Catholic Memorial's Class of '61 Reunites with First 50th Reunion in School History

Fifty years and one day after they graduated in the Ronald Perry Gymnasium, members of the Catholic Memorial School Class of 1961 returned for their 50th Reunion, the first in school history. 

Over fifty percent of the class turned out on June 10 for the event, a two-day affair where they will reminisce, celebrate Mass, tour Boston Harbor on a boat cruise and share their class spirit with the other reunion classes on Saturday evening.

Owen Hanley traveled from Alaska to join his classmates, while John Shea came from Hawaii and Gordon Castanza came from Washington. But not everyone from the class left Boston - for plenty of graduates, meeting up 50 years later meant driving down Centre Street. That was the case for Chuck Lisi, who still lives in West Roxbury.

Plenty of memorabilia, photos and presentations were shared with the founding class as they gathered on Friday. Friday night's evening reception in Donahue Hall took place just a few feet from Br. McKenna's desk and the front courtyard, where they first became Knights 54 years ago.

"This event could not have happened without our dedicated reunion committee, who planned this out all year," said Dave Erwin, Director of Alumni Relations and the Annual Fund at CM.  "Their efforts have paid off, and we're happy to be celebrating the Class of '61 on such a beautiful spring weekend."