Reconnect with Your Terrier Family This Fall!

Volume: 2026

Issue: 2

Sept/Oct 2026

"Jesus Christ is the same YESTERDAY, TODAY, and FOREVER." - Hebrews 13:8

Alumni Activities in Full Swing!

Hello, Terriers!

This school year is off to an amazing start, and we couldn’t be more excited!

We kicked off the year with our very first Legacy Mass on August 30, welcoming more than 200 alumni and Legacy families back to campus. It was a truly special evening as generations of Terriers gathered together in prayer, fellowship and gratitude for the legacy that connects us all.

As Friday Night Lights return, we’re getting ready to celebrate even more of our Terrier family! Due to anticipated weather, our home game against EDW has moved to THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1. We will host an Alumni End Zone Social, welcoming alumni who were part of football, cheer, dance, band, flags and all of the other groups that helped bring Terrier football games to life over the years. This special night will also welcome home our Terrier Champions as we recognize 10 state championship teams celebrating milestone anniversaries during the 2026–27 school year.

But October fun doesn’t stop there! We’re also gearing up for Terrier Tailgate on October 9, our annual fundraiser and one of the most fun nights of the year! Join us for an adults-only evening filled with great food, fellowship and plenty of Terrier spirit. Tickets are just $40 and include beer and wine, with a silent auction and live music from Pants Party keeping the party going. It’s a fun night for a great cause, with proceeds going directly back to support Vandebilt Catholic. We highly encourage you to gather of group of friends, maybe even from your class, and join us!

We follow that up with one of our favorite traditions: Homecoming Week! The celebration kicks off with Mass on Monday, October 12, followed by a week full of Terrier traditions and plenty of opportunities to join us on campus. We’ll celebrate the Class of 1977 and their 50th anniversary with a special luncheon on Monday. We keep the spirit going with our Pep Rally and Homecoming Parade on Thursday, October 15. On Friday, October 16, we’ll wrap up the week with the Homecoming Game and Alumni Tailgate. It’s going to be a week filled with memories, school spirit and plenty of Terrier pride!

There’s so much happening this fall, and we hope you’ll make plans to come back to campus and be part of it. Whether you graduated last year or decades ago, there is always a place for you!

Thank you for continuing to be part of the Vandebilt Catholic story. We look forward to seeing you back on campus, cheering from the stands, reconnecting with old friends and helping us build an alumni community that keeps our Terrier family connected for generations to come.

Yesterday. Today. Forever.

Mary Downer Ditch ’98

Alumni Director

We invite you to keep your information up-to-date by visiting our website and completing our form:

Update Information

Alumni Spotlights you might have missed!

Congratulations to Michael Blanchard '11 for being awarded the Terrebonne Young Achievers Award from the Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce! His leadership, professional accomplishments, and community involvement reflect a passion for serving others and creating lasting impact.

Congratulations to John Rodrigue '05 for his Daytime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for a Daytime Program for his work on "Have Guitar Will Travel World."

John recently completed a run with Twitty & Lynn, the grandchildren of Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn.

Matthew Ortego '07 was recently named Vice President - Commercial Lending at Synergy Bank. Congratulations, Matt!

Matt began with Synergy 15 years ago as a Credit Analyst. He earned his Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Master of Business Administration from Nicholls State University and is also a graduate of Graduate School of Banking at LSU.

Be sure to follow us on social media here: Alumni Association Facebook page.

CELEBRATING OUR LEGACY

More than 200 members of the Vandebilt Catholic family gathered for our inaugural Legacy Mass, celebrating the generations of families whose lives have been shaped by Catholic education.

The special Mass brought together families with two or more generations of alumni or current students of Vandebilt Catholic High School, along with alumni of Houma Central Catholic High School and St. Francis de Sales High School. It was a beautiful reminder that the legacy of Catholic education reaches far beyond a graduation day—it lives on through the families, traditions, faith and relationships that continue from one generation to the next.

As we celebrated, we were reminded that our legacy was created because those both with us in the room and those who came before us. Each generation has the opportunity to carry forward the values and traditions entrusted to them while helping shape what will be left behind for the next generation.

Looking around at the families gathered together, it was clear that the future of our Terrier family is in good hands!

We are grateful to everyone who joined us for this special occasion and helped make our first Legacy Mass such a meaningful celebration. We are excited to make this an annual tradition and look forward to welcoming even more Legacy families back to campus next year. •

You can view and download your free images from Legacy Mass here.

Class of 1981 - 45 year reunion

October 3, 2026 • 6 p.m. • Whip's Slip Marina, 1109 Dunn Street, Houma

Stay up-to-date with class reunions on our website.

Class of 1991

Class of 1996

Class of 2016

Due to anticipated weather, our home game against EDW has moved to THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1.

RSVP HERE

Due to anticipated weather, our home game against EDW has moved to THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1.

RSVP HERE

Purchase Tickets!

Visit VCHS Alumni Website

Vandebilt Catholic High School Alumni Department can be reached at 985.580.1868. Our Alumni Director is Mary Downer Ditch '98: mditch@vchterriers.org.