Cathedral Preparatory School and Seminary

Cathedral Preparatory School and Seminary is a Roman Catholic high school and seminary in Elmhurst, Queens in New York City. It is operated by the Diocese of Brooklyn. It is the last full-time high school seminary day school in operation in the United States.^[2]

Cathedral Preparatory School and Seminary
Address
56-25 92nd Street New York City (Elmhurst, Queens) , New York 11373 United States
Coordinates	40°44′10″N 73°52′11″W
Information
Type	School and Seminary, All-Male
Motto	Ad Jesum Per Mariam (To Jesus Through Mary)
Religious affiliation(s)	Roman Catholic
Oversight	Diocese of Brooklyn
Principal	Richie Diaz
Rector/President	James A. Kuroly
Teaching staff	15.0 (on an FTE basis)[1]
Grades	9-12
Enrollment	160[1] (2019–2020)
Student to teacher ratio	10.7[1]
Color(s)	Navy Blue, Columbia Blue, White, and Black
Song	Salve Regina
Athletics conference	CHSAA Intersection A
Sports	Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, Soccer, Cross Country, Outdoor Track
Nickname	Crusaders
Accreditation	Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools; Top 50 Catholic High Schools- National Catholic High School Honor Roll
Publication	The Literary Journal
Newspaper	The Current
Yearbook	The Annual
Tuition	$9,400
Website	cathedralprep.org

History

Cathedral College

In early 1914, Charles E. McDonnell, bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, decided that the diocese needed a minor seminary (high school seminary) to ensure a supply of priests. He appointed then Monsignor George Mundelein as the first rector of Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception. In September 1914, 110 students started classes in Cathedral College's temporary quarters at Saint John’s Chapel in the Fort Greene section of Brooklyn.^[3] In December 1914, the diocese broke ground for the new campus in the Clinton Hill neighborhood in Brooklyn.

Cathedral College started operation as a six-year minor seminary, with a four-year high school track and a two-year college track. Upon completion of the six-year program, students continuing on to priesthood would be assigned to a major seminary. Many other students went on to become members of religious orders, lawyers, doctors and teachers.^[3]

Cathedral Preparatory Seminary

In 1963, Cathedral College opened a second location in Elmhurst; it was called Cathedral Preparatory Seminary. There were now two minor seminaries in the Diocese of Brooklyn. In 1967, Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception converted to a four-year college seminary and moved to Douglaston, New York. The Queens and Brooklyn campuses of Cathedral Preparatory Seminary were separated from the college. Both campuses continued as four-year high school programs, operated by the Diocese of Brooklyn.^[4] The diocese closed the Brooklyn campus in 1985, leaving the Queens campus as the Cathedral Preparatory Seminary.^[5]

In 2002, the rector of Cathedral Prep, Monsignor Charles M. Kavanagh, was accused of sexual abuse by a former seminarian at the school. The accuser, Daniel Donahue of Portland, Oregon claimed Kavanagh had made unwanted advances and touched him inappropriately in the 1980s, starting as an eighth grader at the seminary and continuing at Cathedral College.^[6] Donahue complained to the police and the diocese in 2002. Kavanagh denied all the charges. A review board from the Archdiocese of New York found him guilty in 2003. Kavanagh appealed the decision, but a tribunal from another diocese affirmed the decision. After another appeal, a second tribunal said Kavanagh was guilty and should be defrocked.^[7]

Cathedral Preparatory School and Seminary

Currently, students from both the Diocese of Brooklyn and the Diocese of Rockville Centre attend the school, as well as one student from the Archdiocese of New York. Since 1968, each summer Cathedral has hosted the Father Edward W. Troike Leadership Program for young men of 6th and 7th grades, as well as incoming freshmen.^[5]

Since 1914 nearly 4,500 students have received high school diplomas from Cathedral Prep. The school alumni include cardinals, bishops, priests, religious and laity.^[4]

Demographics

The demographic breakdown of the 132 boys enrolled for the 2019–2020 school year was: ^[1]

• Native American/Alaskan - 3.1%
• Black - 5.6%
• Hispanic - 30.6%
• White - 54.4%
• Multiracial - 1.9%

Notable alumni

• Vince Lombardi, National Football League coach
• Anthony Bevilacqua, archbishop-emeritus and cardinal of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia^[8]
• John Carberry, archbishop emeritus and cardinal of the Archdiocese of St. Louis^[9]
• Dennis Day, actor and singer
• Francis Mugavero, bishop of Brooklyn (1968–1990)^[10]
• John McGann, bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre (1976–1999)^[11]
• John Dunne, auxiliary bishop of Rockville Centre^[12]
• Gerald Barbarito, bishop of the Diocese of Palm Beach^[13]
• Gregory Sierra, actor^[14]
• John Snyder, bishop-emeritus of the Diocese of St. Augustine, Florida^[15]
• Ignatius Catanello, auxiliary bishop-emeritus of Brooklyn^[16]
• Peter Libasci, bishop of the Diocese of Manchester^[17]
• Edward Scharfenberger, bishop of the Diocese of Albany^[18]
• Joseph A. Espaillat, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York^[19]

Notes and references

1. "CATHEDRAL PREPARATORY SCHOOL AND SEMINARY". Private School Universe Survey. National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
2. Brachear, Manya A. (June 3, 2007). "High school once known as a 'priest factory' will see its last students scatter as devout path of seminary gets few young followers, and fewer clergymen remain to guide them". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. This month, Cathedral Preparatory Seminary in the Diocese of Brooklyn will become the only full-time high school seminary in the nation.
3. "Our History – Cathedral Prep School and Seminary". Retrieved 2022-04-13.
4. Walsh, Kevin (2006). Forgotten New York: views of a lost metropolis. HarperCollins. p. 67. ISBN 978-0-06-114502-5.
5. CPS. "History of Cathedral". Cathedral Preparatory Seminary website. Archived from the original on 2003-01-25. Retrieved 2007-08-01.
6. Wakin, Daniel J. (2002-05-30). "Ex-Seminarian Details Account of Contact With Monsignor". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
7. Vitello, Paul (2010-12-18). "A Monsignor Is Defrocked for Abusing a Student". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-04-13.
8. "BEVILACQUA Card. Anthony Joseph". Holy See. Archived from the original on 2014-09-09.
9. Saxon, Wolfgang (1998-06-19). "John J. Cardinal Carberry, 93; Led Archdiocese of St. Louis". New York Times.
10. Goldman, Ari (July 13, 1991). "Francis J. Mugavero, 77, Is Dead; Was Bishop of Brooklyn 22 Years". New York Times.
11. Kelley, Tina (2002-01-31). "Bishop John McGann, 77, Dies on Long Island". The New York Times.
12. "The Most Reverend John C. Dunne". Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre.
13. "N.Y. bishop to lead Palm Beach Diocese". St. Petersburg Times. July 2, 2003.
14. "Gregory Sierra, Actor on 'Barney Miller' and 'Sanford and Son,' Dies at 83". The Hollywood Reporter. 2020-01-22.
15. "Auxiliary Bishops of Brooklyn". The Tablet. July 9, 2012.
16. "Bishop Catanello Remembered as Gentle Servant of Diocese". The Tablet. March 21, 2013. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2014.
17. "Bishop Peter Anthony Libasci". Diocese of Manchester. Archived from the original on July 11, 2014. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
18. "New Bishop for Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany" (PDF). Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 28, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
19. "Pope names two New York pastors as auxiliary bishops of N.Y. Archdiocese". National Catholic Reporter. Catholic News Service. January 25, 2022. Retrieved January 26, 2022.

External links

• School Website
• Alumni Website