National President Sean Pender Report – May 2025
In the first quarter of 2025, our organization successfully engaged in a series of major events that significantly enhanced our visibility and strengthened our partnerships. We used this time to continue to develop relationships and sponsorships with many other Irish organizations and position the AOH as the premier Irish organization in the U.S. and the voice of Irish America. While consistently promoting the positions that we consider important. Notable highlights included the Irish Citizenship webinar cohosted by Immigration chair Den Dennehy, the Irish Consul General office of NY and the Irish American Baseball Society. With Project Children we hosted a webinar regarding their 50th anniversary and the upcoming October 2025 celebration in County Monaghan. With the LAOH and GAA clubs we hosted an 11-city, 14-day book tour to launch Lost Gaels by Peadar Thompson. When we collaborate with like-minded groups we amplify our impact. Joint initiatives and co-hosted events allow us to share resources and reach a broader audience, further solidifying our position within the community and promoting growth.
We continued to invest in events that recognize youth and our younger members. The AOH National Board sponsored the attendance of Davy Holden, one of the world’s leading providers of Irish history content on the web, at the 18th annual Gael Scoil in NJ. Once again sponsored by Joe Cahil Division 10 of Mercer County, NJ, and chaired by Gerry O’Rahilly, it was an amazing two-day event that I was proud to attend. In May thanks to collaboration with the AOH in Florida and the University of Southern Florida at Tampa, Gael Scoil will be unveiled at a new location. For several years working with Gerry, we have offered Gael Scoil to other areas of the country. It is my hope that 2025 will be the year others will finally step up and bring this program to other locations. In late February we honored AOH members at the Irish Echo 40 under 40 in Lower Manhattan.
I was honored to spend time with two great leaders of the church: the Most Reverend Frank J. Caggiano, Bishop of the Bridgeport diocese in Connecticut, and Eamon Martin, the Archbishop of Armagh and the Primate of All Ireland. Bishop Caggiano and I shared the dais at the 75th anniversary communion breakfast of the Bridgeport AOH. At the invite of the Bronx AOH and Father Brendan Fitzgerald and with local members we met the archbishop privately prior to attending mass and a concert to benefit the cathedral in Armagh.
To grow our Order, Chad Ghastain, Chris Cooke and Ryan Curry continue to collaborate and work to expand our membership. Areas like Iowa, Michigan, California and South Carolina have been engaged. Our increased social media presence is yielding more applications than ever, but we continue to have issues with timely follow up. This is an area where we MUST improve; national directors will be tasked with overseeing the successful conversion of applicants to members. This must be a priority to all our leadership.
The highlight of the first quarter was the AOH history trip to Ireland, hosted by AOH Historian Dan Taylor and me and documented by AOH Digital co-coordinator Chris Cooke. We spent an amazing 10 days in Ireland. See Dan’s article in this issue. We finished the trip in Dublin, where Freedom For All Ireland Chairman Martin Galvin and I had high level discussions with all major Irish political parties and the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs regarding the issues of legacy justice and unity referendum. I traveled to the North with Martin and Deputy FFAI Chairman Bob Bollbach, and we presented the yearly FFAI Christmas Appeal grants to 19 very worthy organizations; a remarkable $150,000 was raised and distributed. Well done to all who contributed.
In early April, the AOH will be a leading voice and co-sponsor of the Ireland’s Future USA Gala dinner in Philadelphia. Ireland’s Future is setting the path to a united Ireland and the AOH is proud to be part of that historic project.
In closing for reflection, I stood in the graveyard of St. Mullins in Carlow during the AOH History Tour and I showed many on the trip the penal altar that still stands. From the altar a priest would say mass while keeping an eye out an opening in a wall where he could see the lookout who was posted on the motte (hill). Throughout the centuries, courageous Irish men and women risked their lives to attend Masses held at mass rocks in secluded woods, led by brave priests who faced the threat of execution by British forces if discovered. The Ancient Order of Hibernians was established 189 years ago in response to the urgent call for the Irish community to safeguard the church from the attacks of those who opposed it. Our ancestors demonstrated remarkable bravery in celebrating Mass and defending their faith. As we have closed out Irish American Heritage Month it is essential to recognize that our Catholic faith constitutes a significant aspect of our Irish heritage and deserves to be celebrated alongside events such as the St. Patrick’s season.
In March, cities and towns across the country witness the Irish community proudly marching to honor their heritage. It is my aspiration that in the coming years, we can fill our churches to celebrate the faith of our forebears.
