St. Gerard Majella School, the last remaining Catholic school in Paterson, on May 2, celebrated 60 years of offering excellent family-centered and Gospel-grounded Catholic education for children in the city during a Mass with Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney in the parish church.
The Cognia Accredited St. Gerard’s has a diverse and growing student population, currently at 162, from pre-K4 to eighth grade. Opened on Oct. 3, 1965, the school has weathered many challenges to remain a pillar of Catholic education in the city.
Father George Hundt, pastor of St. Gerard’s and Our Lady of Pompei Parish, also in Paterson, and Father Manuel Alejandro Cuellar, parochial vicar of both parishes, concelebrated the Mass with Bishop Sweeney. Filippini Sister Jo-Ann Pompa, St. Gerard’s principal, and several students also participated in the Mass, which was attended by staff and families.
Click here to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.
After the Mass, Bishop Sweeney joined the St. Gerard’s community in the St. Joseph’s Center, who enjoyed ice cream sundaes, which Casalados Café in Passaic donated.
“Our school is guided by the Catholic philosophy of education, which stresses the harmonious development of the whole person in all basic areas: physical, emotional, intellectual, social, aesthetic, and spiritual. This is accomplished with a Gospel Spirit of Love so that the children can become good Christians and honest citizens,” according to St. Gerard’s website, https://stgerardschool.org. “The message of St. Gerard School is one of vision and preparation for life, which reaches fulfillment in the gift of oneself through service to God and others in the imitation of Christ.”
Recently, the City of Paterson announced the renaming of Carrelton Drive, the location of the school, to “St. Gerard’s Way” in celebration of the 60th anniversary of St. Gerard’s. The street renaming is part of the school’s May 17-18 anniversary celebrations.
St. Gerard’s will hold a social gathering of alums from the Class of 2015 and onward on Saturday, May 17, at 7 p.m. in St. Joseph’s Center. The cost is $10 per person. On Sunday, May 18, the school will honor the Salesian Sisters who opened the school in 1965 and veteran teachers during an anniversary Mass at 4 p.m. in the church and a banquet at 6 p.m. at the Brownstone in Paterson. The cost is $125 per person. No tickets will be sold at the door.
Salesian Sister Helen Mazurek was the first principal of St. Gerard’s when it opened in 1965. Under the parish leadership of its pastor, Father Thomas Trapasso, the school began with three classrooms: first, second, and third grades. Each year, another class was opened. For the next 35 years, the school thrived under the guidance of the Salesian Sisters.
In 2000, St. Gerard’s looked to a new leader, Filippini Sister Jo-Ann Pompa.
“Sister Jo-Ann’s ceaseless energy and dedication to our school family has allowed St. Gerard’s to soar to new heights in academic excellence,” according to St. Gerard’s website.
For more information about St. Gerard’s or to RSVP for the May 17 alum gathering or the May 18 anniversary Mass and banquet, visit the school’s website or call 973-595-5640.
