Grand Marshal and Deputy Grand Marshal of the 2005

Newark Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Announced

Newark, NJ – February 1, 2005 - General Chairman Kevin Frey and the Newark Saint Patrick’s Day Parade Committee announced the selection of a Grand Marshal and Deputy Grand Marshal to lead their 70^th Annual Parade on Sunday, March 20, 2005.  The parade will begin promptly at 1:00PM. 

The Grand Marshal of the 2006 Newark St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be Monsignor John J. Gilchrist.  Msgr. Gilchrist is the Pastor of Holy Cross Church in Harrison, NJ. 

Msgr. Gilchrist was ordained in 1857.  He has earned degrees in languages, sciences and religious studies at Seton Hall University and Darlington Seminary.  He is the Chairman of the Newark Archdiocesan Commission for Inter-Religious Affairs.  He is a columnist for the Catholic Advocate, the official newspaper of the Archdiocese of Newark which reaches 115,000 readers bi-weekly. 

He is currently the Chaplain for the New Jersey State AFL-CIO and Local 68 International Union of Operating Engineers.  He serves as Spiritual Director to the Essex West Hudson Labor Council, AFL-CIO. 

Prior to serving Holy Cross Church, Msgr. Gilchrist was the Parochial Vicar at Saint Cecelia Parish in Kearny, NJ.  During his tenure in St. Cecelia Parish, he fostered a unit for the mentally challenged under the auspices of the Mount Carmel Guild of the Archdiocese of Newark.  Msgr. Gilchrist is President of the Hudson County Resource Center’s Board for Tenant Advocacy. 

The Deputy Grand Marshall of the 2006 Newark St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be Sister Eileen Bradshaw, SC.  Sr. Bradshaw has been a Sister of Charity of Saint Elizabeth for 54 years. 

Sister Eileen Bradshaw has served in the city of Newark for 25 years.  She currently serves as Director of Development at Saint Vincent Academy, founded in 1869.  Today, it is the only Catholic secondary school for young women in Newark.  Sister Eileen began her ministry at SVA as a mathematics teacher, later served as principal, and again as a member of the first administrative team.  Prior to her service at SVA, Sr. Bradshaw taught at East Orange Catholic High School and at St. Peter’s Elementary School in New Brunswick.

Sister Eileen was born in Jersey City. Her grandparents were from County Roscommon and County Kerry.  Sister Eileen graduated from the Academy of Saint Elizabeth. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the College of Saint Elizabeth and a master’s degree, also in mathematics, from the University of Notre Dame. 

She is pleased to accept the honor of being Deputy Grand Marshal of the Newark Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in the name of the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth. Mother Mary Xavier Mehegan, a native of Skibbereen, County Cork, Ireland, founded the congregation in Newark in 1859. Her Irish faith and heritage greatly influenced the congregation for the 57 years she served as the Superior of the congregation and continue to influence the members and their ministries today. The first motherhouse was on the corner of Bleeker and Washington Streets in Newark.

The 2006 Newark St. Patrick’s Day Parade is being dedicated to Patrick J. Tansey, who died on January 29, 2006 at age 55.  Pat was born and raised in Newark and had lived in Rockaway, NJ for many years.  He was a retired Newark Firefighter.  After thirty-three years of service, he retired as a battalion chief for the Newark Fire Department and was named Chief of Staff to the Director of the Newark Fire Department.  He served as Commandant of the Newark Fire Department Training Academy and the Office of Emergency Management.  Pat served as President of the NJ Association of Professional Fire Fighters and of the International Association of Firefighters, AFL-CIO.  He was Past President of the Newark Fire Officers Union Local 1860 and a commissioner of the 911 Emergency Telephone Response System.

Pat testified many times before the New Jersey State Legislature as an advocate for the Health and Welfare of New Jersey’s Fire Fighters.  He was on the Board of Trustees of the St. Barnabus Burn Unit.  A member of the Essex County Police and Fire Emerald Society, Pat was an original member of the Essex County Police and Fire Pipe Band.  

Pat attended Sacred Heart School in the Vailsburg section of Newark.  He attended Seton Hall Prep and Seton Hall University before becoming a Newark firefighter. 

Pat left behind his wife, Barbara (Conlan) Tansey and four children: Erin, Patrick, Elle and Liam. 

The parade will assemble at Washington Street and Central Avenue.  The parade route will run east on Central Avenue, then south on Broad Street, past Newark City Hall, and ending at Court Street.  There will be two reviewing stands, one located at the corner of Broad Street and New Street and the second located at Newark City Hall.