Passaic County commissioners honor Irish American leaders, Sisters of Charity at heritage celebration

The Passaic County Board of County Commissioners used part of its meeting to present proclamations for Irish American Heritage Month, honoring two union leaders and the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth.

Commissioner Romaglia presented a proclamation recognizing Patrick J. Glover for his union leadership and named him the 2026 Irishman of the Year for Passaic County. Glover, who the proclamation described as a vice president of the New York and New Jersey Telephone and Communications Emerald Society and a long-serving union steward, accepted and linked his Irish heritage to labor values. "Being a union member isn't just a job. It's an identity," he said, and later urged that "Saint Patrick's Day is a holy day. It is not a drinking day." He thanked the commissioners and labor colleagues in attendance.

The board next recognized John McEntee, president of the Patterson Education Association, for his work representing more than 3,000 educators and for community programs such as Stuff the Bus and Youth Sports Sponsorship. McEntee accepted the proclamation and thanked the commissioners for the honor, saying the recognition during Irish Heritage Month was meaningful.

Commissioner Bartlett read a proclamation honoring the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth for founding and supporting Saint Joseph's Hospital and related health services in Paterson and Passaic County. A Sisters of Charity representative accepted the award on behalf of the order and recounted the sisters' long history of service to the community, noting that Saint Joseph's dates to the 19th century and continues to serve all who come to its doors.

Honorees, county leaders and union members posed for photos after the presentations, and the meeting included a reception with Irish soda bread. The proclamations were ceremonial recognitions; no formal policy actions were tied to them at this meeting.