Six alumni of Cathedral Prep Seminary, Elmhurst, were inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame Feb. 2 as part of the 14th annual Mass and induction ceremony at Immaculate Conception Center, Douglaston.

The Class of 2013 brings the total amount of Cathedral Prep Hall of Famers to 77. While the Super Bowl was played the following day, the inductees were able to relive their own sports memories that night.

Msgr. Martin Geraghty, ’59, said he was honored to be enshrined in his alma mater’s Hall of Fame. He grew up attending St. Francis Xavier parish, Park Slope, before his many talents led him to the Prep.

He was involved in a variety of extracurricular activities including singing in the choir, writing for The Spire and The Gargoyle and acting as one of the Father Ryan Players, but he left his impact as a middle infielder on the baseball team and a forward on the basketball team in 1957. He enrolled in Cathedral’s six-year minor seminary program, so he was able to continue playing these sports at the college level in 1958 and 1959.

“I’m thankful for the support I always got from the tremendous priests who were ahead of us and continue now with us,” Msgr. Geraghty said. “I’m very grateful to be part of that, and that’s the real Hall of Fame for me.”

Msgr. Geraghty served in several roles in the diocese before being appointed pastor at St. Francis de Sales, Belle Harbor. He currently is the pastor of St. Robert Bellarmine, Bayside.

Deacon Salvatore Marino was the next of the evening’s inductees. He arrived as a mathematics teacher at the Prep in 1973.

While he enjoyed that role, he also coached the school’s track team to its greatest heights. He led the 1979 cross-country varsity track team to a victory in the Queens CHSAA track championships.

“We had great kids and good years,” Deacon Marino said. “They were children, but they became men after four years. They knew what their goals were, and they achieved their goals. I loved coaching them.”

Deacon Marino is now the chair of mathematics for the Valley Stream Central High School District and the math department chair at Valley Stream South H.S., Valley Stream, L.I.

Coming to Cathedral Prep from Resurrection-Ascension parish, Rego Park, Charles Kutch, ’79, was a senior on Deacon Marino’s 1979 track team. Three years earlier, he was named most outstanding freshman on the team.

He was also a captain and M.V.P. of the chess team during his senior year. He wrote for The Current and participated in the Right to Life club and the Father Troike Summer Leadership Program.

“This is very special to me,” Kutch said of his induction. “I loved my time at Cathedral, and to be honored by the school is really touching to me.”

Kutch has been employed for over 25 years at the New York Life Insurance Company, where he currently serves as a corporate vice president. He lives in Holtsville, N.Y., with his wife, Diane, and their four children: Erin, Ryan, Patrick and Kayla.

From 1983 to 1986, Steven Tuifel, ’86, was a force on the basketball court for the Crusaders. His accomplishments during those years landed him a spot in the school’s Hall of Fame.

He came to the Prep from Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal, Ridgewood. He earned the junior varsity basketball team’s M.V.P. award in 1984 and the varsity M.V.P. in both 1985 and 1986. In 1985, he was selected to the CHSAA All-Division Team. Interestingly, he never picked up a basketball until enrolling in Cathedral.

“Cathedral built on the foundation that my mother and father already gave to me,” Tuifel said. “It was a great ride, and I love them all like family still to this day.”

A proud member of the Knights of Columbus, Tuifel now works as a field technician for Verizon and has two sons, Zachary and Jacob.

While he dreamed of playing professional baseball, Father Kevin Sweeney, ’88, started his journey on the diamond at Cathedral. Though he never reached the big leagues, his on-field performance as an infielder, outfielder and pitcher was awarded with an induction into the Prep’s Hall of Fame.

“It was a great place to play baseball,” Father Sweeney said. “We had some success, and it was a lot of fun. I thank the good Lord for allowing me to go to Cathedral Prep Seminary.”

He attended St. Luke’s parish, Whitestone, before enrolling in high school. He joined the intramurals committee, the Right to Life club, the Student Council and the Father Troike Summer Leadership Program.

He was ordained a priest in 1997 and served as parochial vicar at St. Nicholas of Tolentine, Jamaica, and Our Lady of Sorrows, Corona. He was later appointed director of vocations for the diocese before his current role as pastor of St. Michael’s parish, Sunset Park.

Though the other five inductees were all connected to Cathedral Prep’s sports program, Msgr. Kieran Harrington, ’89, had a litany of other talents leading to his induction. His home parish was St. Mel’s, Flushing, but Cathedral Prep soon became his second home.

Msgr. Harrington excelled as a member of the school’s forensics team. Each year, he qualified for the N.Y.S. championship in the Brooklyn/Queens Catholic Forensics League and the national championship in the National Forensics League.

“The most important thing we do as priests is preach on Sunday and celebrating the Mass,” Msgr. Harrington said. “I’m very grateful for having had the experience of being on the speech and debate team because I can bring that every single Sunday and every single Mass I celebrate publicly.”

During his four years, he was a sacristan and wrote for The Current. He was also a member of the Right to Life club, the Father Troike Summer Leadership Program and the drama club.

Msgr. Harrington currently serves as the Vicar for Communications of the Diocese of Brooklyn and the president and chairman of the DeSales Media Group, the parent company of The Tablet.

 

Molloy Girls’ Swim Team Crowned City Champions

 

After finishing the regular season undefeated, the Archbishop Molloy H.S., Briarwood, girls’ swim team captured its fifth city championship in just its 11th season of existence.

In those 11 years, the Stanners have also won 10 consecutive Brooklyn-Queens championships.

Molloy won the city individual championship with 788.50 points, a decisive win over runner-up Fontbonne Hall Academy, Bay Ridge, which finished with 560.50 points.

Senior Kelly Whelan received the four-year Career Swimmer Award, while junior Alexandra Rubiano was named the Most Valuable Swimmer of the championship meet.

Molloy’s swimming director, Donald Green, earned Coach of the Year honors.

“It was a fantastic year for the girls who came to the first day of practice and said that they wanted to win the city championship this year,” Green said. “They were going to work to achieve it.”