Caritas Gala to honor Catholic Charities volunteers, supporters who improve lives of those in need

From left: Deacon Peter Cistaro, Bob and Susie Waldele; Brian and Mary Jo Sullivan, Father Ed Reading.

Catholic Charities of the Paterson Diocese will hold its annual Caritas Gala on Nov. 7 at The Meadow Wood in Randolph from 6 to 9 p.m.

At the gala, Catholic Charities will celebrate the impact of its 70 programs and services, which promote dignity, well-being, and independence to thousands of people in need, and will honor its outstanding volunteers and supporters. Financial support of the Caritas Gala will make a significant difference in the lives of those that Catholic Charities serves.

Four awards will be presented to select honorees whose outstanding contributions have greatly improved programs and services.

Honorees Bob and Susie Waldele will receive the Diocese of Paterson Bishop’s Award from Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney. Deacon Peter Cistaro will receive the Father Jack Wehrlen Award from the Department for Persons with Disabilities (DPD). Father Ed Reading will receive the Father Norman James O’Connor Award from the Straight & Narrow (S&N) substance abuse treatment program in Paterson. Brian and Mary Jo Sullivan and family will be honored with the Msgr. Mark Giordani Award from Catholic Family & Community Services.

For nearly four decades, Bob and Suzie Waldele have supported initiatives such as the Diocesan Ministries Appeal, the Father English Food Pantry in Paterson, and the Passaic Women’s Neighborhood Center. They are married for 40 years this November and have five children and four grandchildren.

Susie Waldele taught for four years before devoting her time to raising her family. She has taught religious education at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in the Stirling neighborhood of Long Hill Township and volunteered in soup kitchens. She has served on the board of Birth Haven for more than 20 years and, with Bob, is a board member of the Tri-County Scholarship Fund.

Bob Waldele is the managing director of Merrill Lynch. He also serves on the board of Mount St. Mary Academy in Watchung, chairs its finance committee, and co-chairs the Shrine of St. Joseph’s finance committee in Stirling.

Deacon Peter Cistaro was ordained a permanent deacon in 2009 and has served St. Peter the Apostle Parish in Parsippany. He served as director of the diocesan Permanent Diaconate from 2014 until his retirement in June 2024.

Before his ordination, Deacon Cistaro had a 39-year career at Public Service Electric & Gas Company (PSE&G), where he held numerous managerial and executive roles. He was vice president of gas delivery from 1995 until his retirement in 2007. Deacon Cistaro also held prominent positions in national and international organizations like the International Gas Union.

Deacon Cistaro advocates for education and social justice and is committed to providing affordable housing for seniors. He is vice president of the REISE Urban Development Corporation and the Martin de Porres Village Housing Complex, which offers low-income housing in Pater-son and Passaic. He also serves on the Catholic Charities board. He and his wife, Mary Ann, have four children and nine grandchildren.

Father Ed Reading started in addiction counseling in 1969 as a pastoral counseling intern at S&N. He later became its deputy director for treatment services.

Father Reading has been assistant director of the Physicians’ Health Program, now known as the Professionals Assistance Program of New Jersey, which helps healthcare professionals address and recover from substance use disorders.

The priest has taught addiction studies at the undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels and lectured to medical and pastoral groups across the United States and Canada. He advocates for addiction treatment that integrates recovery’s spiritual and medical dimensions.

Father Reading is the founder and president of the Matt Talbot Institute for Pastoral and Addiction Studies in Toms River, which provides education, training, and support to clergy and addiction professionals. He is also a past president of the International Coalition of Addiction Studies Education and a founding commissioner of the National Addiction Studies Accreditation Commission. 

The priest serves at Good Shepherd Parish in Andover and Emmaus House for Women Religious.

Raised with strong Catholic values in Whitestone (Queens), N.Y., Brian and Mary Jo Sullivan live in Wayne and have seven children who are Catholic school students. Mary Jo, who has years of experience as a pediatric oncology nurse at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Brian, an engineer and founder of Sullivan Engineering, married in 2003.

The Sullivans adopted their son, Finn, from Beijing in 2015 and their daughter, Grace, from Haiti in 2020. They hope to welcome Rolson, their second child from Haiti.

In 2021, the couple sold Sullivan Engin-eering to focus on family and embrace new ventures aligned with God’s plan, as chronicled in their book, “Entrepreneurial Trinity.” They support Father English, their children’s Catholic schools, and initiatives in Haiti.

To sponsor, donate, or attend the Caritas Gala, visit https://ccpaterson.org/caritas/. For any questions, contact Catholic Charities Development Office at 973-944-5992 or email info@ccpaterson.org

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