Cathedral has had a long and storied history involving the Congregation of Holy Cross (C.S.C.) dating back to its founding in 1918. The school was run by the Brothers of Holy Cross from its inception all the way until the 1970s, when it moved from the downtown location to The Hill, where it has presided ever since. After almost 45 years of not being affiliated with the C.S.C., the Congregation was reintroduced to the school in 2011. Since then, there has been a revolving door of C.S.C. priests coming in and out of the school

This school year, Cathedral welcomed Fr. Jomy Matthew, a C.S.C. priest, to The Hill as a chaplain. Fr. Jomy has been a very active part of the school community, offering masses in the chapel multiple times per day as well as celebrating all-school masses. He has been seen supporting students at extracurricular activities such as athletic events and musical performances as well. 

For the 2023-24 school year, Fr. Jomy will be joined by two more C.S.C. clergy members on The Hill. According to an email sent to staff members on April 12 by President Mr. Rob Bridges, “Cathedral High School announces a Holy Cross Priest and a Holy Cross Brother, both with ties to the University of Notre Dame, will join Cathedral’s staff in the 2023-24 school year.”

Bridges goes on to say that Reverend Geoffrey Mooney and Brother Matthew Rehagen will be joining the school as full time staff members, and, according to Campus Minister Mr. Dave Neeson, the two were assigned to Cathedral by the Congregation itself. Neeson said, “When (the C.S.C.) had their chapter gathering, the chapter decided they wanted to get more involved in teaching, and they wanted to go to schools that were diverse. Cathedral is the most diverse (C.S.C. affiliated) school in the country, so this has come from a partnership between two sides that want the same thing.”

Neeson claims that, unlike Fr. Jomy, these new C.S.C. clergymen will have a big role in the education of students. He said, “I believe that Fr. Geoff is going to be teaching math. I don’t know where Br. Matt is going to be, but I know he’s going to be teaching.”

Neeson says that the addition of these two C.S.C. members is part of the school’s goal of having a “Holy Cross Community” of at least two clergy members, and he believes that the two men will be a great fit on The Hill. Neeson said, “I think they’re going to be phenomenal. They’re both relational ministers and they both want to accompany people, and I think that’s what Cathedral is all about.”

The email from Bridges provided some background information on both Rev. Mooney and Br. Rehogan. It states, “Fr. Geoffrey Mooney, C.S.C., is a native of New Albany, Ind., and was ordained as a Holy Cross priest in 2021. Before joining Holy Cross, he earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from the University of Notre Dame in 2009. He then entered the Alliance for Catholic Education (ACE) Teaching Fellows Program, earning a Master of Education in 2011 while teaching math and coaching cross country at Pensacola Catholic High School in Pensacola, Fla. He completed his Master of Divinity degree in 2020 before moving to Christ the King Parish in South Bend, Ind., as the associate pastor. In addition to parish ministry, Fr. Geoff currently serves as the chaplain at St. Joseph High School in South Bend,” and, “Br. Matthew Rehagen, C.S.C., is a native of Jefferson City, MO. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2018 with majors in Theology and Philosophy. He also earned a Master’s in Theology in 2021 and a Master of Education in 2023, both from the University of Notre Dame. He is currently a 5th-grade teacher at St. Adalbert Catholic School in South Bend, and is a member of the ACE Teaching Fellows.”

Though the two will not be joining the school full-time until this August, the students will get a chance to see Fr. Geoffrey on April 27, when he will say Mass at the last all-school Mass of the year.