"Service Is The Rent We Pay For Our Space On Earth" Says Barry Sullivan, Former Deputy Mayor of New York City, Challenges Us to Rethink the Concept of Service

Mr. Barry Sullivan, former Deputy Mayor of New York City, will discuss the topic of service, will question the current definition of the concept and offer a new perspective on the practice of service in our lives at the Catholics@Work breakfast event to be held Tuesday, April 11, 2005 at Crow Canyon Country Club, Danville, CA. Sullivan believes everyone has talents that help them earn a living and support a family. “We should,” said Barry Sullivan, “take these talents and leverage them to help others.”

Danville, CA (PRWEB) March 27, 2006 –- Catholics@Work, a fellowship of individuals who explore how to actively live one’s beliefs in the workplace, (www.catholicsatwork.org), today announced its April 2006 breakfast meeting will feature Mr. Barry Sullivan, former Deputy Mayor of New York City, and currently, a founding partner, Vice Chairman and COO of K Road Power, Inc. Sullivan will discuss the topic of service, will question the current definition of the concept and offer a new perspective on the practice of service in our lives. The Catholics@Work breakfast event will be held at Crow Canyon Country Club, 711 Silver Lake Drive, Danville, CA 94526 on Tuesday, April 11, 2005. A full buffet breakfast is served starting at 6:45am (Mass is offered at 6:15am at the same location.) Cost is $20 for members and $27 for non-members. To register visit http://www.catholicsatwork.org/EventDesc.aspx.

The idea of service is typically one of scheduled contributions of time, money and/or goods. Individuals respond to requests from their church or local community organizations, do what is requested and then move on with their work-a-day, family lives. Sullivan believes everyone has talents that help them earn a living and support a family. He argues that these talents are gifts, but gifts that come with a price tag, and should not be confined to our workplace. “We should,” said Barry Sullivan, “take these talents and leverage them to help others.”

According to Sullivan, the old adage that individuals must strive to balance their work, family, spiritual and community lives is really the wrong perspective. People need to take the things that they do best and totally integrate them into a holistic perspective of themselves. A catalyst that can and will pull their lives together is service. Sullivan believes that not only is this a good thing to do, it is a moral imperative. Simply stated, Sullivan points out that “Service is the rent we pay for our space on earth.”

“The idea of service being the rent we pay for our space on earth is a unique idea,” said Rick Medeiros, president of Catholics@Work. “We wouldn’t dream of not paying our rent or mortgage, so why do we hesitate to pay rent for the greatest gift of all — our lives?”

Sullivan has taken his business talents and applied them to paying his “rent” through close association with the New York Archdiocese to help Cardinal O’Connor and now Cardinal Egan. Additionally, in 1997 he entered a PhD candidate program in Theology at Fordham University in New York, and completed the required courses in 2004. Sullivan draws on a rich history of business success having held positions as Deputy Mayor of New York City, EVP of Chase Manhattan Bank and Chairman and CEO of First Chicago Corporation. He has great insight and experience, and the great gift of story-telling. His stories demonstrate the importance of living Catholic Values and using individual business talents to help others; stories he will share with at the April Catholics@Work breakfast meeting.

About Catholics@Work

Catholics@Work is committed to fostering fellowship and connectivity among Catholics facing the realities of life in today’s workplace environment. The monthly breakfast gatherings are a unique opportunity for Catholics to:

•grow in their understanding of the Catholic faith,

•be encouraged to apply the principals of their faith in the everyday workplace,

•and, to network with other Catholic business professionals.

The breakfast series is held at Crow Canyon Country Club, Danville, California, on the second Tuesday of the month seven times per year (April-June, September-December). The event starts with a buffet breakfast followed by a speaker or panel discussion and runs from 6:45-8:30am. The event offers a great way to network with people who look for purpose and leadership in their lives. There is time prior to the beginning of each speaker’s presentation to interact with other attendees, to share faith, and business and personal information. Mass is offered at 6:15am for those who wish to attend before breakfast at the same location. Managed by Catholic business professionals, Catholics@Work breakfast events are open to all, regardless of faith or occupation, who want to explore the issues of actively living one’s beliefs in the workplace.

For more information visit www.catholicsatwork.org or call +1 925-389-0704.

Catholics@Work is a trademark of Catholics@Work. All other brand and product names are registered trademarks, trademarks or servicemarks of their respective holders and are gratefully acknowledged. All specifications subject to change without notice.

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