July 2022
Dear Holy Cross family:
Whether you are a prospective student or parent or an alum who has not visited in a while, greetings from 26-20 Francis Lewis Boulevard and welcome to Holy Cross. It was with a tremendous sense of gratitude, enthusiasm, and joy that I took the helm as the fifth president of Holy Cross on July 1, 2022. Gratitude for the fact that Holy Cross has been a part of my life since before I was even born. Enthusiasm because I now have the opportunity to be a part of its future. Joy that every year our mission—to help bring young men and women to completeness, centered in Christ and rooted in hope—touches more and more young people.
My mother, in search of a high school for my older brother Danny, who was a sixth-grader at the time, discovered Holy Cross one day while shopping on Francis Lewis Boulevard. When she investigated further, she was impressed by the Brothers of Holy Cross and their dedication to form young men of faith and courage who pursue lives of purpose.
That was fifty years ago. I was the last of three brothers to make his way through Holy Cross. The Brothers, lay faculty, coaches, moderators, administrators, and staff all helped form us (and thousands of other Cross alumni) in our faith and prepare us for a meaningful future. It was here that I learned to speak up and step up; where I was encouraged to excel and explore and where I realized that people cared for me. All of that made a huge difference in my life.
In 2018 Holy Cross expanded its mission to include young women. It was a bold and wonderful move; we have seen these lady Knights achieve great things in the past four years. I was honored to be present for the historic commencement this past June to celebrate the milestone of the first coeducational graduating class, and look forward to many more in the years to come.
Holy Cross has never sought to be the largest Catholic high school in Queens, and that has always been our strength. We are a family—a tight-knit one that welcomes all. Holy Cross is a place where young men and women can find their voice and their passion on the field, the court, the track, or the stage; in mock trial competitions; in writing for the school paper; in service projects across Queens, or in myriad other ways. Here at Cross we know the names of each and every one of our students—for the four years they walk these halls and for the decades beyond that they will live out their lives as proud alumni. Just ask any of the 14,000 Knights out there. We are not hard to find and always willing to brag.
The vision and faith of the Brothers of Holy Cross founded our school nearly seventy years ago and fostered it for decades. We—the men and women of the faculty, administration, and staff of Holy Cross—now carry on their work as their lay colleagues. I, for one, am indeed honored to follow in their footsteps. Blessed Fr. Basil Moreau, the founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross, noted, “With eyes of faith consider the greatness of your mission and the wonderful amount of good which you can accomplish.” If you are exploring high schools, come and be a part of the Holy Cross family. Our mission is indeed a great one, and we look forward to watching you accomplish a great deal of good in your four years here at Holy Cross—and the decades beyond.
Ave Crux, Spes Unica (Hail the Cross, Our Only Hope).
Yours in the Cross,
Mark A. Mongelluzzo ’92
President
