Cathedral Preparatory School and Seminary

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.{{Cite web |title=Our History – Cathedral Prep School and Seminary |url=https://www.cathedralprep.org/aboutus/our-history/ |access-date=2022-04-13 |language=en-US}} 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.

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.{{cite book|title=Forgotten New York: views of a lost metropolis |first= Kevin|last= Walsh|publisher =HarperCollins|year= 2006 |page=67|isbn =978-0-06-114502-5}} The diocese closed the Brooklyn campus in 1985, leaving the Queens campus as the Cathedral Preparatory Seminary.

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.{{Cite news |last=Wakin |first=Daniel J. |date=2002-05-30 |title=Ex-Seminarian Details Account of Contact With Monsignor |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/05/30/nyregion/ex-seminarian-details-account-of-contact-with-monsignor.html |access-date=2022-04-13 |issn=0362-4331}} 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.{{Cite news |last=Vitello |first=Paul |date=2010-12-18 |title=A Monsignor Is Defrocked for Abusing a Student |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/18/nyregion/18priest.html |access-date=2022-04-13 |issn=0362-4331}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.cathedralprepseminary.com/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030125205117/http://www.cathedralprepseminary.com/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2003-01-25|title=History of Cathedral|accessdate=2007-08-01|publisher=Cathedral Preparatory Seminary website|author=CPS}}

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

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

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

• Vince Lombardi, National Football League coach
• Anthony Bevilacqua, archbishop-emeritus and cardinal of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia{{cite news|publisher=Holy See |title=BEVILACQUA Card. Anthony Joseph |url=https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_bevilacqua_aj_en.html |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140909014232/https://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/documentazione/documents/cardinali_biografie/cardinali_bio_bevilacqua_aj_en.html |archivedate=2014-09-09 }}
• John Carberry, archbishop emeritus and cardinal of the Archdiocese of St. Louis{{cite news|date=1998-06-19|newspaper= New York Times|title=John J. Cardinal Carberry, 93; Led Archdiocese of St. Louis|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/06/19/us/john-j-cardinal-carberry-93-led-archdiocese-of-st-louis.html|last=Saxon|first=Wolfgang}}
• Dennis Day, actor and singer
• Francis Mugavero, bishop of Brooklyn (1968–1990){{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/07/13/obituaries/francis-j-mugavero-77-is-dead-was-bishop-of-brooklyn-22-years.html?src=pm|work=New York Times|title=Francis J. Mugavero, 77, Is Dead; Was Bishop of Brooklyn 22 Years

|date = July 13, 1991|first=Ari|last=Goldman}}

• John McGann, bishop of the Diocese of Rockville Centre (1976–1999){{cite news|date=2002-01-31|newspaper=The New York Times|title=Bishop John McGann, 77, Dies on Long Island|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/31/nyregion/bishop-john-mcgann-77-dies-on-long-island.html|last=Kelley|first=Tina}}
• John Dunne, auxiliary bishop of Rockville Centre{{cite news|work=Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre|title=The Most Reverend John C. Dunne|url=http://www.drvc.org/auxiliary-bishops/the-most-reverend-john-c.-dunne.html}}
• Gerald Barbarito, bishop of the Diocese of Palm Beach{{cite news|title=N.Y. bishop to lead Palm Beach Diocese|newspaper=St. Petersburg Times|date= July 2, 2003|url=http://www.sptimes.com/2003/07/02/Worldandnation/NY_bishop_to_lead_Pal.shtml}}
• Gregory Sierra, actor{{cite news|date=2020-01-22|magazine=The Hollywood Reporter|title=Gregory Sierra, Actor on 'Barney Miller' and 'Sanford and Son,' Dies at 83|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/gregory-sierra-dead-barney-miller-sanford-son-actor-was-83-1215625}}
• John Snyder, bishop-emeritus of the Diocese of St. Augustine, Florida{{cite news|newspaper=The Tablet|title=Auxiliary Bishops of Brooklyn|date= July 9, 2012|url=http://thetablet.org/auxiliary-bishops-of-brooklyn/}}
• Ignatius Catanello, auxiliary bishop-emeritus of Brooklyn{{cite news|url=http://thetablet.org/tag/bishop-catanello/|title=Bishop Catanello Remembered as Gentle Servant of Diocese|newspaper=The Tablet|date=March 21, 2013|access-date=July 14, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140715091300/http://thetablet.org/tag/bishop-catanello/|archive-date=July 15, 2014|url-status=dead}}
• Peter Libasci, bishop of the Diocese of Manchester{{cite news|url=http://www.catholicnh.org/about/bishop/|title=Bishop Peter Anthony Libasci|publisher=Diocese of Manchester|accessdate=July 15, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140711003354/http://www.catholicnh.org/about/bishop/|archive-date=July 11, 2014|url-status=dead}}
• Edward Scharfenberger, bishop of the Diocese of Albany{{cite web | url=http://www.rcda.org/PDF/Transition.pdf | title=New Bishop for Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany | publisher=Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany | accessdate=April 10, 2014 | url-status=dead | archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140628160850/http://www.rcda.org/PDF/Transition.pdf | archivedate=June 28, 2014 }}
• Joseph A. Espaillat, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of New York{{cite news | access-date = January 26, 2022 | work = National Catholic Reporter | url = https://www.ncronline.org/news/parish/pope-names-two-new-york-pastors-auxiliary-bishops-ny-archdiocese | title = Pope names two New York pastors as auxiliary bishops of N.Y. Archdiocese | agency = Catholic News Service | date= January 25, 2022}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20030125205117/http://www.cathedralprepseminary.com/ School Website]
• [http://www.cathedralprepalumni.com/ Alumni Website]

{{Education in Queens}}

{{Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn|state=collapsed}}

{{Boys' schools in New York City}}

{{authority control}}

Category:Educational institutions established in 1914

Category:Seminaries and theological colleges in New York City

Category:Boys' schools in New York City

Category:Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn

Category:Elmhurst, Queens

Category:Roman Catholic high schools in Queens, New York

Category:1914 establishments in New York City

Category:Preparatory schools in New York City