About Mater Christi Diocesan High School

A word about MC memorabilia:

Materchristi.com and the Alumni Office are interested in your memorabilia. Contact us for information on how to forward your information.  Information that is collected will be scanned, added to the site, and then forward to the Mater Christi Alumni office. John Roleke; Director of Development; St. John’s Preparatory School; 2121 Crescent St.; Astoria, NY 11105-3354

Thanks.

When the school was dedicated, here is what was written about the school:

Mater Christi Diocesan High School is the second to be dedicated of the six new secondary schools being added to the Diocesan system. The first of the three double high schools. The boys’ division is staffed by the Brothers of the Christian Schools of the Long Island-New England Province, veterans of many successful years in both St. Augustine’s and Bishop Loughlin Diocesan High Schools. The girls’ division is under the charge of the Sisters of Mercy, Brooklyn Community, a congregation found in Dublin in 1831 by Mother Catherine McAuley and established as a unit in Brooklyn in 1855. Each of these schools occupies a wing of the block-long structure, which has the basic shape of a flattened letter H, with a section added at the top of the crosspiece. In this center area, facilities are provided for both schools. The cafeteria (capacity 1000), the auditorium (about 1500 seats), the gymnasium (bleachers for more than 2,000), and the library (seating for 270, stacks for 40,000 books) are thus available for all 3000 students. When it is being used for physical education classes, the gymnasium is divided into two complete units by and electrically operated partition which makes a tight seal with the floor.

While there has been a conscious effort in the construction of the new high schools to keep expense to a minimum and to stress use and efficiency, the tradition of adornment is a rightful adjunct or architecture has not been denied. For example, on the front wall of each wing are to be seen ceramic plaques depicting symbols proper to the school, including among others, four which pertain closely to the Blessed Virgin, and seals of Kings and Queens Counties. Above the main entrance is the bronze statue of the Mother of Christ, in whose honor the school is named. Engraved in the glass under the canopy are the seals of the Holy Father, the Bishop, the Diocese, and the United States.

Set in the floor of the entrance hall, in the center, is a bronze of the seal of Mater Christi High School itself. Directly opposite the main door is the Memorare Shrine, a mosaic of Our Lady of Grace, designed and executed abroad for erection here.

In the two chapels on the second floor, the motifs of the imported stained glass windows reflect the traditions of the religious who use them as well as suggesting saints and themes appropriated to high school students.

Mater Christi High School has been carefully, conscientiously, and systematically planned to further the traditions of Christian education in a contemporary setting.