Statement from Kolbe Cathedral Preparatory School on the Passing of Louis V. Gerstner Jr.

The Kolbe Cathedral Preparatory School community joins countless others in mourning the recent passing of Louis V. Gerstner Jr. (December 27, 2026), a visionary leader whose generosity and commitment to education have left a lasting mark on our school and on Catholic education more broadly.

Mr. Gerstner believed deeply in the power of Catholic education to transform lives—especially for young people facing challenging circumstances. His conviction that every student possesses inherent dignity, promise, and potential aligned profoundly with Kolbe’s mission. Through his generosity, insight, and trust, he helped ensure that a rigorous, faith-filled education remains accessible to students and families who need it most.

We are deeply grateful for Mr. Gerstner’s partnership, his faith in our students, and his unwavering support of Kolbe Cathedral Preparatory School. 

His legacy will endure in the lives of the young men and women whose futures have been changed because he dared to believe in the promise of Catholic education.

We extend our heartfelt condolences to the Gerstner family and to all who loved him. Our students, staff, faculty and Board of Directors will honor him and Bishop Caggiano will celebrate a memorial Mass at the St. Augustine Cathedral on February 12, 2026 at 9:30am. May he rest in peace.

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St. Joseph Parenting Center Newsletter

October 2025 Parent Connection: Setting Your Child Up for a Successful School Year

A strong start can make all the difference for a successful school year. Children are known to thrive when they know what to expect, have the necessary tools, and feel supported at home and in school. Establishing reliable routines and bedtime habits is crucial as it supports brain development and emotional regulation. In fact, recent research indicates that children with consistent daily routines have more developed brain areas related to language, sensory processing, and emotion regulation. By creating this foundation, you can help your child feel prepared, confident, and eager to learn. Your encouragement and support are one of the most valuable tools your child has for success this year.

Tools to Keep the Positive Back-to-School Energy All Year Long

  • Set Routines: Create consistency with morning schedules, homework time, and bedtimes to make life smoother for both children and parents.
  • Stay connected: Keep everyone in the loop and feeling supported with regular check-ins with your child and their teachers.
  • Get organized: Help your child stay focused and confident by creating a designated homework spot and using folders and reminders.

Join a Community That Supports You

You don’t have to do it alone. At Saint Joseph Parenting Center (SJPC), you can receive support, guidance, and free resources from a community that understands. We offer specialized parenting groups for moms, dads, and caregivers, which are led by trained facilitators and surrounded by caring peers. Let’s build stronger families together.

Our Services Include:
  • Free parenting groups available in English & Spanish
  • One-on-one case management and referrals
  • A supportive and non-judgmental environment
Contact us to learn more:
  • Location: 299 Washington Ave. Bridgeport, CT
  • Contact Person: Olga De Aza
  • Phone: 203-588-1934 x1601
  • Email:
  • Website: sjcpcenter.org

Kolbe Conversations #8 “Let’s Talk About The Majors”

Please join us for the eighth edition of our Kolbe Conversations celebrity breakfast series to benefit Kolbe Cathedral Preparatory School. Themed “Let’s Talk About The Majors”, our featured guest will be Gene Wojciechowski, who will provide a 2026 recap of The Masters and PGA Championship and preview the U.S. Open and The Open Championship. Gene has spent more than 40 years as a sports reporter, at the Los Angeles Times, Dallas Morning News and Chicago Tribune, and later joining ESPN, where he served as a writer and on-air features reporter on the network’s golf coverage, SportsCenter and College GameDay. He has covered almost every significant sporting event in the world, including nearly 75 golf majors, and done ESPN stories on and with the most consequential players in the game: Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods, Arnold Palmer, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler, and Gary Player. His work has earned him multiple Sports Emmys and Edward R. Murrow Awards, as well as recognition from the Golf Writers Association of America. He is a New York Times bestselling author who has written or co-written thirteen books, including The Last Great Game and Kirk Herbstreit’s memoir, Out of the Pocket. His latest book, All Carry, was released on March 31,2026 and is his fictional debut. It features a recently laid-off golf reporter, a down-on-his-luck Tour caddie and a magical set of clubs once owned by Jack Nicklaus. It is a funny, feel-good, ” inside the ropes” novel as well as a touching father/son/unlikely friendship comeback story that will be a new classic. All breakfast participants will receive a copy of the book.

Wojciechowski is the Edward J. Meeman Distinguished Professor at the University of Tennessee, his alma mater. He and his wife, Cheryl, live in Knoxville, Tennessee, and Wheaton, Illinois.

Gene will be introduced and interviewed by his long-time ESPN colleague and fellow author, Ivan Maisel, as well as 11-time Emmy winner Armen Keteyian.

Register Now!
Register Now!
Presenting Sponsor: $10,000 – (SOLD)
Table Sponsor: $2,000 (includes one table/8 seats with branding, inclusion in printed program, pre and post event publicity)
Individual Tickets: $150 per person

All guests will recieve a copy of the book “All Carry”.

Brooklawn Country Club in Fairfield, CT

Thursday, June 18, 2026.

7:30 AM – 9:00 AM

Presenting Sponsor:

O’Herron Family Foundation

Kolbe Conversations #7 “Let’s Talk Basketball”

Please join us for the seventh edition of our Kolbe Conversations celebrity breakfast series to benefit Kolbe Cathedral Preparatory School. Themed “Let’s Talk Basketball”, our featured guest will be former Husky Hassan Diarra. Diarra spent three years at UConn and is a two-time national champion. In his first year at UConn in 2022-23, he was a key reserve on a team that went 31-8 and won the programs fifth national title. He ramped up his role in 2023-24 and won the BIG EAST Sixth Man Award on a team that won a program record 37 games and cruised to UConn’s sixth title. As a fifth year in 2024-25 he became a full-time starter, anchoring one of the nations elite offenses from the point and posting career highs in scoring, assists and rebounding. A tenacious defender, willing playmaker and fearless competitor, Diarra was a Husky fan favorite.

Register Now!
Register Now!
Presenting Sponsor: $10,000 – (SOLD)
Table Sponsor: $2,000 (includes one table/8 seats with branding, inclusion in printed program, pre and post event publicity)
Individual Tickets: $150 per person

The Patterson Club in Fairfield, CT

Thursday, June 12, 2025.

7:30 AM – 9:00 AM

Presenting Sponsor:

Kolbe Cathedral Opens Louis V. Gerstner III Center for Students and Families

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LOUIS V. GERSTNER III
CENTER FOR STUDENTS AND FAMILIES

 A New Home for Support and Growth.

Formerly Wissel Hall, the newly renovated Louis V. Gerstner III Center for Students and Families supports Kolbe students and various administrative programs. This renovated building is a beacon of light for Kolbe and the Bridgeport Hollow neighborhood. The exterior design enhances the campus and community, while the interior offers the following:

+ Four new classrooms

+ New art and music studio

+ Modern fitness center with state-of-the-art equipment

+ The center houses critical programs such as:

  • Student Success Center 
  • St. Joseph Parenting Center 
  • Administrative support for internship programs 
  • Expanded development office to support the school’s operations

Student Success at Kolbe:

Kolbe Cathedral Preparatory School (Kolbe Cathedral) has embarked on a bold and thoughtful approach to school improvement.  Launched in the 2023/24 school year, the Student Success Center (SSC) is a safe, supportive environment for students to work during and after school hours.  Staffed with certified teachers, tutors, peer mentors, and Director of Student Success, the SSC helps students achieve their learning goals through the development of personalized learning plans.  The SSC collaborates with teachers, school counselors and families to provide enrichment and interventions based on class performance and standardized test scores.  Students receive real-time academic support and additional skills and practice to both remediate and accelerate their personal learning.  The center features collaborative learning spaces where students can engage with tutors, their peers, Reading and Numeracy Specialists and or educational learning platforms like IXL to enrich their learning and help them reach the Vision of a Kolbe Cathedral Prep graduate.

Watch the ribbon cutting ceremony and words from Bishop Caggiano, Mayor Ganim, and Kolbe student Raschelle.

Lisa Hodges Inducted Into Connecticut High School Coaches Association Hall of Fame

Coach Hodges standing

Girls Basketball head coach Lisa Hodges was inducted into the Connecticut High School Coaches Association (CHSCA) hall of fame recently. We honor this accomplishment by looking back on her long and storied career at Kolbe Cathedral. Coach Hodges accomplished many things since she took over the head coaching job in 2003. In the twenty years since she began coaching, Hodges turned a sinking program around to be one of the most elite teams in the state of Connecticut. A team which was struggling to fill roster spots in the 90’s and early 2000’s is now a contender to win conference and state championships year in and year out. Coach Hodges brought her intense work ethic and unfaltering leadership to a team that was searching for something fresh.

The relationship that she built with the players is a bond that we still see today when former players return to visit. Hodges has been a mentor to so many of our young men and women not just on the court, but in the classroom as well. Coach Hodges preached the importance of getting an education and how being educated leads to future success.

Coach Hodges’ influence expands beyond the walls of Kolbe’s gym, however. Twenty-two players from Kolbe Cathedral have gone on to play at the collegiate level and two of them have gone on to play professionally as well. The life skills that she has imparted upon these students have developed them into intensely successful individuals and inspirational leaders of the future.

 

Kolbe Conversations #6 “Let’s Talk Maximilian Kolbe”

Please join us for the sixth edition of our Kolbe Conversations event series. Normally a breakfast, this will be an early evening event featuring the private screening of a riveting episode from Martin Scorsese’s new docudrama series The Saints (see link to the trailer below). The specific one-hour episode will feature our school’s namesake, Maximilian Kolbe, a Polish priest imprisoned at Auschwitz where he died in 1941 after volunteering his own life to save another prisoner. He was canonized as a saint by Pope John Paul II in 1982.

A cocktail reception will precede the screening and the acclaimed writer of the series, Kent Jones, will be on hand for an interview and Q&A with the audience after the film. Please register to attend … and know that for every ticket you purchase at $100, you will be providing two FREE tickets to Kolbe Cathedral students to attend the screening. We hope to have our entire school community (students, parents, staff, faculty, alumni, friends, Board members and donors) in attendance for an unforgettable evening of school pride, entertainment and learning.

Quick Center for the Arts

Fairfield University 
1073 North Benson Road
Fairfield, CT
Thursday, February 27, 2025
Cocktail Reception – 5:00-6:00pm
Screening – 6:00-7:00pm
Q&A with Kent Jones – 7:00-7:30pm

Individual Tickets:

$100 per person (includes reserved section seating, cocktail reception and two additional tickets to be provided to Kolbe Cathedral students)

Register
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Kolbe Conversations #5 “Innocents Held Hostage”

Please join us for the fifth edition of our Kolbe Conversations celebrity breakfast series to benefit Kolbe Cathedral High School. Over the last three years, our breakfasts have focused exclusively on sports. We’ve “talked” golf with Mike Whan (CEO, USGA), sports television with Pete Bevacqua (Chairman, NBC Sports), football with Dan Orlovsky (ESPN and former UConn and NFL QB) and hockey with Rand Pecknold (head coach of the 2023 NCAA Champion Quinnipiac Bobcats).

Changing the subject matter dramatically for our next breakfast, Let’s Talk “Innocents Held Hostage” will feature the showing of the award-winning documentary film of the same name followed by Q&A with its subject Morad Tahbaz. Mr. Tahbaz is a London born Iranian and American citizen who lives in Weston, CT. He is a businessman and nature conservationist and the Founder of the Persian Wildlife Heritage Foundation. Working in this capacity, he was detained by the Iranian government in January of 2018 then unfairly arrested, charged and convicted of espionage. An innocent “pawn” in high-level Iranian negotiations with the United States, he was held hostage for almost six years in a notorious prison before being released and reunited with his family in Connecticut in September of 2023. The subject of countless international news stories, come hear Morad’s harrowing account of cruel and unusual captivity … but also the uplifting story of individual perseverance and the tireless efforts of his family, friends and the American government to gain his freedom. The documentary Innocents Held Hostage, which expertly chronicles the ordeal, was co-produced by Nate Colman and Jonah Rothlein and won the 2024 Grand Prize of the C-Span Student Cam national competition. Believe it or not, they are rising Juniors at Weston High School! Nate Colman, who directed and edited the film, will be there to join the conversation.

The Patterson Club 

1118 Cross Highway

Fairfield, CT

Thursday, August 8, 2024

7:30-9:00am

Table Sponsor:

$2,250

(includes one prime location table with 8 seats and branding)

Individual Tickets:

$150 per person

Register