If you’ve ever met a Cathedral High School graduate, you know that their love for Cathedral and their Cathedral brothers is boundless. They also have a great desire to give back to the school that formed them.
St. Patrick Cathedral School was built in 1921 in conjunction with “the Community Center” under the direction of Father Malachy O’Leary, the new rector at St. Patrick Cathedral. The building was constructed on the corners of River and Stanton Streets and housed 16 classrooms, a roof garden used for dances and movies, playgrounds, an indoor swimming pool and running track, gym, and a theater. It was consecrated by Bishop Anthony J. Schuler, S.J., in 1923. The Sisters of Loretto opened the co-ed parochial school in 1924 and in 1925 the Christian Brothers came to El Paso from Louisiana to run the high school for boys after Mother Praxedes suggested the girls be moved to the newly opened Loretto Academy. On September 8, 1925, the renamed Cathedral High School opened with forty-five boys and was run by Principal Brother Ernest Cocagne, FSC, Brother Edward Bernard, FSC and Brother Charles Frieden, FSC. Cathedral’s graduated its first class of seven men in 1927 and by 1933 the enrollment had grown to 200. It is said that the Cathedral High School Alumni Association was established by the first graduating class in 1928.
Today, the Cathedral High School Alumni Association seeks to continue the tradition of Lasallian brotherhood and leadership by bringing alumni together, recognizing the achievements of the alumni community, and raising scholarship funds for deserving and committed students. Their mission is “to bring alumni back home—in body and in spirit—to the school that helped shape the men we are today.”
The Cathedral High School Alumni Association Fund, an endowed fund for scholarships managed by the Catholic Foundation, was established with a gift of $25,000 in 2007. The fund value is now close to $200,000. The fund’s annual distribution provides scholarships for young men who would not otherwise be able to attend Cathedral High School. Learn more about the Catholic Foundation’s work and donate easily and securely to the Cathedral High School Alumni Association or become a Friend of the Foundation by making a recurring giftion.org. You can reach Major Gifts Officer Sofía Larkin directly at slarkin@elpasodiocese.org or 915.872.8412 with any questions.
Cathedral High School is a Catholic college preparatory school conducted in the three-century old Lasallian tradition begun by Saint John Baptist De la Salle to give a human and Christian education to the young by observing five core principles: Faith in the presence of God, concern for the poor and social justice, respect for all persons, a quality education, and an inclusive community. Br. Nick Gonzalez, FSC, a 1980 Cathedral High School graduate, serves as president of the school.
Cathedral’s graduating classes have earned upwards of $10 million in scholarships and financial aid annually from colleges and universities since 2010. The Class of 2016 received an astronomical $41 million, a city record. Cathedral High School has been designated as the high school with the most Gates Millennium Scholars in history with 59, and for three years in a row—2014 through 2016—set or tied the national record for most Gates Millennium Scholars in a year.
The Cathedral High School Alumni Association meets on the first Saturday of every month. They begin their gatherings with breakfast and prayer at 8:30am followed by a meeting and presentation at 9:00am. If you’re interested in joining the Cathedral High School Alumni Association, just attend any of the Saturday meetings and speak to one of the members about getting involved.