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Morris Catholic High School Receives Historic $2.5 Million Gift to Build New Student Health & Fitness Center

Morris Catholic High School has received an unprecedented $2.5 million gift from an alumnus and his spouse – the largest ever received by the school – to support the construction of a new Health and Fitness Center, marking a transformational moment in the school’s nearly 70-year history.

The donors, who currently wish to remain anonymous, are helping make possible an approximately 15,000-square-foot, two-story facility addition the Morris Catholic campus. Plans for the center have been completed, and the school is preparing to begin construction in late spring.

The new facility will represent the first physical expansion of the Morris Catholic campus since the 1960s, signaling a bold investment in the future of the school and the students it serves. It is designed to promote and support a healthy lifestyle among students.

“This extraordinary gift reflects a deep belief in the mission and future of Morris Catholic,” said Brian Vohden, president of Morris Catholic High School. “For nearly seven decades, Morris Catholic has formed young men and women in faith, scholarship, and service. This generosity shows the value our community places on having attended Morris Catholic and in helping today’s students.”

The facility will significantly enhance Morris Catholic’s physical education and athletic programs. Designed to serve the entire student body, the center will provide modern training space for physical education classes, student strength and conditioning programs, and Crusader athletic teams. It will house new weights, benches, and equipment on the first floor, and an array of treadmills, bikes, and rowing machines on the second floor, along with a space for speed and agility work. A 25-foot tall, all-glass wall will give visitors a spectacular view of the football field below.

The anonymous donors expressed this hope for their gift: “We wanted to make an immediate impact, to prepare our youth for today’s challenges. We were especially interested in providing a high quality, state-of-the-art facility for the Morris Catholic student to thrive physically, mentally, academically, and spiritually, resulting in a truly abundant life.”

In addition to the training areas, the project will include exterior restroom facilities as well as a modern concession and retail space to enhance the experience for families and visitors attending outdoor athletic events. 

The project comes at a time of renewed momentum for Morris Catholic. Under the school’s recently adopted five-year strategic plan, the community is investing in a series of initiatives designed to strengthen academics, expand student opportunities, help meet the financial aid needs of students and their families, and position Morris Catholic as a leader among premier Catholic college preparatory schools in New Jersey.

“Catholic education and Catholic Schools are a great gift to students, families, our Diocese, the whole Church and the wider community. I am always inspired to see acts of sacrificial generosity by donors, by parents making sacrifices for their children’s education, and by the leaders, faculty, staff, and volunteers in our Catholic Schools,” said Bishop Kevin J. Sweeney, leader of the Diocese of Paterson.

“I express my gratitude, on behalf of our Diocese, to the anonymous donors, to President Brian Vohden, and to the faculty, staff and community of Morris Catholic High School. We continue to give thanks and offer our prayers for all of our school leaders, parents, and parish leaders for their commitment to help our students and young people become faithful, healthy and transformative citizens in a fast-changing society in need of Christ’s hope and love. This new student health and fitness center at Morris Catholic is a concrete example of a community coming together to find unique and creative ways to support and educate the whole person, body, mind, and spirit,” said Sweeney.

Beyond the record-setting gift, additional gifts from donors and parents are enabling the center to be built. The school is engaging its alumni base around several fundraising initiatives to further elevate the educational experience of students as well to meet their financial aid needs.

In referring to the historic gift, Mark Thomas, co-chair of the Morris Catholic Board of Trustees, said, "This enormous act of generosity will touch all students and will equip our athletes with tools and capabilities, so they are able to add to our history of excellence in athletics. The Board is gratified how alumni are partnering with us in strategically important areas."

Stay tuned for additional updates as we enter the construction phase.