The Monsignor Dickie Society held its first fundraiser yesterday to benefit its mission to keep tuition low and affordable for all families who want their children to receive a Catholic education.

With nearly 200 students whose families make under $60,000, Cathedral Catholic High School does all it can to assist these families with the cost of tuition and extracurricular involvement. The roots of the Monsignor Dickie Society are firmly planted in the effort to allow as many students as possible to receive the benefits of a Catholic education.

“We started the Monsignor Dickie Society to help support financially strapped families obtain a quality Catholic education and the Dons experience,” Mr. Sean Doyle, Director of Alumni, said.

The society bears the name of “founding father” and second principal of University of San Diego High School, Monsignor John Dickie, who played an influential role in the shaping of USDHS and has stayed involved in the Cathedral community for a long time.

“When we came up with the idea for the society, Monsignor Dickie’s name was the first to come to my mind…because of his continued commitment to Catholic education over the years,” Mr. Doyle said.

For Monsignor Dickie, one of the most important aspects of Catholic education is the tradition of taking care of students who “deserve” that education despite their families’ financial limitations.

“I certainly have an admiration for what the school stands for in terms of financial assistance, and I’m glad that is continuing,” Monsignor Dickie said. “I’m glad to be a part of that.”

The inaugural fundraiser held last night sought to introduce the society to the CCHS community and receive initial donations. While attendees enjoyed food and drink, students spoke about the importance of receiving a Catholic education and how they have personally benefitted from financial aid opportunities.

Her desire for her daughter to go to college, like 99 percent of Cathedral graduates, prompted senior Karen Amador’s mother to seek financial assistance from Cathedral.

“Cathedral is really kind,” Karen Amador said. “Because of financial aid, this is where I learned more about myself. I discovered myself here, and I’m not sure I could’ve done that anywhere else.”

Amador shared her dreams studying psychology and obtaining her teaching degree, dreams she didn’t think possible before attending Cathedral. Following Amador’s speech, fellow senior Cody Waldecker shared his story of how Cathedral helped relieve the financial burden tuition would have cost his family.

“I never had to worry about changing schools because Cathedral understood that I wanted to be here, despite any financial hardship,” Waldecker said. “It has been a blessing, and because of it I have participated in as much as I possibly can.”

Making the most of the opportunity he has been given, Waldecker is a tri-sport athlete and the captain of the robotics team. With a 4.3 GPA, Waldecker hopes to attend an Ivy League school and pursue a career in mechanical engineering.

Students like Amador and Waldecker are ones that the Monsignor Dickie Society hopes to reach out to and provide with a Catholic education.

“I just hope that everybody else that wants to come to Cathedral can,” Waldecker said. “I want them to have the same opportunities I got.”