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Dear Cathedral Family,
Well, that's a wrap! The 2024-25 school year is in the books, and our mighty and tireless school and campus can take a deep breath! What a flurry of excellent activities for the past few weeks, and truly for the past 36 weeks! The Class of 2025 voted Zeal as our Holy Cross theme of the year, and the year lived up to the theme. Starting with Cole Hocker's Olympic Gold Medal run and the raucous, memorable viewing parties right here at school, through the beautiful Eucharistic Congress in Indy, and throughout our school year, we answered the call to greatness with our eyes firmly on our mission. We educated the hearts and minds of our diverse group of students, who now have the competence to see and the courage to act.
While our classroom educators engaged our students in the classroom, our leaders planned for the future. Acting on the recommendations from our Lumen Accreditation and as part of our ongoing Strategic Planning process, we rolled up our sleeves and examined how to improve continuously. And then, providentially, Lilly Endowment, Inc. announced a very significant private school grant program for which we applied. As was announced this week, we received $586,000 as part of the Lilly Endowment's K-12 Private School Initiative. The focus of this grant is on student achievement and future career and college success. We are poised to focus on these areas, which will be a tremendous benefit to our students. While we know that we are already very good at educating and preparing our students, we will get better, and these plans will form the "bones" of our future planning.
One specific area of improvement will be the faith formation of our adults (parents and educators), as well as of our students. Beginning with last summer's National Eucharistic Congress and informed by our Lumen Accreditation feedback, we recognize that more attention needs to be paid to this area. One useful and contemporary tool we plan to utilize is the
Hallow app. If you're not aware, this highly interactive and engaging app is excellent for faith formation, offering daily prayer and reflections right at your fingertips. We have already purchased the app for our educators, and students will receive it in August. I encourage you to explore the app if you have not done so already.
In all of the excitement surrounding the naming of Pope Leo XIV, I have read several articles expressing the hope that he will do for the United States something similar to what Pope John Paul II did for Poland, stirring up immense interest and renewed vigor in Jesus and our Catholic faith, especially in young people. I am hopeful as well. We plan to ride the wave of excitement in our new Holy Father. Perhaps we can be nudged out of our comfort zones and closer to the opportunities all around us to love and serve others. After all, "we were made not for comfort, but for greatness." (Pope Benedict XVI).
We are continually inspired to share and deepen our zeal for our faith. Our community’s passion and commitment strengthen the Cathedral’s mission, creating a vibrant environment where every student’s unique gifts and diverse perspectives enrich our classrooms as well as the spiritual and social life of our school.
The Cathedral Fund plays a vital role in making it possible for our amazing students to bring their gifts to our community. We are deeply grateful for your ongoing support and the shared enthusiasm that unites us in uplifting Cathedral. I invite you to make your end of year Cathedral Fund gift before June 30th.
Thank you, as always, for your prayers and support. I urge you all to continue praying, holding on to hope for better days and to love one another. After all, loving God above all things and loving one another as He loves us are the two great commandments, not suggestions! Go Irish, and St. Br. André, pray for us!
Faithfully,
Rob Bridges, PhD
President
I invite you to listen to a recent podcast in which I was featured, "Doing the Hard Things: A Conversation with Rob Bridges."
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Boys Volleyball - State Runner-Up
Congratulations to the Cathedral Irish, State Runner-Up in the Inaugural IHSAA Boys Volleyball State Finals! We are so proud of our team!
Good luck to all of the athletes who are still competing this spring season. Go Irish!
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Congratulations to the Class of 2025!
Please join us in congratulating the Class of 2025! Our 275 graduates reported $55 million in college scholarships! This incredible class boasts the following stats:
- 100% college acceptance
- 35 scholar-athletes who will continue playing their sport in college
- 34 students who earned the AP Capstone Distinction
- Two students who received appointments to the US Naval Academy
- One phenomenal student will be attending the Seminary
The Class of 2025 also includes a National Merit Scholarship winner, Miss Circle City Classic, a Debutante Queen, Eagle Scouts, and award-winning artists and musicians. Our graduates will be attending colleges from coast to coast, from the University of Southern California and Oregon State to Yale and Dartmouth, and many points in between. These young people answered the call to greatness in the classroom, on the playing field, on the stage, and in the community. May God bless the Class of 2025! We are so proud of our graduates!
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Worland Receives Honorary Diploma
Please join us in congratulating our former Principal and Senior Vice President for Mission and Advancement, Dave Worland, on receiving an honorary diploma at graduation! He posed with his beautiful family on stage after the ceremony. Dave can now hang his Cathedral diploma in his home next to his three children's Cathedral diplomas. He was also honored in May with a beautiful retirement celebration that coinccidentally fell on his birthday. How fitting as we thank God for his life and his legacy! Thank you for all that you've done for Cathedral, Dave Worland, Hon. '25! You are a kind and faithful servant leader, and Cathedral is grateful for your 22 years of service.
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Educators Honored
Cathedral is proud to recognize the educators who received special end-of-the-year recognition for their exceptional work transforming the hearts and minds of our students. Congratulations to Irene Wilson (pictured second from left) and Sue Mills (pictured second from right) on receiving the Blessed Basil Moreau/Classroom Educators of the Year Award!
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Principal Mark Matthews (pictured left) and Vice Principal for Academic Support Brett Blondi (pictured right) were honored with the St. André Bessette/Non-Classroom Educators of the Year Award.
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We also wish to extend a warm congratulations to Jean Smith '97 on receiving the Holy Cross Theme of the Year Award! The Holy Cross theme for the 2024/25 school year was Zeal, and Jean Smith is the epitome of Zeal!
Congratulations to Michael Ivory on receiving the Holy Roller Award for graciously volunteering his time to chauffeur a group of Los Angeles nuns while they were in Indianapolis for the National Eucharistic Congress.
In addition, we thank educators Kathy Douglass (6 years), Josie Haydock (1 year), Jon Kane (9 years), and Sue Mills (16 years) for their years of outstanding and faithful service to dear old Cathedral. While these wonderful educators are leaving us this year, they'll always be members of our Cathedral family!
Later this calendar year, we'll be recognizing educators who reached milestones in their years of service to Cathedral. Thank you to all of the educators for their excellent and tireless service to Cathedral High School.
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Leadership Award Winners
William Violet '34 was Cathedral High School's first Black graduate. Each year, two outstanding seniors are selected for the William Violet '34 Award based on their academic achievements, leadership, community outreach, and being of sound mind and body. This year's outstanding William Violet '34 Leadership Award recipients are Alijah Poston '25 and Regina Jones '25! Congratulations to these exceptional scholar-leaders who received their award during Cathedral's Black Student Union Senior Salute.
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Grotto Dedication
Cathedral was blessed to dedicate her new Grotto on May 7. The Grotto, made possible by the generosity of Ryan Hasbrook '92 and his family, is located across from the circle and near the practice field on Cathedral's campus.
Cathedral educator Father Geoff Mooney, C.S.C. blessed the Grotto, which is dedicated in memory of Ryan's sister, Amy Hasbrook '96.
We hope the Cathedral family will visit the Grotto often to light a candle, say a prayer, and reflect on God's beauty and grace. Thank you, Ryan Hasbrook and family!
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May Crowning
Cathedral was extremely blessed to have Archbishop Charles Thompson of Indianapolis (back row, center right) and Bishop Tim Doherty of Lafayette (back row, center left) join us for our May Crowning at the Grotto.
With her leading, we shall not tire. Our Lady of the Hill, pray for us.
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See You, 0's and 5's, at Grand Reunion - June 7
We look forward to celebrating with our alumni from Classes ending in 0 or 5 on Saturday, June 7, during Grand Reunion. While dinner reservations are closed, we welcome registrations for Drink Only Tickets by June 3. Click here to register! We look forward to seeing you soon!
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Camps Filling Up Fast
Class of 2030 - Don't Miss The HSPT Academy!
This summer, Camp Cathedral is your destination for athletic excellence and fun! We're hosting camps in 15 different sports, so there is a camp for every young athlete! Learn more and register today!
Additionally, our HSPT Academy has space available for rising 8th graders preparing to take the High School Placement Test. This course goes beyond a one-day practice test by allowing students to take two practice tests, one on Monday and one on Friday, with direct instruction from Cathedral math and English educators for the three days between the practice tests. The sessions are June 9-13 and July 14-18. Click here for times and more details.
Camp season is from June 2 to July 25. Click here to find out more and register today! Hope to see you on the Hill this summer!
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Updates From Events
The 2025 Father Kelly Tradition Golf Outing is Monday, August 18, at Hillcrest Country Club. Team registration and sponsorship opportunities are now available!
In addition, don't miss athletic sponsorship opportunities for the 2025–2026 season! Support Cathedral Athletics by advertising through our football radio broadcast, website, and athletic scoreboards. You can see the sponsorship opportunities here.
For direct inquiries about event and athletic sponsorships, please contact Mackenzie Stark ’11 Bower at mbower@gocathedral.com. Go Irish!
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Obituary Notices
The Cathedral Alumni Association does its best to keep alumni notified of the passing of their classmates as well as current and former Cathedral educators. This is done with much sadness and reverence. With that said, we can only accomplish this task with the help of our alumni. If you know of the death of a member of our Cathedral family, please notify us here. If you would like to be notified of all obituary notices sent to the Cathedral family, you can click here to opt-in to receive them.
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Coming Up on the Hill
June 2 - July 25 - Camp Cathedral
June 2 - June 26 - Summer School June 30- July 4 - Moratorium Week - Cathedral Offices Closed
August 3 - Lughnasa/Freshmen Orientation
August 7 - 2025/26 First Day of School
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