Gate of Heaven graduates celebrate a lifetime of memories

If you like old stories about historic Boston and its cherished family and educational tradition, Sunday’s last unofficial event before the Gate of Heaven School in South Boston gets demolished brought together many former graduates, young and old, from across Greater Boston, who shared their memories.

I’m sure nobody expected such a large crowd of proud Gatey alumni, but the school had such a profound impact on its graduates that people were anxious to visit the school for the very last time and maybe see some of their classmates. The school opened in 1922 under the Rev. George Lyons, and had a lifetime impact on thousands of families, the community and the country. We talked about when U.S. Rep. John W. McCormack visited our class with a few World War II veterans to talk about their experiences fighting in the Pacific after graduating from Gate of Heaven School and the bombing of Pearl Harbor.

Just about every graduate joined the military in those days and, after the war, became a cop or fireman. Some even became priests or nuns, while others became longshoremen, teachers, laborers and businessmen, all great parents and citizens.

But I have to admit that we all felt a sense of sadness in saying goodbye to the place where we made so many lifelong friends. People who were so loyal to one another in good times and bad. Some we played ball with, sold newspapers with, served in the military with and worked with. But yesterday, we mostly dwelt on the many positive days in our lives and careers we shared.

Like the May Processions, collecting food and clothes for the African Missions or the party when our classmate Paul Rouse joined the priesthood. We could recall just about every Sister of St. Joseph nun we had in our class.

Times have certainly changed in the country in so many ways, but the lessons and values we learned at this great Catholic school will never leave us. And neither will the loyal friends we made along the way.

Our parents may not have had the resources or connections for all of us to fully achieve our potential in life, but what we learned from our nuns and, yes, each other, were lessons far more valuable than gold or fame.

Yesterday, I was invited to talk to the children at South Boston Catholic Academy and realized that the great Catholic learning tradition continues. I felt optimistic about our city and country’s future after listening to the students and teachers.