On November 1, Solemnity of All Saints, Fr. Jack Kolodziej, OSFS ’87, Provincial, joined other priests who are graduates of Northeast Catholic in the auditorium of the building that once housed the school. They celebrated a special 100th Anniversary Mass as part of the yearlong celebration of the school’s opening and Oblates’ ministry in Philadelphia. The Mass and celebration brought together alumni, families, Oblates, and Archdiocesan priests for sharing faith, fellowship, and memories.
Fr. William Gore ’59, OSFS, offered the homily. He reminded everyone that long after the last class left the school, the building still brings the community together because of what happened within it: lives transformed, faith formed, and bonds that endure.
For generations, North Catholic has been more than a school; it has been a place where faith, family, and lifelong friendships took root.
Northeast Catholic High School opened in Philadelphia in 1926 and educated generations of young men in the Catholic and Salesian traditions. Guided for decades by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales and dedicated lay educators. The school emphasized faith, character, service, academic achievement, and brotherhood. While the school closed in 2010, its mission and traditions continue through the lives of its alumni and the work of the North Catholic Alumni Association and the Norphans. North Catholic alumni remain connected through the shared experiences that shaped their lives and the families and traditions that continue across generations.
Jim Kelly of the Alumni Association
Hundreds of those alumni were in attendance on Sunday with their spouses and families. Fr. Jack Kolodziej, OSFS, welcomed them all, saying, “We gather to celebrate, to remember, and to enjoy the company of one another and all the Saints who watch over us - and the many saints in this room!” At the conclusion of the Mass, he introduced Fr. Michael Newman, OSFS, Provincial-elect of the new North American Province of the Oblates. He will assume this role on January, 24, 2027, the feast day of St. Francis de Sales, when the new Province is created.
Before and after the Mass, alumni and guests toured the building. They enjoyed the chance to share memories of special moments in the halls where today students from Mariana Bracetti Academy Charter School walk. After Mass, alumni and families had drinks and light refreshments in the Senior Students’ Cafeteria of the Activity Center, the former site of the Northeast Catholic Oblate Faculty House.
The North Catholic building remains another meaningful part of the story of the Oblates, its alumni, and the Salesian gentlemen and their families who are forever connected to the school.
