Diocese honors ‘Charities’ supporters
By Chris Donahue
Staff Writer
The ability of Catholic Charities, Metuchen, to transform the lives of people who are struggling to overcome difficult circumstances in life was perhaps never more evident than in Tony Mendes, one of the guest speakers of the 20th anniversary Flame of Charity Dinner in Hyatt Regency Hotel, New Brunswick, Oct. 28.
Mendes, 30, said he was a baby when he was taken from his mother by the state Division of Youth and Family Services. He bounced from group home to group home until he arrived at the St. Peter and Paul House, Phillipsburg, 13 years ago.
Mendes began to work as a behavioral technician in Peter and Paul House, then was named program director, said Annie Lachs, a spokeswoman for Catholic Charities, Metuchen. Mendes is the first former resident of the group home, a 12-bed facility for adolescent males, to become its program director.
Mendes, of Bethlehem, Pa., is also program director of Catholic Charities’ Phillipsburg-based Independent Living program, which helps youth make the transition between transitional living and independence.
“At Peter and Paul House . . . they taught me concepts such as accepting responsibility, hard work and to have a sense of pride in whom I am,” Mendes said. “The view I have of myself changed from one anger and hatred to one of responsibility and caring. For the first time in my life, I truly believed that the options available for me for my future were more than jail or death.”
Bishop Paul G. Bootkoski presented the Community Service Award to Deacon Anthony J. Gostkowski, a member of St. Bartholomew Parish, East Brunswick, and the Humanitarian of the Year Award to Richard P. Diegnan, a member of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Bernardsville.
In his acceptance speech, Deacon Gostkowski, who is vice president of Englehard Hanovia, a New York-based family investment company, said those who attend the dinner“touch the hearts of so many with strength, healing and peace in so many ways.”
Deacon Gostkowski is a member of the Flame of Charity Foundation board and the diocese’s Diaconate Personnel Board.
Diegnan, who is past president of the Flame of Charity Foundation, is past president and co-owner of Atlantic Detroit Diesel Allison and currently serves as consultant. He is managing member of ADDA Realty LLC, director of Enterprise Bank.
“Being a (10-year) member of the Flame of Charity Foundation made me realize that we are all brothers and sisters. We must reach out to the less fortunate because we are all one family in God,” Diegnan said.
During the past 20 years, the Flame of Charity dinner has raised more than $4 million for Catholic Charities, including $400,000 this year, Diegnan said.
Marianne Majewski, executive director of Catholic Charities, said the money is so important because “the needs of the poor continue to be overwhelming.”
Bishop Bootkoski thanked all the award winners and those who attended for their generosity. He also cited the numerous times the speakers mentioned the importance of family and relationships.
“One of the most stunning things this evening was Tony Mendes,” he concluded.“He said an awful lot to each and every one of us. He talked about responsibility, hard work and dedication. That’s what the Catholic Church is all about. That’s why we’re here this evening.”
*The attached/referenced article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law