ALMA MATTERS SHARE YOUR STORIES We’d love to hear from you! Send your news, notes and photos to alumni@popefrancisprep.org
Following his high school graduation, Michael McGrath HCHS ’79 attended college at USC in Los Angeles, and competed on the track team. Following his college graduation he moved to Sweden to attend graduate school, and got married. Currently he lives with his wife in Sweden. Christopher Hawley CHS ’80 says that
Ben Aleks CHS ’64
a former wrestler and coach at Cathedral has been elected as a member of the 2022 Wrestling Hall of Fame. Ben was the coach at the time of Cathedral’s first state championship. Francis Pijar CHS ’65 has been a
volunteer water quality monitor with CUSH (Clean Up Sound and Harbors) on the Mystic River in Stonington, CT since 2012. COVID-19 dramatically changed the sampling process in 2020 with the addition of masks, gloves, and social distancing. Fortunately the boat is long enough for three people to maintain social distance. The data collected is incorporated into the Long Island Sound Unified Water Study.
his years at Cathedral were the best days of his life. He looks forward to reconnecting with his former teachers, especially Steven Thomasy and David Laux. Patrick CHS ’91 and Michelle CHS ’92 (Murphy) Moriarty will be celebrating
25 years of marriage this July. Patrick and Michelle currently live in Deerfield, MA with their two children, Conor and Morgan. Patrick is the head baseball coach and college advisor at Deerfield Academy. Michelle works as a public school teacher at Agawam Jr. High. Michael CHS ’92 and Kathryn CHS ’93 (Lacey) Kiley reconnected 20 years after
high school thanks to Christine (Lacey) Jacques CHS ’92. Mike and Kate are now married and live in Frisco, TX. They both believe that God’s plan was built on humor, a belief in the fact that if you hold out long enough you can find your true love. Greg Matthews CHS ’00 has received a
Maurice O’Connor CHS ’70 will be
field medal.
retiring from his position as Teachers’ Aide at Southwick High School.
Kristi (Guzzo) Bellara CHS ’02 and
Karen (Garvey) Beck CHS ’75
would like to wish the best of luck to the Pope Francis Prep Cardinals. She is grateful for the fine education she received at Cathedral.
20 POPE FRANCIS PREPARATORY SCHOOL
Francis Pijar
her husband Amar Bellara are happy to announce the birth of their son Milan who was born in January 2020. Matthew CHS ’03 and Sarah CHS ’03 (Gumlaw) Lawlor recently settled
Michael McGrath
Karen (Garvey) Beck
in coastal North Carolina with their English Bulldog Wilson. Sarah is the Senior Director of Advancement Services at the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. Matt is an Aviation Historian working for the Hall Bulldog Project, a team that is working to recreate a piece of air racing history, with ties to Western Massachusetts. The two have been together for 19 years, and celebrated their seventh wedding anniversary this past September. Outside of their jobs, Matt is an award winning landscape artist and Sarah enjoys volunteering at The Hole in the Wall Gang Camp in Ashford, CT. Ainsley Smith CHS ’04 recently accepted the position of Regional Marine Mammal Stranding Coordinator at the National Marine Fisheries Service in Gloucester, MA. She credits Mr. Brodeur