December 05, 2008
A
surprise visit from a world leader who had high praise for St.
John’s University provided an unexpected delight for the attendees
of the Loughlin Society Reception held on December 4.
The evening of recognition for the generous supporters of St.
John’s took on a special significance with the attendance of former
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Tony Blair. Mr. Blair
addressed the crowd of almost 300 assembled at the Essex House in
New York City and drew big laughs when he opened his remarks with
the quip “You’re probably wondering what I am doing here.”
Photo Gallery >
Pedro Gomez '09TCB Speech to Loughlin Society Members
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He explained that he had come as the guest of his good friend,
James J. Schiro ’67CBA, ’95HON, a member of St. John’s Board of
Trustees and Chief Executive Officer of Zurich Financial Services.
“I feel a real sense of honor and privilege to be with you here,”
Mr. Blair said. “I felt that because of what Jim told me about St.
John’s and the difference it made in his life and in the lives of
many others. With what I have heard this evening, I feel an even
greater sense of honor and privilege.” Mr. Blair spoke after a
speech by St. John’s student Pedro Gomez ’09TCB who shared his
experiences studying both at the Queens campus and abroad, all made
possible Gomez said, by the generosity of those present.
After commending Gomez for his stirring words, Mr. Blair noted that
present events have emphasized all the more how what occurs in one
part of the globe has a far reaching impact across the world.
He
spoke eloquently on the values that govern the global community and
the human spirit that leads individuals to reach out to others.
“The way that spirit comes about is actually through institutions
like St. John’s,” he said. “Because each of these young people who
are educated in an institution that was begun as an act, not just
of education but actually of mercy and compassion, every young
person that passes through those doors takes something of that
spirit with them. As a result of that, they go into a world in
which those values are more important than ever before in trying to
define the global community in which we live.”
Mr. Blair went on to say that St. John’s plays a critical role, not
just in New York and at its various campuses abroad, but also
wherever its graduates venture. “Each of these students takes that
special spirit out and gives it to the world,” he said. “Because
the thing that the University teaches is that it is important that
that spirit does not just stop in your immediate community but is
actually related to the challenges, the difficulties, the problems
and also the opportunities that beset our world at this
time.”
St. John’s University President Rev. Donald J. Harrington, C.M.
thanked Mr. Blair for his attendance and remarks. He also offered
his appreciation of The Loughlin Society members whose support
enables the University to be able to offer a quality education to
students, many of whom might not otherwise have the opportunity. In
noting that more than 40,000 applications were received for the
fall 2008 semester, Fr. Harrington said he believed the demand for
a St. John’s education was a blessing. “And why are we blessed,” he
said. “I believe we are blessed first and foremost because we are
faithful to our mission. We are faithful to our mission of
educating students with an education that is clearly value and
faith based and we are faithful to our mission of serving the
poor.”