Principal's Message
 

Dear Cathedral Parents and Guardians,

Because we are the Fighting Irish, we rightly celebrated St. Patrick’s Day with our participation in the Indianapolis St. Patrick’s Day Parade last Friday and showed off our Irish Pride by filling the halls and classrooms with green on Monday, his Feast Day. I would be remiss, however, if I didn’t also mention that yesterday, March 19, was the Feast of St. Joseph, the patron of the Brothers of Holy Cross who were our first teachers when Cathedral opened in 1918. We can all learn so much from St. Joseph. Among the lessons to be learned from him are faithfulness, trust and obedience to God’s will, the value of hard work, love and devotion to our families, and humility. Certainly, our current Holy Cross Brother– Brother Matt Rehagen, C.S.C.-- exemplifies these qualities daily at Cathedral. 

Our students also exemplify these qualities on a regular basis. I could spend every sentence of each week’s principal’s newsletter praising the great things our students have accomplished, and this week I want to praise our Seniors who will graduate with the honored distinction of being named among our Cum Laude graduates. Cathedral moved away from the Valedictorian/Salutatorian model in 2021 and now honors our graduates as follows:

• Summa Cum Laude – Highest academic recognition (top 5%)
• Magna Cum Laude – Next highest academic recognition (top 10%)
• Cum Laude – Final recognition (top 15%)

Our students impress me on a daily basis. Students on our Cum Laude list have taken our most rigorous courses while participating in peer ministry and church activities, St. André  projects, show choir, band, athletics, theater, speech and debate, 4-H, clubs, part-time jobs, and numerous other activities. They will matriculate to top colleges and universities and will no doubt make our Cathedral family proud! I congratulate each of them and applaud the efforts they put forth to achieve their goals.

That’s also the case, however, with our Seniors who aren’t on these lists. Thanks to the cooperation of our parents, we are privileged to work with an amazing group of young ladies and gentlemen who will impact our world for the better when they leave Cathedral.

Regardless of whether a student makes this list, his or her worth is not defined by a ranking but by the dedication, perseverance, and heart they have shown throughout their journeys here. They face challenges, balance responsibilities, and grow in ways that cannot be measured on a transcript. Our students’ resilience, kindness, and commitment to our Fighting Irish family are what truly set them apart. Whether in the classroom, on the field, in the arts, or through acts of service, they have made an impact that will be felt long after they leave these halls. Hard work, faith, and character will always lead to success. 

Our Cum Laude Graduates are as follows:
Summa Cum Laude (Top 5%):
Oliver Berle, Greg Bishop, Reece Bonhomme, Kristen Castellino, Sam Everly, Gabi Hadad, Briar Keehn, Danica McLinn, Ryan Peterson, Emily Pohl, Olivia Uskert, Will Wise, Lauren Wright

Magna Cum Laude (Top 10%):
Sophia Beeson, Reina Brookes, Emily Cortese, Jill Dorsey, Elise Elpers, Katherine Lade, Izzy Miramonti, Anna Moore, Mary Kate Pastorino, Justin Scott, Mick Webb, Gideon Zawadski

Cum Laude (Top 15%):
Paul Arthur, Jack Bradshaw, Anna Brennan, Dom Busack, Christopher Dravis, Emma Drewry, Kathryn Kirschner, Alex Lefebvre, Thomas Mariani, Zayra Pallikan, Jackie Quadrini, Veronica Rondinella, Jake Shelton, Addie Stanley

Congratulations to all!

As a reminder, there are no classes on Friday, March 28,  the first day of spring break. Classes will resume on Monday, April 7.

I pray all of you have a restful weekend!

God bless,

Mark Matthews
Principal