Catholic Council President Gerard Reddy, 2016 Breakfast Chairman Robert Erikson, Man of the Year Assistant Business Manager Paul Ryan, Club Advisor Business Representative Bill Hofving and Business Manager Christopher Erikson.
On Sunday, May 1, 2016, the Catholic Council of Electrical Workers celebrated their 81st annual Communion Mass and Breakfast. Mass, at St. Patrick’s Cathedral was officiated by Catholic Council Chaplain Father Brian Jordan. Following Mass, the Sword of Light Pipe Band led the nearly one thousand members in procession to the Sheraton Hotel for the Scholarship Breakfast.
Catholic Council President Gerard Reddy opened the program after the introduction of the dais. He thanked the many committee members who worked diligently on this affair under the direction of Breakfast Chairman Robert Erikson. Gerard then introduced the breakfast toastmaster, Business Representative and Club Advisor Bill Hofving.
This year’s honoree, “Man of the Year,” Assistant Business Manager Paul Ryan was introduced by Senior Assistant Business Manager Raymond Melville. Ray echoed the Catholic Council’s lauding of Brother Ryan. After Paul’s service to our country where he served in the Vietnam War, he returned home and started his apprenticeship in L.U. 501, IBEW. Paul’s extensive career encompassing service to his Local Union and Westchester County civic and political endeavors led him to appointment as Assistant Business Manager by Business Manager Erikson.
Paul graciously and humbly accepted the famed ‘Man of the Year’ award by thanking the Council for their recognition of his accomplishments. Ryan credited and honored his family, particularly his parents and the IBEW for his success and life accomplishments.
Perhaps the greatest highlight of our Breakfast centers on the scholarships awarded to the young men and women. The Catholic Council Scholarship, known as the Fr. Pat Morris Scholarship, is named in honor or memory of an outstanding member. This year was no exception as the scholarship was named in memory of John Moquin, dear friend and stalwart of the Catholic Council, whose many years of outstanding service and dedication to Local 3 are greatly appreciated. Paul Moquin, John’s brother humbly and graciously accepted the award, introduced John’s family and thanked the Catholic Council. Austin McCann who biographed John, then introduced the recipients of the Scholarships. They were, William Barnes, Thomas Cleary, Jack Ryan and Gianna Santigate.
Bill Hofving then introduced Scholarship Chairman, Kevin Munro who administered the 33rd Terence Cardinal Cooke Memorial Scholarship to Kaylee Callahan, daughter of Dina and Bill Callahan. The 27th Robert A. Reddy Post-Graduate Scholarship, administered by Robert A. Reddy Jr. was awarded to Catherine Flynn, daughter of Kevin and Ellen Flynn. Munro congratulated all the scholarship recipients on behalf of the Catholic Council, thanked and acknowledged the sacrifices the members have made to ensure the success of the Scholarship program.
The Catholic Council was honored and blessed to have as this year’s guest speaker, New York’s Archbishop, His Eminence, Timothy Cardinal Dolan. Acknowledging the Catholic Council for the work they do with their Scholarship Program, Cardinal Dolan thanked the Council for inviting him to have the chance to address the oldest and largest Communion Breakfast given by any labor organization in the country. The Cardinal also expressed his gratitude for the hard work New York’s Building Trades have done on the restoration of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The Cardinal then congratulated the scholarship recipients and offered to meet with them following the program.
In his closing remarks, Business Manager Erikson placed parallels between our faith and good unionism as we continue to strive to remember those less fortunate. Chris complimented and thanked Fr. Brian for his sermon at Mass and how it tied into all that organized labor and the Building Trades strive to accomplish for its members. Erikson reiterated Fr. Brian’s message of Pope Leo XIII’s Encyclical and Rerum Novarum, the Seven Principles of the Catholic Social Doctrine and its relevance to the growing disparity of wealth and greed that plague todays working class, union and non-union alike.
In closing, the Business Manager thanked the membership for their continued support and stressed the importance of paying close attention to the present political theater, not to be distracted by candidates posing as friends of the middle-class carrying messages of fear and hate and most importantly not to forget those who have stood with organized labor all along.
His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan addresses the members and guests of the Catholic Council of Electrical Workers.
