WELCOME TO 08-09!

Strength through Faith & Knowledge

On September 3rd, Paterson Catholic opened it doors for the 41st time!  The enrollment is again healthy, and the school continues to be a beacon of hope in the city of Paterson.  The freshman class was huge at the start - 132.  However, as time went on and payments became due, we have lost some of the class and are now at 124.  It seems the recession we are in is hitting our families very hard.  Our prayer is that the economy will turn around soon, and some of the students we lost due to finances will be back soon!

The school's first few fund-raisers have begun.  Anyone who wants to get involved is more than welcome to do so!  Simply contact Mrs. Delgado at x. 36 at the school:

                           * Fall 50/50 raffle ... $20 per book of 10 tickets ... drawing on November 10th

                           * Boston cake sale ... from $9.95 - 12.95 ... cakes delivered in time for Thanksgiving

                           * Home Interiors candle sale ... $7 each ... great scents / delilvery in time for Christmas

PATIENCE, PLEASE! Please be patient with our web site as it is still under construction. All of the credit for its inception and design go out to Chris of Alumni Channel who has been a key partner in this project with us. Thanks so much!

COMING SOON:  A list of alumni activities and events for the Fall of 2008!  Check back soon ...

Simply click on the first A above the words Paterson, NJ on the Home page.  You can adjust the size of the type on our website.  It might make reading the article more enjoyable!

Please consider posting a photo of yourself in your profile.   The process is very easy.  Just go to your profile, click add photo, enter the location of your photo on your computer, hit browse and it should work!  Please remember that only appropriate photos are welcome!

No matter who we hear from, our alumni always want to know, "… and how are the Benedictine Sisters? Do you ever see them?" The answer is they are still the great women they were when they walked the halls of Paterson Catholic from the first day it opened in 1967 until they day they left to staff their own school Benedictine Academy in Elizabeth, NJ in 1990. Sr. Philomena Fleck, now the sub-prioress of the community, was kind enough to put together the update you see here. The Sisters are looking forward to being present to as many of the Anniversary events as they can. Should you want to contact the Sisters, you can address your correspondence to the particular Sister, in care of St. Walburga Monastery, 851 N. Broad Street, Elizabeth, NJ 07208. 

• Sr. Germaine Fritz spent 17 years of her life at PC. She started her tenure as the music teacher and became the much-loved principal for fifteen years. Sr. Germaine left PC to serve as Prioress of the Benedictine Community, a position she held for 12 years. After a three-month sabbatical, she went to work at Benedictine Academy as Development Director and President. Sr. Germaine remains in that position today and has come full circle at Benedictine which is her high school alma mater.

• Sr. Martin Elizabeth Duffy who was the most helpful librarian in the world is still hard at work in the library of Benedictine Academy. Sr. Martin Elizabeth worked at PC from the very beginning and was one of the last Sisters to leave! In her honor, we still remind students in the library to push in their chairs! 

• Sr. Philomena Fleck served at PC from 1973 until 1984. She left to become Principal in Rev. George Brown School in Sparta. From there, she went on parish work and was the DRE in New Paltz, NY. Sister Phil is currently serving as the Sub-Prioress of the Benedictines and is residing in Elizabeth. This summer, she will travel to Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda to work with the Benedictine Sisters there. 

• Sr. Marita Funke worked at PC from 1984 until 1990 and was one of "the last to go." Having been a religious education teacher while at PC, Sr. Marita is now the Director of the monastery’s Spirituality Center and has been doing retreats and spiritual direction since the mid-90's. She is also the community's Vocation Director and Co-Director of the Oblates. 

• Sr. Ruth Rohr taught for 5 years at PC. She went on to teach at Benedictine and then served in various religious education positions. She is currently a full-time upholsterer as well as the Transportation Minister at St. Walburga's. 

• Sr. Marcia Lammerding was at Paterson Catholic twice in her career. She first served as math teacher from 1971-1980. She returned as Vice-Principal from 1983-1988. Upon leaving PC, she was appointed Principal of Benedictine Academy. She then returned to teaching at Bender Academy, and she is currently teaching at St. Patrick's High School in Elizabeth.  

• Some of the Sisters who served Paterson Catholic so well are now permanent members of the Benedictine Infirmary. Sr. Elizabeth Anne Hanko served from 1969 – 1973; Sr. Flavia Mundie from 1967-1990; Sr. Giles Sharkey from 1969-1973. They are praying for all of us! 

• Sadly, some of the Sisters who worked at PC have passed on and are at rest with God. They are the angels who watch over Paterson Catholic to this day. Sr. Pierre Van Eck (2007), Sr. Marie Celeste (1993), Sr. Martha (1985).

Keep your e-mail and mailing addresses current and you'll receive the details for all alumni information, activities, events, and reunions.

Michele Neves (Assistant Principal) is your administrator of this web site.

Use your address book or enter e-mails manually. . .

Highlight your mouse over any marker for city and state information.

Be sure you have updated your profile after 8/30/2008 for your city/state to be GeoCoded into the map.