Sr. Tesa Fitzgerald honored with Spes Unica Award at May 2018 Evening of Hope
June 17, 2018
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.
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
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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
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The 2024 National Assembly of the Ladies of Charity USA (LCUSA) took place in St. Louis, Missouri from September 5–7, 2024. The theme of the assembly was “Committed to the Eucharist, Committed to Those in Need.”
The Ladies o Charity USA got its beginnings in St. Louis so this particular assembly was a special one. The planned trip to the National Shrine of the Miraculous Medal in Perryville MO was a highlight of the trip, not to mention spending time with ladies from all over the USA who share a mission.
The NorthEast Region elected three representatives to the board: Natalie Boone (shown below, center) of the St. John’s University Association was elected as Regional Vice President. Also shown with Natalie are, Fran Simkulet from Binghamton (left) Kathy Roseti of Buffalo (right). Congratulations!
Also, Pat Mulé, (shown far below, left) received a certificate at the LCUSA National Assembly for completing the Spiritual Moderator training. It is so important to understand and live the Vincentian spirit. Congratulations Pat!
Natalie Boone, center, of the St. John’s University Association was elected by he Northeast Region as Regional Vice President. Shown with Natalie are, Fran Simkulet from Binghamton (left) Kathy Roseti of Buffalo (right).
Pat Mulé, left, received a certificate at the LCUSA National Assembly for completing the Spiritual Moderator training.
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The Ladies of Charity at St. John’s University Annual Evening of Hope honors an individual who sustains a commitment to providing opportunities for women and children in need.
The Spes Unica Award was established in 2014 to recognize a person who exemplifies the spirit of St. Louise de Marillac by radically improving the lives of others through service. St. Louise de Marillac was the spiritual moderator of St. Vincent dePaul’s lay women’s society, the Ladies of Charity. In 1633 she co-founded the religious order the Daughters of Charity with St. Vincent to address more completely the grinding poverty of 17th-century France. The newly formed Daughters of Charity set up soup kitchens, organized community hospitals, established schools and homes for orphaned children, offered job training, taught the young to read and write, and improved prison conditions. St. Louise died in 1660 and inscribed on the cross at her grave is the Latin phrase ”spes unica,” which means “one hope” or “only hope.” These words reflect St. Louise’s belief that service to humanity through systematic planning, sustainable programming and extensive collaboration is the “one hope” to effectively alleviate the burdens of people living in poverty. Four centuries later, that vision is reflected today.
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.
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