By Elena Perri • Posted October 23, 2026

Alumni of Catholic schools often express their appreciation for the education they received, the opportunity to learn about their faith, the discipline instilled in them, and the close-knit community they experienced.

That sentiment remains strong even among alums of schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia that have closed.

The alumni of North Catholic High School in Northeast Philadelphia and St. James High School in Chester have continued to make a positive difference in the lives of hundreds of young people by ensuring they can attend a Catholic school.

The ongoing commitment of these alumni associations to provide scholarships is rooted in their desire to give back to younger generations so they can experience the impact of a Catholic education.

The results of their fundraising work are impressive. North Catholic’s alumni association has given more than $6.7 million to the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren of their alumni since the school closed in 2010.

The Norphans, a non-profit organization formed in 2014, has given more than $600,000 in scholarships since its inception. The Norphans name was coined by Oblate Father Neil Kilty, chaplain of the alumni association, after the school closed.

The St. James Alumni Association recently surpassed $2 million in scholarships since the school closed in 1993.

“St. James meant a lot to us,” said Mike Ritz ‘71, president of the St. James Alumni Association. “We’re firm believers in the benefits of a Catholic education, so when the school closed, we decided we were going to keep supporting Catholic education through a scholarship program.”

Ritz said the association is supporting 40 boys and girls at Cardinal O’Hara Catholic High School in Springfield, Msgr. Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School in Drexel Hill, and Archbishop Carroll High School in Radnor.

“We supplied $130,000 in scholarships this year,” he added.

Ritz noted the impact the scholarships have made over the years.

“One of our scholarship recipients became a priest, and we’ve had several of them reach high ranks in the military,” he said. “Some of them went into business careers. That’s what encourages our members to keep supporting the scholarships.”

The association, which has more than 1,600 members, hosts several fundraising events including a golf scramble, dinners and shows at the Doghouse in Eddystone, and a Dogs on the Dunes all class reunion in Wildwood, New Jersey.

One of the biggest fundraisers is the “Bulldog Ruffle,” Ritz said. He explained that last year’s jackpot was almost $58,000 –half the money went toward scholarships, and the other half was split between three prize winners.

In addition to scholarships, Ritz said the association supports the retirement home of the Marianist brothers and priests, and the group hosts turkey and toy drives for the community during the holiday season.

Three years ago, the association began running a teacher supply drive for St. James Regional Catholic School in Ridley Park, which was named in honor of St. James High School.

“This year we gave all 20 teachers at St. James Regional $200 gift cards to Staples, and we gave the office a $500 gift card for office supplies,” Ritz said. “It’s just another way of us supporting Catholic education because these teachers take a lot of money out of their own pocket, and we’re doing our best to help them.”

For Mike Ferris ’82, president of the North Catholic Alumni Association, the generosity of North graduates reflects the values they learned at the school.

“It’s what we believe in – the faith, the discipline, learning to be charitable,” Ferris said. “We’ve been giving for most of our lives, and we just continue to do that.”

He explained that the association is currently providing $500,000 in annual scholarships to approximately 140 students in Catholic grade schools, high schools, and colleges.

Annual fundraisers include a Communion breakfast, Lucky 12 membership drive, sports raffle, a golf classic, and class reunions.

The scholarships can make the difference between a family being able to afford Catholic education or having to choose another option, Ferris said.

“Some of these families would not send their kids to some of these schools if they didn’t receive scholarship assistance,” he added. “It literally is life changing.”

The Norphans provide $500 grants to students in ninth through 12th grade attending Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, South Jersey, and Salesianum Academy in Delaware, according to Mike McBride ’81, president of the Norphans.

The Norphans raise much of its scholarship money through an annual golf outing and a summer reunion in North Wildwood that continues to draw more than 1,000 people, McBride said.

In addition, the organization sells North Catholic merchandise, conducts 50-50 raffles, and partners with businesses owned by North Catholic grads for special events, he added.

North Catholic alumni will gather on Nov. 8 to celebrate the 100^th anniversary of the opening of North Catholic at the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 5 in Northeast Philadelphia. The anniversary event is sponsored by the alumni association, the Norphans, and the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales.

The generosity of the alumni of both high schools have made it possible to provide significant financial support to students.

“We have a lot of very successful members who believe wholeheartedly in what we’re doing, and every year the checks (are) in the mail,” Ritz said about the St. James alumni.

“Our alums are very generous, and we all have that same spirit and feeling about giving back,” Ferris added. “Some of us have done better than others, but we give back as much as we can.”

McBride echoed those sentiments.

“It’s not going to change through our lifetime till we’re on the other side of the sod,” he said. “We’re going to be doing what we do because of how we were raised. You’re always told to put your hand down and help the next person up, and people did it for us, and we’re going to continue to do it for them.”

For Ritz, the time devoted to fundraising is worthwhile because of the difference a Catholic education can make in a young person’s life.

“We don’t get paid for what we do, but when someone tells you that you changed their life, that’s worth more than a paycheck,” he said.