Hawk Pride

We are proud of our school's history.

The straight line that runs through it is

top quality education,

traditions built by the student body,

and affinity for 'Hudson' that lasts a lifetime

For the Glory of God and Service to Man

The Feast Day of

St. John Baptist de La Salle

&

4th Annual

All Gifts Matched 100% up to $25,000

2022 $28,632 

2023 $35,428 

2024 $50,311 

Our 2025 Goal: $50,312

The Man From La Salle

(originally published in BTL Issue #80)

Recently, the Chief Advancement Officer made a reference to an alum as the ‘Man From LaSalle’ in response to the kind giving of themselves for the benefit of others. In the truest sense, each and every supporter of Hudson Catholic is a ‘Man or Woman From LaSalle’. We'd like this rather catchy moniker to stick to more Hawks and Friends, so we'll initiate a feature to identify those among our ranks who fit that bill especially well.

Being ‘A Man or Woman from LaSalle’ constitutes behavior emblematic of the Lasallian value of service to others, a broad umbrella that may encompass volunteer work of all kinds, civic duty, military service, teaching, caring for the sick and injured, and many others. The point is that there is hardly a walk of life in which each one of us is not called to serve at some time, or perhaps most of the time. Examples abound. Look inward and you’ll discover this about yourself if you have not recently reflected on what this means. How many times have you made someone’s day with a good deed?

As his feast day is approaching on April 7th, we’ll start by featuring the original ‘Man from La Salle, good old St. John Baptist, himself, he to whom we ask for prayers on our behalf.

Beginning in the late 1600s, John Baptist de La Salle, founder of The Brothers of the Christian Schools, transformed education in France by forming a community of educators with whom he developed a spirituality of teaching and learning to give a human and Christian education to young people, especially the poor. TRANSFORMING LIVES SINCE 1680!

Much Given, Much Expected, Much Appreciated

"Attending Hudson Catholic was one of the best decisions I ever made. From the dedicated teachers and staff, to the incredible coaches, the support and guidance I received were truly life changing. The values, discipline, and sense of community instilled in us went far beyond the classroom. The friendships built, the lessons learned, and the memories made will always hold a special place in my heart. I am forever grateful for the Hudson Catholic family and the impact it has had on my journey. It's true, ‘Once A Hawk, Always A Hawk’!" -- Parth Thaker, an honorary graduate who moved away before graduating in the Class of 2000.

Plan to Come Out for

our Newest Hall of Famers

Please plan to come out and celebrate the deeds of our newly elected Hudson Catholic Hall of Famers for their many and substantial contributions to the life and community of Hudson Catholic over its 60 years in service to the working class families of Hudson County. We celebrate their lives lived in service to others, their personal and professional achievements, and sacrifices, that cast honor on Hudson Catholic and the memory of all those who have served to make it an integral part of Jersey City and our lives.

For tickets, testimonials or sponsorships, please go to hudsoncatholic.org/galahf. For those unable to attend, please consider supporting our event and honoring our Hall of Famers with a testimonial or sponsorship.

The Hall of Fame Induction Event

begins at 6:00pm on Thursday, May 15th, 2025

at il Villagio, 651 Rt. 17 North in Carlstadt, NJ

Our 2025 Hall of Famers

SSgt William 'Billy' Neil, Jr. USA/USN Taps 3-22-08: 14 years of service to country, Special Forces/ Green Beret, combat duty, valor, and commendations of the highest order stand as testaments to his bravery and selflessness, and as examples of heroism to us all. His exemplary behavior and sacrifice have brought honor to himself and to all who pass through the halls of Hudson Catholic.

Our President and Principal, Terry Matthews, is a 40-year servant to the Hudson Catholic family and is responsible for delivering the life changing education we offer to many children of working class Hudson County families. He is well known and respected by people and organizations from among the many facets of community life, and appreciated for the work he does in developing great students earmarked for leadership in society.

William ‘Bill’ Cullen ’72, From his school days, Bill is remembered as Hudson Catholic Athlete of the Year, Brother Henry Laffey Award Recipient at Graduation, Hudson County Track Champion and Record Setter, Magee 880 Champion, Penn Relay and Millrose Games Medalist. Recently retired as CEO of AEGIS Insurance, Bill is recognized for his venerable business career and for bringing a partnership with St. John’s University's Greenberg School of Risk Management to Hudson Catholic.

Larry Costanza '76, long-serving member of the school's Board of Consultors and multiple County Championship JV Basketball Coach, has provided decades of service to Hudson Catholic, its students, athletes, alumni, and events, continuing to set an example of our Lasallian mission. In addition, his deep commitment to philanthropy has led him to service as a board member for charitable organizations, such as the Sisters of Charity and Inner City Schools, reflecting his dedication to supporting underserved communities, fostering education, and promoting opportunities for those in need.

The 2000 State Champion Ice Hockey Team, recently inducted into the New Jersey High School Ice Hockey Hall of Fame, is the greatest team in the 36-year history of the Hawk Hockey Program, and only the 2nd team in school history to win a State Championship. They competed in the 1999-2000 National ‘A’ Division, the state’s toughest division, opening the season with a victory over the defending State Champion Seton Hall Prep and poetically bookending their season with another victory over Seton Hall to claim the Parochial A State Championship. They went on to win the Overall New Jersey State Championship, defeating Public School Champion Bayonne at Continental Arena in the State Tournament of Champions finale, completing their historic season with a record of 22 and 4, and becoming the only team in school history to end their season ranked #1 in the state by the Star Ledger.

Message From The President,

-- Terry Mathews

It’s always dangerous publishing anything on April 1^st. Half of your audience is going to assume it’s an April Fool’s Day prank publication! I assure you, it’s not.

As we move into Spring, the school year shrinks at a rapid rate. We will have the Junior Ring Ceremony, the National Honor Society Induction, Easter Break, Senior College Commitment Day, the Senior Prom, Final Exams, the Baccalaureate Mass and Graduation all between today and May 31^st. Phew!!!! Talk about sprinting to the Finish Line!

But that’s the beauty of high school life. Everything listed (perhaps with the exception of Final Exams) is a celebration…a milestone…a rite of passage…a reflection of our Catholic Identity…a tribute to our Lasallian education. These are the moments that allow us to gather together and acknowledge both our individual and our shared experiences and accomplishments. 

Each of our stakeholders shares these same moments with our current students. These are the bonds that link past to present and present to future. These are the days that bond us all as Hawks. As you read through today’s BTL, remember your own last few months of high school…and congratulate yourselves for helping to provide the means for our current students to have these milestone opportunities. Your commitment to the mission of Hudson Catholic has helped place today’s young men and women on the path to success. Well done!!

Donate Appreciated Securities

Hudson Catholic has made arrangements to receive the proceeds of gifts of appeciated (or any) securities through the Archdiocese of Newark's brokerage account with Morgan Stanley. Here's how it works:

Transfer securities from your brokerage account

'for the benefit of Hudson Catholic Regional High School'

through the Depository Trust Company (DTC #: 0015)

to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark --

Donated Securities Account (#036-893206)

held at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management

1030 Broad St. 3rd floor, Eatontown, NJ 07702

Attention: Tyler Gilmour

732-389-5135 / david.gilmour@morganstanley.com.

Federal ID # of the Archdiocese: 22-1487308

Notify Incoming Donations to:

Matthew Phelan,

Archdiocese of Newark

973-497-4069 / matthew.phelan@rcan.org

Upon receipt of the donated securities, the Archdiocese will sell them and forward the cash proceeds to Hudson Catholic's bank and provide details of the donor to the Advancement Office.

Hudson Catholic receives 100% of the net proceeds of your donation

Or Give the Old Fashioned Way

By credit or debit card at hudsoncatholic.org/1964

Show us what is important to you by voting with your gifts.



If you are reading this on your phone and wish to donate via the QR Code, please open this newsletter on your computer and scan the QR Code on your screen.

Or, simply click on the button below

May 15th

Click on the event logo to be taken to the event page for

Tickets, Tables, Testimonials and Sponsorships

May 16th

Your Host: Terry Matthews

Proprietors: Dan Ravetier '81 and Louis Najdzin '81

Featuring the Unveiling of our own Label:

Black & Golden Lager!

Words never before uttered:

"Your first beer is on Hudson Catholic!"

Stop in and take home some 4-Packs

-or-

Orders are already being taken -- online with 902brewery --

Click the button

Pick up 4-packs of Black & Golden Lager cans at the event,

-- or --

donate them to Hudson Catholic, even!

(in the comments box on the order form)

Did we mention that we are targeting the sale of

751 4-packs? Why? To.....

BEAT PREP!

If you are coming,

please scan here and register by May 5th,

to plan for the food truck.

--NEW DATES --

May 16, 7pm / May 17, 7pm / May 18, 1pm

On the Jack Campion Stage at Hudson Catholic

REUNION REMINDERS

50 Years for 1975!

Contact Frank Martineau at 201-238-7753

SAVE THE DATE: OCTOBER 18th at The Nest, 5pm

Reunion Kickoff 4pm

The Astor Bar, 725 Montgomery Street

a/k/a "The Shrine at St. Astor"

Hey MillenniAlums!

It's 25 Years for 2000

Let's Get It in Gear!

Special Note to 2020

Covid deprived you of

your senior prom and in-person graduation.

You are the only class to have a 'Virtual Graduation'

Let's get you together for a real live and in-person celebration of the truly unique class that you are!

1985 / 1995 / 2005 / 2015

It is time to start planning your milestone

Contact Jill Cypher at jcypher@hudsoncatholic.org

to express interest in having / helping with your class reunion

For the over-1,000 Hawks who have joined our mailing list

over the past year, we invite you to have a look at our

'Stay Educated' video.

Created three years ago,

it still resonates on what it feels like to be a Hawk.

HAWK HAPPENINGS

Tuition is Up, but

still Lowest in the Archdiocese

Hudson Catholic maintains the lowest tuition in the Archdiocese, while providing an incredibly comprehensive, quality Catholic education. Unfortunately, inflation hits the school, just like it hits all of us, which will send tuition up $50 per month next year in order to keep a balanced budget. Even with that raise, we will still be the lowest. 

Usually, if something costs less, the quality isn’t as good, but Hudson Catholic continues to be the exception. We have had Ivy League college acceptances for the past three years, and our students have broadened their horizons. Over those same three years, our graduates attended schools in 12 states in 2022, 18 states in 2023, and 24 states in 2024. And the caliber of colleges keeps getting better and better. 

Couple that with offering 19 sports (with no athletic participation fee), two drama productions per year, 20 different clubs, and college credit programs that are the envy of our competitors, and it is obvious that there is no other school where you will get so much for your investment. 

For 2025-2026, Tuition will be set at $12,500, accompanied by a General Fee of $750 or Re-registration Fee of $250. To our alumni, friends and supporting organizations, this is where your money is going -- to create the best possible academic, athletic, and social experience for our 510+ young Hawks, and assisting them to afford this life-changing educational experience, as we all - faculty, administration, staff, alumni, friends, and community supporters -- demonstrate our Lasallian values of Service to Others. Please, PLEASE stand with us and continue, increase, or broaden your support -- it truly makes a difference in the lives of our students!

Blast Off!

All three of our students who applied for an Advanced Space Camp scholarship ($2,000 each plus airfare) were accepted to attend in Huntsville, Alabama this coming summer. Congratulations to Annalise de Leon, Alejandro Diaz, and Jadyra Amaya-Garcia on this great achievement. The funding is by way of the Scholarship Fund for Inner-City Children, from among applicants all across the Archdiocese of Newark.

ACEs

Three of our Hawks have been awarded an ACES (Accessing Careers in Engineering and Science) Scholarship to attend the Steven's Institute of Technology Summer Residential Pre-College Program. Olivia Morgan, Sophia Olivier and Jasmine Wong will be given the opportunity to experience life as a college student for a full week by dorming on the Steven's campus. They will engage in classes in Medicinal Chemistry and Biology-Genetics in Medicine. Our junior student recipient Olivia Morgan has received this award twice! This year, she will be participating in the Neuroscience course.

All Americans

Congratulations are due to Breanna Miller, Kimora Sims, Aiden Smith and Chris Clark who earned All American Honors at the Nike National Track & Field Meet.

Recruiting Our Hawks

On March 10th, Mr. Jabir Brinkley and the Student Services Office of College Counseling spearheaded the Hudson Catholic Spring College Fair. The entire Sophomore and Junior Classes of Hudson Hawks had the opportunity to engage and interact with several admissions representatives from over 50+ college institutions, to learn about campus offerings and gain insight into various campuses and programs, from large public universities to smaller liberal arts institutions. Visiting schools competing for our Hawks included Villanova, Rutgers, and Arizona State University.

Alumni Spotlight

Leadership, Service, Achievements

(and occasional whimsy)

March Madness. It has been 48 years since a Hawk played in the NCAA Final Four, but Tahaad Pettiford '24 of Auburn University will do so as the third Hawk in history! He follows in the footsteps of Jim Spanarkel '75 and Mike O'Koren '76 who also played in the Final Four as a Freshman, at North Carolina in 1977, when the Tar Heels lost the National Championship Game to Marquette. Tahaad has "emerged as one of the top freshmen in America" as reported by ESPN, for playing a key role in helping to lead the Tigers (32-5) to the South Region Championship in theTournament, with all performances coming off the bench! In the opening round against Alabama State, he chipped in 16 points; against Creighton in the second round, he led his team in scoring with 23 points; in the Sweet Sixteen, Tahaad bucketed 20 points in a win over Michigan, and in the Elite Eight, he contributed 10 points in the 74-66 victory over perennial powerhouse Michigan State, for the Tigers' spot in the Final Four against SEC-rival Florida in San Antonio on Saturday, April 5th at 6:09pm ET. You can watch on CBS. And wear your Hawk Pride!

Break a leg. Mariano Padilla '23, former Hawk thespian in Chicago on The Jack Campion Stage at Hudson Catholic, will perform in Tony and Tina's Wedding at the Count Basie Theater in Red Bank, NJ in April. This is his second time starring in their production of the musical. Mariano is in the Theatre Program at Pace University.

Young and Distinguished. Natalia Goss '22 has been selected to join the 2025 DC AmeriCorps Teaching Fellow Program at Generation Teach.



Serving Others (Our Hawks). Austin Spiegel ‘16 is giving back to the Hawk community by coaching at Hudson Catholic. He is in his 5th year as Rugby Coach, with the aim to help Boys and Girls grow in the sport and in life. Austin attributes this sport to changing his life and his family, and is thrilled to give back and proud to be a part of alumni doing so. 

Most Eligible. Grant Ellis '12. After making it to the final five on The Bachelorette in 2024, our 6'5" former Hudson Hawk and Iona Gael basketball standout, 2013 March Madness participant, and present day-trader, is now 'THE STAR' of The Bachelor, Season 29 on ABC. On March 24th, Grant chose from among 25 women who vied for his affection. As a result, he is now engaged to Juliana Pasquarosa and is moving to Boston!

The Doctor is in the House. Hall of Famer / First Female Graduate Kristy Fernandez '10 received her Doctorate of Nursing Practice from Rutgers University with a 4.0 GPA, earning her an Academic Excellence Award. Currently works in the Intensive Care Unit at the Jersey City Medical Center.

Top Chef. Claude Lewis '98. Another Hawk Reality TV Star as the 2019 winner of Chopped, Season 11 on Food Network, Chef Claudious is breaking away form his restaurant in Jersey City -- Freetown Road Project -- to serve as the Featured Chef for Culinary Month in the island nation of Antigua & Barbuda, a nation in the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean Sea. He'll feel right at home, as the fare he serves in his Newark Avenue establishment is inspired by this local island fare.

A bride and her cast of Hawks. When Mark Medina '95 wed Julie DeStefano at St. Aedan's Church in November, it was a full Hawk wedding, as the nuptials were officiated by Father Frank Fano '97, who is currently Vicar at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church in Ridgewood, NJ. Among the witnesses was Mark Schoch '94, who is a Sergeant with the Secaucus Police Dept. Mark was a member of the April 1994 Christmas in April Hawk Home Rehab Project in Jersey City.

Tradesman. Ayram Vasquez '91 is Chief Economist at the Export-Import Bank of the United States in Washington DC, where he been employed for five years. He holds a Masters degree in economics from Columbia University.



Corner Office, C-Suite. Marco Poisler '88 is now Chief Executive Officer for Global Energy & Capital Projects at UTC Overseas, Inc.

Space Lawyer. Brian Garcia '79 has been promoted to Chief Legal Counsel at GKN Aerospace Services Structures, a global leader in the aerospace industry.





Secured. Steve O'Brien '76, a member of the 1975 County and 1976 State Championship Basketball teams, is a 23-year employee and Executive Director of CTI Global, a Cyber Security Products & Solutions firm.



Boardman. Bill Cullen '72 has been appointed a Non-Executive Director to the Board of AEGIS London, having previously served as President and CEO of parent company AEGIS Insurance Services Inc. from 2018 to 2023.



Pioneer Hawk Gerald 'Roddy' McCarthy '68 happily retired in Coral Springs, Florida. Roddy was an original Varsity Basketball Hawk, and gained a four-year scholarship to play at Biscayne University, which transformed into St. Thomas University in 1984. He later forged a 25-year career in law enforcement, including undercover work (pictured -- we couldn't resist!), and rose to Police Director of the Jersey City Police Department under Jersey City Mayor, and Hawk classmate, Gerald McCann '68. He retired form the JCPD in 2001, moved south, and represented AFLAC in South Florida, for which his $25 million in sales earned him permanent membership in the AFLAC President’s Club. He plays golf and his guitar as often as possible.

Tell Us

Just one of many things that unites us as Hawks is that Hudson Catholic alumni spread around the nation and the world are making incredible contributions to their communities, professions, and to Hudson Catholic.

If you know of an exceptional Hawk deserving recognition, we invite you to share why, by writing to advancement@hudsoncatholic.org with examples of Hawk alumni and alumnae leadership, service, and achievement...........and occasional whimsy.

Rest in Peace

Edward Roselle '80

Hudson Catholic Wall of Honor

Generally acknowledged to be the most prolific wrestler in Hawk History, and the only grappler to be hoisted onto the Wall of Honor in the Rocky Pope Gym, he passed away on February 26, 2025 following a period of declining health. 'Eddie' was not your average Hawk, far from it. All County. District Champion. Youth Coach. Police Career. A life of service to others. A Lasallian life. Hudson Catholic Wall of Honor. Always to be remembered.

An outstanding athlete on the wrestling mat and football field, he turned his learnings into service, taking what Coaches Ed Agresta and Bob Mitchell taught him about sports and life, and passed it along over twenty years in high school coaching while serving the community as a Jersey City Police Officer for 25 years, retiring in 2012.

Ironically, Ed was honored with membership on the Wall of Honor in 2024 for his outstanding performance in a sport that he turned to as a means to become a better football player, but wound up using football to get in shape for wrestling! In the process, he became a County and District champion at the Heavyweight level, who, according to Wayne Witkowski '71, in an article he wrote about Ed on February 15, 1980 in the Jersey Journal, "At 235 pounds...oddly, is one of the lightest heavyweights around, yet....has pinned eight of his 15 opponents in an unblemished season." For that, Ed claimed to have the smarts and agility to score points and takedowns rather than pins. Ed's three-year career record was 37 wins and 7 losses (5 as a soph), with 22 pins, meaning he went undefeated as a junior and senior until district or regional competition.

Please remember Eddie, his wife, Nancy, and brother George Roselle III '76 in your prayers.

The Changing Neighborhood

Taken from the Skyway, today's view of Journal Square

(credit: Casey Zachowski '73)

Blasts From the Past

Basketball Version

(because if it's March, it's Madness!)

We do not have many good quality action shots of our school's greatest scorer, Mike O'Koren '76, so we pulled this one from his North Carolina Tar Heels days. As a special added attraction, we unearthed the 1974-75 (Mike's sophomore season) final State Basketball Rankings sponsored by TastyKake (remember those?) and published in the Jersey Journal (remember that?) of the day.

Commemorating the '69 Hawk Team, the first Hudson Catholic squad to reach the Parochial Group North A Final, played in Atlantic City against, who else, the boys from Prep. Again, the Jersey Journal of the day had plenty to tout about both teams.



Apparently, in 1979, there was a thing called 'Celebrity Basketball' and it descended upon the Hudson Catholic campus in the form of ABC News vs the Hawk Faculty. We have no institutional record of what transpired, so those of you who may have been eyewitnesses, or participants, please feel free to drop us a line at advancement@hudsoncatholic.org, and we'll illuminate the readership in the next issue of 'BTL'.

A Gift in Memory

A gift made to honor a loved one who has passed

is a meaningful way to ensure their memory lives on

Such gifts offer a lasting tribute while providing family and friends the satisfaction of knowing they have helped future students.

For more information on ways to honor a loved one through a current gift or planned gift, please contact the Chief Advancement Officer, Gary Ferrari '73 at gary.ferrari@hudsoncatholic.org or 201-888-6276.

You can help Hudson Catholic

with 'likes' & 'shares' of our posts to your networks, from

No Hawk Left Behind

We lose touch with some of our graduates who move around, go off to college, start careers, get married, etc. In some cases, they retire, having used their work email to receive ' BTL', and forget to notify us of a personal email address. Help us find them again and make it harder for us to lose touch. Many on this list have siblings who are Hawk alumni, so turn them in at advancement@hudsoncatholic.org or send them to hudsoncatholic.org/stay-connected to update their contact info.

Reminders

If you receive our email at your workplace

We may not be getting through to you if our email is being intercepted by your spam filter. Only you can correct that by placing us on your safe list, which would allow communications from our Constant Contact email platform to reach you.

For Hawks at or nearing retirement age

and receive this newsletter at your workplace email address

Please send us your personal email address at hudsoncatholic.org/stay-connected, or we will lose touch with you! This happens often.

advancement@hudsoncatholic.org to:

Plan a visit back to the Hawks Nest

Obtain or donate a yearbook through The Yearbook Exchange

Convey an obituary notice

Advertise your business card here for $30 per issue

Do you have a newsworthy item or something from the present or past to share with the Hawk community?

·    Landed your first job? Taken a new one?

·    Received a promotion or honor?

·    Gotten engaged or married?

·    Celebrated a milestone anniversary?

·    Welcomed a child or grandchild?

·    Reminisced with fellow Hawks recently?

·    Relocated?

·    Retired from your last job?

Hudson Catholic welcomes any and all news about your career, education, family life, and reconnecting with other alumni.

Submit a note and share photos with the Hudson Catholic community at

advancement@hudsoncatholic.org

Words of Wisdom

“Give kids a shot that can't be blocked! When it comes to choosing between storing a championship trophy in a room or providing kids with an opportunity to change their lives, the choice is pretty simple: sell it all!”

-- Kareem Abdul Jabbar,

NBA Hall of Famer

"Wanna be happy for an hour, eat a steak; wanna be happy for a day, play golf; wanna be happy for a week, go on a cruise; wanna be happy for a lifetime, put your faith in Jesus Christ."

--Lou Holtz

Former Head Football Coach of National Champion Notre Dame

"Always be able to look back and say, at least I didn't lead no humdrum life."

-- words attributed to Forest Gump by author Winston Groom

Requiescant in Pace

Vita Mutatur Non Tollitur

(Life is changed, not ended)

___________________________

Paul Winters '72

Jaime Buchicchio '80,

brother of Anthony Buchicchio '79

Alfredo Rodriguez '84

Kathleen Castle,

mother of Edward Castle ‘70 and Stephen Castle ’75,

mother-in-law of James Sweeney ‘73,

and widow of Edward Castle, for whom Castle Hall is named

Vittoria Corrado,

mother of Roger Corrado ‘80

William Haggen,

uncle of Da'Quan Haggen '10

Tara Keegan,

daughter of William Keegan ‘73

Anglelita Pena,

mother of Eduardo Pena '90

Arthur Sabb,

brother of Dwayne Sabb ‘87

Keeya Salinardi,

sister of Philip Salinardi ’00, Joseph Salinardi ’04, and Darren Salinardi ‘04

____________________________________

Will be remembered in the annual

Alumni Mass of Remembrance

on November 2nd, 2025

The Office of Advancement ~ Gary, Jill & Jenine

201-332-5970 x118

Advancement@hudsoncatholic.org ~ OR ~ gary.ferrari@hudsoncatholic.org

We Thank

Our Alumni Sponsors