies. Providing physical shelter and a stable environment, young mothers are nurtured and taught to provide child care and parenting skills while encouraged to obtain schooling and job training.
Sister Tesa Fitzgerald
2018 Sr. Tesa Fitzgerald, C.S.J. is the executive Director of Hour Children. She began its founding in 1989 at the convent where she lived when she became a volunteer foster parent to eight children of incarcerated mothers. In 1996, Hour Children became a 501 (c)(3) organization to offer supportive services to other children of incarcerated mothers and the mothers themselves.
Susan Gordan Ryan
2017 Susan Gordon Ryan A graduate of St. John’s University and a special education teacher, Susan used her personal and professional experiences to found the unique and innovative “Empire State Games for the Physically Challenged.” She was the first woman to serve as the director of the New York State Long Island Park System. Her work in the not-for-profit sector included government relations, special events and fundraising for UCP of Suffolk and major gifts fundraising at Abilities, Inc., Albertson, NY.
Sr. Margaret John Kelly
2016 Sr. Margaret John Kelly, D.C., Ph.D. An expert on governance, ethics and Vincentian history, mission and charism, she pioneered the establishment of mission services for health institutions and in higher education. A member of the Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul, Sr. Margaret John was the founder and Executive Director of the Vincentian Center for Church and Society at St. John’s University. She served as the spiritual moderator of the Association of the Ladies of Charity at St. John’s from its inception in 2009 until her retirement in 2015.
Roseanne Haggerty
2015 Rosanne Haggerty Realizing that the solution to end homelessness humanely and economically lay in using communities, Roseann’s efforts focused on strengthening networks of local organizations to solve problems together. In 2011 she founded Community Solutions, a national organization that leads local innovation through collaboration.
Mary Mulvihill
2014 Mary Mulvihill, Ed.D. – A devoted educator at St. John’s and Fordham Universities and a dynamic leader in fundraising and program development, Mary has served as the executive director of Grace Institute and Lincoln Square Neighborhood Center. She has led the way in the effort to help struggling people help themselves.
