Alumni Association of the Roman Catholic High School of Philadelphia
Roman Catholic High School’s students and alumni are called Cahillites, after the school’s founder, Thomas E. Cahill. That’s where Cahillite.com gets its name. Since 1915, the Alumni Association has kept Roman’s graduates connected to the school at Broad and Vine and to one another.
Cahillite.com is the official website of the Alumni Association of the Roman Catholic High School of Philadelphia, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 23-1872983) separate from the school.
About the Association
Philadelphia merchant Thomas E. Cahill left most of his fortune to found a free Catholic high school for boys. Roman Catholic High School opened at Broad and Vine in 1890, and its graduates are still called Cahillites in his honor.
Alumni formed the Alumni Association in 1915, for the school’s 25th anniversary. Today it is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with its own board, separate from the school. We work alongside Roman’s Office of Mission Advancement and the Cahill Club, and we welcome all alumni, their families, and friends of the school.
To foster relations with alumni of Roman Catholic High School; to promote the interests and general welfare of Roman Catholic High School; to maintain and advance Catholic education and academic excellence.
What we do
Alumni serving on the Executive Board and its committees run the Association’s work throughout the year, alongside alumni programs offered by the school.
Gatherings on the calendar every year.
Ways to stay in touch between events, whatever your class year.
Helping the school and its students thrive.
Keeping the record of more than 135 years at Broad and Vine.
LuLu Country Club, 1600 S. Limekiln Pike, Glenside, PA
Springmill Fire Company, 1210 E. Hector St., Conshohocken, PA
Memorial Mass and Annual Meeting at 11 a.m., Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. Homecoming follows, 1–4 p.m. Tickets $65; proceeds support the Roman Fund. Homecoming details
Our history
Roman’s graduates have organized since the first class finished in 1894. Here are some of the moments when they stepped in for the school.
Roman’s first graduating class founds the Associated Alumni of Roman Catholic High School, which lasts until 1897.
The Cahill Club takes its place, open to anyone who attended Roman for any length of time.
For the school’s 25th anniversary, alumni form the Alumni Association. They obtain the use of a city-owned tract at 29th and Clearfield Streets and turn it into Cahill Field. The Association holds the lease for 83 years.
The Association resolves to use its resources to cover the school’s deficit so Roman can keep operating.
Facing closure, Roman is allowed to stay open if alumni guarantee 250 incoming freshmen and keep covering the deficit. They do, and enrollment climbs to 750 within three years.
With leadership from the school’s Board and the Alumni Association, Roman’s first capital campaign, the Renaissance at Roman, reaches its high point: the Archdiocese approves Renaissance Hall, a $3.5 million expansion funded by alumni, friends, and foundations.
Leadership
Board and committee members take on a leadership role, guiding the current and future work of the Alumni Association.
Founded 1897 · Chartered 1898
Started in 1897 and chartered by Monsignor Nevin F. Fisher in 1898, the Cahill Club is a fraternal organization for anyone who attended Roman.
In its early years the Club hosted dances, banquets, athletic events, recitations, and theatrical productions. Today it works alongside the Alumni Association, bringing Roman brothers together through networking events, happy hours, and the annual Cahill Club Founder’s Day Dinner each May.
You don’t need to be a member to attend the dinner, but membership gives you access to every Club event and networking opportunity.
Get involved
Alumni forms are on RomanCatholicHS.com. These links take you to the right page there, or to the alumni LinkedIn group.
Keep your contact details current so you hear about reunions, events, and Association news.
Update my infoAny alumnus can apply to become a Trustee of the Alumni Association and join one of the board’s committees.
Apply to be a TrusteeShare major life events and other news with your fellow Cahillites.
Submit a class noteNetwork with Roman alumni. Include your class year when you ask to join.
Join on LinkedInHire fellow Cahillites. Browse businesses owned by Roman alumni and friends, or add your own.
Browse the directoryAvailable to alumni of Roman Catholic High School and John W. Hallahan High School.
Request a transcriptNews about past and current classes, sent to alumni, families, and friends.
Read past issuesRoman’s annual giving campaign, designed to make an immediate difference in the quality and affordability of a Roman education.
Give to RomanThe Alumni Quad
Engraved bricks are set permanently in Roman’s Alumni Quad. Each one carries a personal message to the Cahillite community and helps support students at the school.
Brick orders and payment go through the school’s page on RomanCatholicHS.com. For order questions, contact the school’s Director of Development and Alumni Relations. This is a preview only; nothing you type here is sent anywhere.
Contact
Questions about the Association, its board, events, or volunteering.
Michael Cornaglia ’19
Director of Development and Alumni Relations, Roman Catholic High School
